CFC 25: Finding out about Forest Schools

CFC 25 introduces Forest Schools and the wider idea of outdoor learning for young children. The links on this page take you through each learning outcome, but this introduction helps you see how the unit fits together: what Forest Schools are, how to choose an outdoor learning environment, how to use it for learning, and why outdoor experiences matter.

Forest School is an approach to learning that uses regular, child-led experiences outdoors to build confidence, curiosity and resilience. It is often linked to woodland, but the heart of the approach is not “a forest” as such. It’s about learning in nature over time, with repeated sessions, practical exploration, and supportive adults who guide safely without taking over. Children learn by doing, trying, noticing and reflecting. It can look messy. That’s part of the point.

In Forest School-style practice, children are encouraged to explore the natural world, take manageable risks, and develop independence. Activities might include building dens, exploring mud and water, identifying natural objects, using simple tools under close supervision, or cooking simple snacks over a fire where appropriate and permitted. The adult role is to create a safe environment, model respect for nature, and support children to make choices and solve problems.

This unit asks you to identify the main features of Forest Schools. Features often include regular outdoor sessions, learning through play and exploration, a focus on the whole child (confidence, wellbeing and social skills as well as knowledge), and a relationship with the natural environment. Another key feature is that experiences build over time. Children revisit the same outdoor space and notice changes across seasons, weather and growth.

The next part of the unit focuses on choosing an outdoor learning environment. Children can learn outdoors in many places, not only woodlands. You will list different types of outdoor environments where children can explore. These might include a nursery garden, local park, woodland area, beach, community garden, allotment, farm, nature reserve, or even a safe courtyard space. Different environments offer different learning opportunities, and your choice should reflect children’s age, needs, and what is realistic for your setting.

When you describe a chosen outdoor environment, think about what makes it suitable for learning. Is there space for movement and exploration? Are there natural objects to investigate? Is there a quieter area for children who need calm? How will children get there safely? A good description includes what children will see, do and experience, not just what the place looks like.

Safety is a major part of outdoor learning. You will identify safety issues in the chosen environment. Risks might include uneven ground, water hazards, poisonous plants, sharp litter, weather extremes, insects, boundaries near roads, or unsuitable climbing areas. Safe practice involves checks before sessions, clear rules for children, appropriate clothing, close supervision, and following your setting’s policies and risk assessments. Outdoor learning should feel adventurous, but never reckless.

This unit also asks you to describe a project children can carry out outdoors. A project is a simple set of connected activities over time. For example, children might create a “mini-beast home” using sticks and leaves, then revisit it to see what has changed. Or they might plant seeds in a small outdoor space and track growth through photos and drawings. Projects work well because they give children a reason to return, observe and build understanding gradually.

You will also list learning that could take place outdoors and skills children could develop. Learning might include language (naming, describing, asking questions), early maths (counting stones, comparing sizes), science (growth, weather, life cycles), and understanding the world (seasons, habitats). Skills can include coordination, balance, problem-solving, teamwork, turn-taking, self-control, and confidence. Often, children also develop emotional resilience: they learn to cope with wet sleeves, to try again when a den collapses, and to feel proud when they manage something tricky.

Here’s a practice example: in a nursery garden, children work together to build a “stick shelter” for toy animals. They learn to choose longer sticks, balance them, negotiate roles, and solve problems when it falls over. The adult supports with simple prompts (“What could make it steadier?”) and ensures boundaries are safe. Another example: in a local park, children collect leaves and sort them by colour or shape, then make a simple collage back at the setting. Children are exploring nature, language and early classification skills in a child-friendly way.

Outdoor learning benefits children in many ways, and this is the final part of the unit. It can support physical health and coordination, improve mood and attention, encourage curiosity, and support social confidence. Outdoor spaces also give children a different kind of freedom: they can move, explore and play on a larger scale. For some children, this is where they thrive.

As you work through the links on this page, keep your answers practical and grounded in real early years settings. By the end of CFC 25, you should be able to describe key features of Forest Schools, choose and describe an outdoor learning environment, identify safety issues, outline a simple outdoor project, and explain the learning, skills and benefits children can gain from outdoor learning over time.

1. Know about Forest Schools.

2. Know how to choose an outdoor learning environment.

3. Know how to use the outdoor environment to support learning.

  • 3.1. Describe a project that children can carry out in the chosen outdoor environment
  • 3.2. List learning that could take place in chosen outdoor environment
  • 3.3. Lists skills that children could develop in chosen outdoor environment

4. Know the benefits of outdoor learning.

  • 4.1. List benefits to children of learning in the outdoor environment

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