Adventure and play
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
LGeorge Bernard Shaw
Having a theme can be useful in attracting individuals into the outdoors. Through creative thinking and planning, a whole range of activity types can be included in order to engage as wide an audience as possible.
Search and Rescue activity
- » Practice team building and group work
- » Take part in a camouflage workshop
- » Play stealth games and learn about tracking
- » Make full sized survival shelters
- » Create a map of the area and use it to…
- » …carry out a search and rescue mission
Mythical play, wood elves fairies and dragons
- » Build mini-dens and magic kingdoms from natural materials
- » Mix perfume from flowers and leaves
- » Create stories and act them out
- » Make unique woodland art and jewellery
- » Free play in the woods
Feedback from a Birch Forest Schools taster session:
"Being out in the woods all day – just brilliant. Learning the woodworking skills- fantastic! I want to make a spoon now. I was very touched by the name tags, which made me feel valued and special! A beautiful way to kick off the first day. The story and imagination-based, creative activities (stone people) unthreatening, open-ended and a great way to get people to open up about how they are feeling, values and aspirations etc, without being intrusive. Great to have so many food-based activities!"
