Nursery World - Enabling Environments: Forest Schools: Part 5

Light the sparks of learning and independence in Forest School activities using fire. Sarah Blackwell explains how to do it safely, and Forest Schools Birmingham and Midlands describe their experiences in an online-only case study

In the latter stages of a Forest Schools programme, children can move on to lighting and managing fires, an activity that teaches children an array of life skills, from independence and risk management to self-regulation and self-awareness.

As with all other Forest Schools activities, building fires also opens up enormous opportunities for children to learn about the world around them. Practitioners need to be clear about the purpose of the session and the desired outcomes. Fires are not an obligatory part of Forest Schools, and only well-planned sessions will maximise the possibilities for exploration.

THE FIRE AREA

The area set out for the fire should consist of:

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included