🌿 Earth: Being present
Being present in nature and with those around us
The Waldorf sense of Rhythm describes the natural ebb and flow of our days. There are periods of physical activity & rest, social interaction & reflection, and group projects & free-play.
These cycles are called breathing in and breathing out. They’re not only natural to us, but also essential for genuine learning - a child can pursue interests uninterrupted and rest and reflect as needed. Traditional schools don't allow for this.
Nature also has a rhythm - we see it in plants, animals, daylight, and seasons. Our forest setting provides an awareness of this, which instills a sense of calm, harmony, and respect for our environment.
Some of the fun things we do are celebrate nature's rhythms with festivities, like the first day of spring!
Free of devices & distractions
Screens have an anti-learning impact. They're overstimulating for children and can lead to a reliance on instant gratification - real life and manual tasks can then seem boring. Children who watch a lot of TV aren't as happy, motivated, and able to self-entertain.
Use of the mind – cognition, imagination, reflection – and manual tasks - exploring, crafts, building forts - are less inspired and less interesting. Motivation is hindered, as is the ability to get ‘in flow” (deep state of focus), making genuine learning difficult.
We don't use screens, though we have a phone for essential communication and photo-documenting special moments.
🌬️ Air: mental focus ("Flow")
How we learn
People learn best - and are happiest - when they’re fully engaged in an activity that they find immensely fascinating.
Education at forest school is about discovering and exploring interests. Learning is hands-on and three-dimensional - it engages all the senses, meaning the lessons really sink in with the child.
Lessons at Forest School take 3 forms:
- Themed-lessons
- Intentional Stations
- Free-play
Our themed lessons are led by a teacher and generally the children listen about the topic, see how it works, and then participate. A science project or session about bugs (followed by a bug-search) are examples. As these are genuinely fascinating, children are eager to pay attention, but - true to Forest School form - if a child is uninterested, already involved in a task, or having a moment, then the child is able to take the space they need.
Intentional Stations are what we call activities centers. These are cleverly planted stations with tools, crafts elements, guidebooks, or other interesting things. Teachers work hard to carefully observe each child and develop these stations based on the child's skill level: they should offer just the right level of challenge - not too simple it's boring, but not too complicated it's frustrating. (Teachers will offer gentle guidance if asked.) These stations are highly intentional learning centers, but to the child they're simply something stumbled upon by which to create based on their own ingenuity. Great for learning and autonomy!
Free-play - including alone and with peers - is essential for learning. For a child, play is learning. So much of a child's play is interrupted by something deemed more important. At Forest School, we are mindful not only to create an environment conducive to play, but also to protect play.
To better understand the philosophy at Fox and Fionn's Forest, an explanation of Flow is needed. Flow theory was developed by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi; it's a founding principal in Positive Psychology, a branch of psychology that deals with what makes people happy and productive (rather than what makes them ill and dysfunctional).
Flow: A state of deep focus, enjoyment, and full engagement in an activity. More commonly, it's known as being in the zone. It's a sweet spot for genuine learning. We work hard to create an environment conducive to learning and flow.
Children get into Flow naturally, while at play. They may appear to be just playing - building a dam, balancing on a log, studying a spider - but they're learning motor skills, rudimentary math, engineering, science, how gravity works... and developing problem-solving skills, self-confidence, creativity, and social skills. For them, play is learning.
This is why it's essential to not interrupt them at play - they're learning. Children may spend hours at a task, deep in focus, with all sense of time is lost. This is them mastering skills. By allowing children to stay in this state—without unnecessary interruption, reward, or correction—we foster intrinsic motivation.
💧 Water: Social-emotional development
Sense of self & a social awakening
Childhood is a time to learn about the self - to discover interests, likes and dislikes, to build autonomy and confidence - and to learn about others - to form a sense of empathy and respect, and to form bonds that help us grow as people.
Emotional regulation is essential part of life, and it's also a skill that helps us learn. We cannot focus if we're sad, lonely, or angry. “We are learning that emotions are the rules of multiple brain and body systems that are distributed over the whole person. We cannot separate emotion from cognition or cognition from the body,” Dr. John Ratey.
Emotions are a gate-keeper to learning. Children need space to run out excess energy, to explore, and to reflect. The forest provides the perfect setting.
The setting is also ideal for the development of social skills. Children need space to play with one another - with spontaneity and cooperation. Developing imaginary play, talking over how to build a fort or a dam, inventing games – these are essential social-building activities.
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Teachers help with social-emotional development by offering emotional support, like gentle guidance and redirection, and by leading by example - they communicate with kindness and respect, they take a moment to sit and reflect when overwhelmed, and they're also engaged in work-play.
While the children are busy at their own work-play, teachers observe and plan activities, but they also laugh, work together, and get dirty. Children see teachers gathering sticks, gardening, and collaborating with one another - they see happy, productive people. People who know when they need to rest and reflect - to take a breath, play an instrument. People who care about one another, their environment, creating a magical space. Seeing a community of good, functional existence is essential for children.
🔥 Fire: Movement & Nutrition
A healthy body nurtures a healthy mind
Food and movement are woven into our rhythm of the day, supporting each child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development. The growing body is also a growing brain—both need nutrients, sunlight, and movement to thrive.
As our forest school grows, we'll establish gardens and herb beds right here at the school—inviting children to plant, tend, harvest, and cook what they grow. Lunches around the fire and simple food preparation will become part of our curriculum. Our focus will be on real, whole foods: pasture-raised meats, eggs, fermented foods, organic vegetables and fruits – all gluten-free and without seed oils, preservatives, and sugar. We will locally source as much as we can from local farmers. Simply put, imagine the year 1900, but without the sugar!
For now, families are encouraged to bring healthy, nutrient-dense lunches and snacks.
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Movement is also important to physical health, mental well-being, and learning. “Our physical movements can directly influence our ability to learn, think, and remember. Evidence is mounting that each person’s capacity to master new and remember old information is improved by biological changes in the brain brought on by new activity.” - Dr. John Ratey. Movement promotes learning.
Children need to move, climb, balance, dig, and run. Physical play strengthens coordination, focus, and confidence—laying the foundation for academic and emotional growth. (It also allows children to get that excess energy out so mental focus is possible!
We're mindful to allow children freedom and autonomy (while making sure they're safe). This is known as "risky play" and it helps children learn to trust their own physical judgement. It's a great confidence builder! We don't fret over every balance on a log or every climb up a rock, but we do check that the area is safe (loose branches, rotting wood), monitor the children, and do safety talks.
Your child will never come home bored, wired, or overstimulated. Forest School is just too much fun. Your child will come home fulfilled - having moved, played, learned, and grown in every sense.