‘Forest schools’ gain attention amid distance learning struggles
Outdoor education may be a solution to the myriad difficulties of remote learning
Stomping through puddles, scrambling over fallen logs and digging in the dirt with sticks may not sound like traditional educational activities, but they are core parts of the curriculum in “forest schools.”
Learning amid the leaves is the hallmark of a forest school, an immersive outdoor education model devoted to the exploration of nature. Forest schools, which have their roots in Scandinavian educational tradition, generally focus on preschool- age children. Instead of sitting quietly at their desks, these students build forts in the forest, pick berries from the bush and have story time at the shore.
Can these outdoor schools offer lessons to other prescho ol s a nd K- 1 2 publ ic
schools at a time when being indoors is so risky?
Champions of the movement suggest outdoor education may be a commonsense solution to the myriad difficulties of remote learning, from getting students up to speed on shifting technology to keeping young children engaged without constant human interaction. Forest schools also encourage physical activity and build resilience through social connections with peers in a natural setting, teachers said. These may well be crucial coping mechanisms during a turbulent time for many families.
“More and more people are turning to the outdoors a s a way to cope with the challenges of COVID,” said Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist who recommends outdoor experiences to combat issues of attention and focus in children. “It’s much safer to be outdoors because the rates of transmission are far lower outside. On top of that, children just aren’t built to sit still for most of the day. It’s basic neural science. They need to move.”
Finding Berkeley Forest School was a lifesaver for Traci Moren, whose sons Archer, 5, and Izzy, 10, chafe at sitting still for hours. They delight in having a classroom where you can dig up snake skins, bury treasure maps and climb trees.
“For e s t s c ho ol h a s been a game- changer,” said the Berkeley mother of two, whose sons also are doing distance learning through Berkeley ’ s Washington Elementary School. “It’s pretty great. We are very lucky. I honestly don’t think our family would survive all this and still like each other without forest school. In the days before, I had to schedule our day around getting outside or else we’d have meltdowns and screaming matches. It was so exhausting. Now they get their energy out, are calmed being out in nature and the learning comes while they’re out moving around. They are celebrated for their energy and creativity, not asked to sit down and be quiet. They’re happier when they come home.”
Even before the pandemic, there has been a rise in the number of forest schools, which encourage children to explore the outside in rain or shine. A 2017 national sur vey of nature- based early childhood educators reported more than 250 nature preschools and forest kindergartens operating across the country, serving an estimated 10,000 children a year. Most forest schools aren’t licensed in California because they do not have a permanent indoor venue. Washing ton became the first state to license outdoor preschools last year. There are an es