Five Forest School Activities This Autumn

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Five Forest School Activities This Autumn

As pupils return to school and the seasons begin to change, autumn provides plenty of opportunities to take learning outdoors. From colourful leaves and fallen seeds to changing temperatures and increased wildlife activity, the season provides a natural classroom filled with things to discover.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are five Forest School activities this autumn that encourage children to explore, create, collaborate and learn in the great outdoors.

1. Build a Bug Hotel

Building a bug hotel is a simple activity that helps children learn about insects, habitats and biodiversity.

Using natural and recycled materials such as logs, sticks, bamboo canes, pinecones and leaves, pupils can work together to create different spaces for minibeasts to shelter. Once complete, they can regularly check their bug hotel to see which creatures have moved in and record their findings.

2. Go on an Autumn Treasure Hunt

Collect or create a list of natural items for children to find around the Forest School or nature area. These could include different coloured leaves, acorns, conkers, twigs, feathers or interesting stones.

You could make the activity more educational by asking pupils to identify their finds, group them by colour or texture, or discuss where they came from.

If the weather turns wet, collected items can be taken beneath a school canopy where pupils can continue investigating them while remaining sheltered from the rain.

3. Build a Den

Den building is a Forest School favourite and a fantastic way to develop teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.

Working in small groups, pupils can use branches, sticks, leaves and other suitable natural materials to construct their own shelters. They can discuss which materials work best, how to make their structure stable and how they might improve their design.

4. Create Autumn Art

Autumn provides an abundance of natural craft materials. Ask children to collect fallen leaves, twigs, seeds and other suitable items before using them to create pictures, patterns or sculptures.

Leaf rubbing, natural collages and temporary artwork created on the ground are all simple activities that encourage creativity while helping children notice the different colours, shapes and textures found in nature.

5. Create a Nature Trail

Encourage pupils to design their own nature trail around the school grounds. They can create a simple map, identify interesting natural features and decide where different stopping points should be positioned.

Once finished, another group can follow the trail using the pupils’ instructions. This provides opportunities to develop communication, map-reading and problem-solving skills while encouraging children to explore their surroundings.

Enjoy Forest School Throughout Autumn

Forest School and outdoor learning activities provide children with valuable opportunities to explore nature, develop new skills and enjoy learning beyond the traditional classroom.

And autumn weather doesn’t necessarily mean outdoor learning has to stop. A permanent covered outdoor area can provide a useful base for Forest School activities, giving pupils somewhere sheltered to investigate their discoveries, complete activities and continue learning when the weather changes.

At Able Canopies, we supply and install permanent school canopies and outdoor learning shelters that help schools make greater use of their outdoor environments throughout the year.

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install canopies and shade structures at schools, nurseries and educational settings to enable year-round Free Flow Outdoor Play and Outdoor Learning.
For more information please contact us

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