4 Benefits Of Forest Schools For Children's Development

AD. When choosing a non mainstream school for your child, you'll notice there are differences in the way they are run and what they prioritise. There are Montessori, Waldorf, Sudbury, and Forest schools that each do things a little differently. They have their own merits and in this post, we will explore the latter. We’ve teamed up with a private school in Surrey to share the benefits of forest schools for children.

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What Are Forest Cchools?

Firstly, for those who don’t know, forest schools focus heavily on the natural environment. As the name suggests, outdoor learning is a big part of what they do. They adopt a child-centred, inspirational learning process that aims to teach creative thinking, problem-solving, and build a child's confidence. 

Benefits Of Forest Schools

Sensory Development 

Outdoor exploration plays an important role in sensory development and helps children build an understanding of the wider world. They can explore different sounds (like the sound of traffic, birds chirping etc) and distinguish between environments. There are various other senses they can explore, like their sense of touch as there are a variety of textures and materials outside.

Developing Independence

The way forest schools go about teaching promotes a deeper level of thinking and encourages children to problem solve, think critically, and develop their independence.

Gross Motor Skills

Children can run around and build on their gross motor skills outside. This is something they can’t do as easily in the classroom.

Mental Health

The time spent outdoors can also be beneficial for their mental health. Studies show that children who spend prolonged periods outdoors are typically happier.

To Conclude

Forest schools are all-round good schools for children to attend. They help in various areas of their development and create a safe, non-judgemental space where children are allowed to make their own decisions and make mistakes.

What are your thoughts on forest schools? Is it something you'd consider for your child?