Resources
Sense Mediation
Jack offers a rich and full sense meditation here that’s applicable for adolescents to adults. He explores why this practice is a valuable experience to include in nature experiences. Sensory integration is incredible for...
Hawthorn Berry Syrup
Hawthorn Syrup or Jam is an incredibly tasty way to enjoy the abundant red berries. Many say it tastes a bit like Strawberry Jam! It is a simple process and can be enjoyed with roasted apples or other delights.
Elderflower and Lemon Drizzle Cake
Elderflowers are for many the smell and taste of Summer. They are out for a relatively short window of time in the year and there are many delicious things you can make with them. Here we show how to make an Elderflower and Lemon Drizzle Cake.
Value of Storytelling
Arthur shares some reflections on the art of storytelling and the role stories have played for him as an individual and for humanity.
5 Frequently Used Knots
Here Ellie demonstrates 5 knots that we commonly use in the woods: Timber Hitch, Taut Line Hitch, Taut Tarp Knot, Bowline and Clove hitch.
Basic Tree Health Assessment for Rope Swings
When looking for the perfect tree swing site, one thing to look for is the gradient. Ideally you want a little bit of a slope to get a nice swing without catching your feet on the ground and it makes it easier to get on and off too. You also want a limb that’s accessible to get a rope over and that will give space to swing well from.
Wood Harvesting Considerations
How can we harvest materials we need for our craft projects without having an unnecessary negative impact on the trees and the woodland?
Nutty Necklaces
This is a simple and satisfying craft of creating woodland jewelry from nuts in autumn. It needs a bit of focus to drill a hole or a few holes with a palm drill but is accessible for children from as young as 6 years old...
Hawthorn and Crab Apple Fruit Leather
Celebrating the abundance of Autumn is a wonderful seasonal thing to do. By making fruit leathers out of ripe, red Hawthorn Berries and Crab Apples, we can preserve their yummy nutrition for Winter months ahead.
Nettle and Cheese Bread
I take you through how to make a delicious nettle and cheese bread in a dutch oven. Then I’ll go through some variations that can be more helpful in some group settings.
Hazel Song
Here we share Anna Richardson's Hazel song celebrating its many gifts, qualities and uses.
Story of Bethshuka and the Woman of the Birch
This graceful story is perfect for accompanying any birch related activity or to bring attention to birch trees and their gifts. It has a magical, joyful feel to it.
Birch Song
A lovely, simple song to celebrate the Birch trees.
Birch Tree Lore
Anna shares inspirational knowledge about Birch trees, the gifts they offer to both us and the wider ecology.
Story of The Blind Man and the Hunter
This is a much loved story that often elicits reflection in the listener. There are themes of honesty, learning from mistakes and different perspectives or ways of seeing the world...
The Holly Song
The Holly Song is a song for a much-beloved tree, with thanks to Anna Richardson and The Children's Forest.
Roasting Sweet Chestnuts
Here we gather Sweet Chestnuts to roast in the embers on an open fire as well as suggest a couple of other ways to enjoy these woodland treats!
Elderflower Lookalikes to Get to Know
Foraging Elderflowers offers delicious opportunities. At a quick glance though they can look similar to other clusters of white flowers, some of which are toxic. This film gives a brief handshake with some of these lookalikes.
Quick Elderflower Cordial
The feeling of summer stored in a drink! Here we go through how to make a quick elderflower cordial over the fire with a group to be drunk the same day or very soon after.
Nutty Ninja Squirrels
This is one of my favourite games for getting into your senses, trust and teamwork as well as being really funny.
Pine Pollen Pancakes
Each year, there is a short window of just a few weeks when the Pine Trees are forming their pollen catkins ready for pollination. Just as they become mature, they offer an incredibly nutritious and delicious food source.
Four Poisonous Plants and their Edible or Medicinal Lookalikes
When foraging it’s really important to know the hazards! You need to understand about poisonous plants in your area - especially the deadly ones out there and any that are lookalikes to plants you might forage...
Hawthorn Song
The Hawthorn tree has gifts in every season and this song is an appreciation to the Hawthorn tree. With gratitude to Anna for bringing this song.
Making Spring Green Pesto
Pesto is a popular sauce for pasta and wonderful accompaniment to spread on crackers and such like. Here Anna shows you how to make pesto from foraged Spring greens that are common...
Spring Green Foraging
Here Anna gathers four common Spring greens: Nettles, Wild Garlic, Bramble tips and Hawthorn leaves. In the following video she uses these Spring greens to make a pesto...
Spring Green Salad
Anna introduces nine common Spring plants that grow in gardens, hedgerows and meadows that you can get to know, add to your salads and enjoy their gifts.
Cleavers Juice
Here Anna shows you a couple of ways of bringing the Spring goodness and juice out of this common plant to make a scrumptious Spring tonic. Cleavers (Galium Aperine) or sticky weed comes up in March...
Nourishing Nettle Tips
Nettles are one of the first foraging opportunities in the new year... Here we share the properties of the nettle, some ways to harvest the tender greens and enjoy as tea or added to soup.
Respectful Harvest
Plants have so many gifts to share, from food and medicine to materials for crafting and
whittling, to fuel for our fires. Here we consider how we can harvest from the plants in a
respectful way...
Safe Foraging Practice
Whilst plants have so many gifts to offer and there can be many health and connection benefits to foraging, you must be aware of the hazards. As many of us have grown up without being shown about wild foods, it is crucial to learn the risks before foraging.
Cooking Dandelion Fritters
Celebrating the familiar and common dandelion! Here we go through gathering dandelion flowers, making a batter and frying up yummy fritters or little sunshine pancakes to enjoy.
Bear Tag
A playful warm up game to get a group used to each other. Players must find safety with each other to be protected from the bear. This game builds spatial awareness, is a great ice-breaker and is ideal for 7-10 year olds.
Sit Spot
The Sit Spot is a key part of a personal connection journey to nature. In essence it is a place in nature where you go on a regular basis and be there.
Foxes’ Tails
This fun and lively game is an interesting combination of raising the energy, heightening participants’ awareness of others around them and developing quick, agile movements. The playfulness of fox cubs is drawn out of the players as they strive to catch others’ tails whilst protecting their own.
Whittling Skills Progression
Whittling or wood carving is a skill many children are eager to learn, likely because it requires a true responsibility and trust in them... Here is a suggested progression of how you can guide a child to develop their skills with proposed projects and techniques.
Steal the Spines
This is a wonderful, classic game that goes by many names including deer stalk and fox the fox. It is especially helpful to shift the energy of a group to a slower, quieter, more aware state. Throughout the game, those who are quietest and who make the least disturbance do well, with the blind guard developing their sense of hearing.
Mallet Making
Making a mallet is a classic Forest School activity. Not only is it a helpful tool once created to help with many other projects, but it also clearly teaches the woodworking principles of a stop cut and batoning.
Making Char Cloth
Char cloth is a valuable material to have in your bag when out and about in the woods. It can make the difference to getting your fire lit, especially on a damp day. It’s quick and easy to make on a fire with very basic equipment.
Otter Steals Fish
This high energy, yet contained game can fit well at the start of the day to get the group going. With participants being drawn into the characters of cheeky otters or the patient heron, they love this game, all the while developing their agility, sneakiness and awareness.