Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Hi When I take over my nursey class in Sept I am hoping to spend a dedicated day outside in the wooded/conservation area! I wll have a morning and afternoon session. We have all the neccessary wet weather gear... etc so the elements should't be a problem??? I know that my son's old playgroup do a similiar thing and it works very well does anybody have any tips or ideas? Faye (still vv nervous!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I would say also ways have a planned day but be prepared to change and go along with the child led flow. Its amazing how you can start off say looking for caterpillars then totally change direction on something you or the children find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 My advice would be to be well prepared. Have a bag of tricks with you at all times full of a variety of activities for the children. Paper, pens, double sided sticky tape, wet wipes, little pots etc. Make sure you have drinks and snacks too. Have you got an area you could dedicate to gardening this will keep the children busy and they love watching all the plants develop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzam Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 you cant go wrong, when outdoors children take the lead! lots of baskets works well for us, we tie them up in the tree and they never get bored of trying to work out the best way to get them down!! also what works for us is we always start by the same tree and this tree acts in the same way as the carpet does in the preschool room. if things get a bit out of control or we want to get all their attention to show or explain something we just say everyone to the tree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Thanks everyone! Can't belive how useful and supportive this site is! Faye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 ..and just make sure you leave enough time for changes of wellies, coats and clearing up of mud!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 We play 123 where are you - 1/2 0f the group finds a hiding place together and hide the other 1/2 shout 123 where are you and the hidden ones reply 123 we're over here and the others find them. We do treasure hunts, number hunts, shape hunts and colour hunts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Hi I am interested in the forest school part of this debate, love all the ideas you mentioned. There is a litle wood a short walk from the school that I thought great we could go and use to do all the things you have mentioned and I wondered about tying this in with becoming a forest school but I found out how expensive it is to do the course. there is a school near by who are doing the training and they pay for a ranger who takes them out to a wooded area but again this expensive. So really i am just wondering is it ok to just go to the wood or do you need insurance ect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I would definitely check insurance just to be on safe side but nature walks are pretty common at pre-schools arent they. When I set up a Forest School I sent a letter to the insurance company to let them know exactly what I was up to and they didn't put the premium up, as long as we didn't use saws or light fires. I don't see a problem with going to the wooded area but obviously you would need permission slips for all the children, register, first aid kit, mobile phone etc A good basic kit bag with you to deal with any situations that may arise. A risk assessment for the outing would be necessary. The children would have a fantastic time and of course be learning at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Hi has anybody got any ideas for a snappy name for my outside day... don't want to call it forest school but something that sums up what we are doing?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We have neen calling ours an 'Outdoor Experience' and I think I have heard others call it that too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 WE DO A WEDNESDAY WELLY DAY tINKERBELL X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 WE DO A WEDNESDAY WELLY DAY tINKERBELL X I like that!!! May I pinch it! Hope it doesn't end up being on a thursday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Love the Wellie Wednesday idea - I know some schools have WoW days (Walk on Wednesday) - I wonder if I'd get away with a whole day outside with Y1/2 in the class as well? Maybe if I make our outside day the science day? Something else to think about over the summer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I'm following this with a lot of interest - we have a pre-school with no dedicated outside area, although we are in the middle of local playing fields, however we have a beautiful wooded area within 5-10 mins walk (childs pace) and I desperately want to start some kind of woodland day. the parents seem motivated to by this suggestion. My question is what do you do about 'toileting issues'? Our children are 2-5, so some could be toilet training, plus others always ask once we've left the hall (we play in the field lots) even though they are remined to go before we leave! I've thought about portable pottys, but how do you screen them? I have thought about one of those 'thingys' we used to have many years ago to change on the beach - like a big poncho..... what do others do?? Also do you have parent helpers - if so how does this work, are they roted and do you insist on CRB checks - we'd never be able to do this on all parents finiacially? Sorry I seem to have hijacked post - but they do still link to FayeDares OP xxxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Also do you have parent helpers - if so how does this work, are they roted and do you insist on CRB checks - we'd never be able to do this on all parents finiacially? Do you have to pay for volunteers' CRB checks then looby loo? I thought Ofsted paid for them... What ratios do you maintain when you go off to play in the woods? We do have an outdoor area but it is so un-child-friendly. We do go to our allotment but with a 1:2 ratio we can't all go together. I think I'm going to have to be very creative indeed to offer my children the outdoor experiences I'd like to. Love the suggestion of having a tree as a 'home base'. Unfortunately we only have the one tree in our 'garden' and that's right next to the fence! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 thanks for that info Maz - I've never dealt directly with the payment side of CRBs and just assumed we'd have to pay - that's one less thing I may need to worry about then. xxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 (edited) I'm also trying to find a decent bit of woodland where we can spend one day each week...........and, btw, we can't call it a 'forest school', unless we complete their training, as it's trademarked, so beware!! I love the idea of wellie wednesday, or something similar, so I might also pinch it!! we are going to have a (very small) garden area for the children and a parent is coming in to help us with that, but a woodland day would be lovely...........oooh, there you are! Woodland wednesday . Edited July 19, 2008 by narnia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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