Activities
A forest kindergarten can be described as a kindergarten "without a ceiling or walls". The daycare staff and children spend their time outdoors, typically in a forest. A distinctive feature of forest kindergartens is the emphasis on play with toys that are fashioned out of objects that can be found in nature, rather than commercial toys. Despite these differences, forest kindergartens are meant to fulfill the same basic purpose as other nurseries, namely, to care for, stimulate, and educate young children.
Each forest kindergarten is different, partly because the organisations are independently minded. But typical activities and goals may include:
| Activity | Developmental benefit |
|---|---|
| Playing imaginative games using whatever resources and ideas come to mind | This helps children to explore their own thoughts without the guidance of a toy designer |
| Role play | Shared imagination, drama, team work, recollection of models of behaviour |
| Building shelters or other large structures from branches, with the help of other children and adults | This requires goal definition, planning, engineering, teamwork and perseverance |
| Counting objects or looking for mathematical patterns | Mathematics, visual recognition |
| Memory games using naturally available objects | Memory, naming objects |
| Listening to stories; singing songs and rhymes | Art, drama, concentration |
| Arranging items to make a picture, or building a toy | Art |
| Drawing scenes | Art, creativity, accurate inspection and copying |
| Climbing trees and exploring the forest | Improves strength, balance and physical awareness |
| Playing hide-and-seek with others | Develops children's theory of mind by rewarding accurate anticipation of the thoughts and actions of others |
| Walking to the woodland, from the building. | Improves strength and stamina; preparation (e.g., route selection) improves planning and communication skills |
| Exploring or reflecting alone | Aids self-awareness and character development |
| Resting |
Read more about this topic: Forest Kindergarten
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