A whistlestop tour with examples of Forest School and related outdoor playful pedagogy around the world. Some thinking points about why the differences matter (cultural, geographical and political) that can help us reflect on our own practice and context.

1. FOREST SCHOOL AND
FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD
© Dr Mel McCree, 2015, for Forest School Association
National Conference, Shropshire, 2015

2. % Forest
cover
globally

3. Forested
areas
in Europe

4. GLOBAL FOREST COVER
% of land area
7% S. Africa
12% UK
19% Australia
31% Canada
31% Germany
36% Spain
44% Trinidad
and Tobago
56% Brazil
58% Sweden
64% S Korea
67% Japan

5. WHAT MAKES UK FS UNIQUE?
Combination of
long-term, regular
learner-centered
play-based processes
in woodlands

6. Who needs forest school
(or similar) and why?

7. Achuar boys in Ecuador.Credit Andy Isaacson for The New York Times

10. TALKING POINT - DIFFERENCE
• Cultural differences: race,
diversity, relationship to
land
• Geographical: Specific to
culture, terrain, climate
• Political: Public or private
land and education?
• Integrated with curricula
and state?
• Lost in translation? So what?

11. Forested
areas
in Europe

12. Forest
Pedagogy
in Europe

13. SWEDEN
• Friluftsliv; strong cultural influence
• Less industry, more space & freedom
• Deeper spiritual connection to
nature?
• In 1957, Frøhm created Skogsmulle
• Skogsmulle a cultural export - big in
Japan! (sim. Metsamoori in Finland)
• Inspired ‘I Ur och Skur’ (‘In Rain or
Shine’) Schools, similar to Danish
‘åbørnspædagogik’
• ‘Dagis’ - often good uses of outdoors
and safe risk-taking = TRUST

15. GERMANY
• FP organised at federal state level
• Over 1000 waldkindergartens
• Influenced by Denmark in 1960s
• German Federation of Nature and
Forest Kindergartens (BVNW)
• International Waldkindergartens as
cultural export, e.g. over 100 in Japan
• Many more nature education
opportunities at other ages
• New standardisation, but still not
integrated into national schools

16. SOUTH KOREA
• 40% of S Korea is forest
• Forest Service introduced
kindergarten in 2008
• Korea Association of Forest
kindergarten(KAFK) established in
2010
• Forest Service made new forest
education Act in 2011 and creation of
children’s spaces - aim for 250 by 2017
• 1000 FK centres running regularly
(from once a month to every day)
• 40% of regular kindergartens now
include forest element

17. TRINIDAD
• Grace Farm School
• not 1st (Kendal)
• Using Skogsmulle
principles, play-based…
• University of West Indies
• Wot no beach schools?

19. AUSTRALIA
• Spreading like wildfire!
• In response to government universal
access directive (15 hrs for 4 yo’s):
a need for space.
• Bush Kinder programmes in many
pre-schools, over 100…
• 1st, in 2011, Westgarth Kindergarten
• Culturally specific, like NZ Te
Whariki
• Emphasis on not taking materials,
exploring what is present and
relationships. SNAKES!

20. CANADA
• New Forest and Nature
Schools Association
• Established with help from
UK FSA
• Linked with US Children
and Nature Network
• Training through university
partnerships
• Huge demand in first few
years http://www.forestschoolcanada.ca/

21. AROUNDTHE WORLD
Bush Kinder
Waldkindergarten
Skogsmulle
Forest and
Nature Schools
Beach
School
Canada
Japan
KoreaTrinidad
Where next?
Te Whariki
Australia
New Zealand
US
Forest Pedagogy
India
related:
eco-projects
outdoor play
outdoor learning
ESD
food growing
Farm School

22. – Frank Lloyd Wright (American architect, 1867 - 1959)
The future of mankind is
dependent on every human being
intimately associated with a
half acre of ground.”

23. THANKYOU
www.slideshare.net/melmccree/
www.freerangecreativity.org
Image © Niki Willows, 2013

24. REFERENCES 1
Film on forest kindergartens in Japan: ;In the Heart of Nature:The Forest Kindergarten’ , NHK TV http://youtu.be/LNl5p1M96xE
New resource for woodland owners and educators http://sylva.org.uk/myforest/
International Waldkindergartens List http://bvnw.de/?page_id=579
Borradaile, L. (2006). Forest school Scotland:An evaluation. Retrieved 26 November, 2008, from www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/
infd-6cjdgl
Cree, J. & McCree, M. (2013) ‘A Brief History of Forest School, Part 2’, Horizons, 62, Institute of Outdoor Learning, UK.
Cree, J. & McCree, M. (2012) ‘A Brief History of Forest School, Part 1’, Horizons, 60, Institute of Outdoor Learning, UK.
Elliott, S., & Chancellor, B. (2012).Westgarth Kindergarten Bush Kinder Evaluation Report.Westgarth, Melbourne:Westgarth
Kindergarten & RMIT University. Retrieved 10 November, 2014, from http://bushkinder.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/bush-kinder-
evaluation-report.html
Knight, S. (2009). Forest schools and outdoor learning in the early years. London: Sage Publications.
Knight, S. (2011). Risk and adventure in early years outdoor play: Learning from forest schools. London: Sage Publications.
Knight, S. (Ed.) (2013). International perspectives on forest school: Natural spaces to play and learn. London: Sage Publications.
Lester, S., & Maudsley, M. (2006). Play, naturally:A review of children’s natural play. London: Children’s Play Council.
Munoz, S. (2009). Children in the outdoors:A literature review. Retrieved 20 December, 2010, from
www.countrysiderecreation.org.uk/Children%20Outdoors.pdf.

25. REFERENCES 2
Murray, R. (2004). Forest school evaluation project:A study in Wales. Retrieved 20 September, 2009, from www.neweconomics.org.
Murray, R., & O’Brien, L. (2005). Such enthusiasm—a joy to see:An evaluation of forest school in England. Retrieved 18 January, 2012,
from www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/ForestSchoolEnglandReport.pdf/$FILE/ForestSchoolEnglandReport.pdf
New Zealand Ministry of Education. (1996).Te Whariki. Retrieved 10 November, 2014, from www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/
curriculumAndLearning/TeWhariki.aspx
Nimmo, J. (2008).Young children’s access to real life:An examination of the growing boundaries between children in child care and
adults in the community. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 9(1), 3–13.
O’Brien, L. (2009). Learning outdoors:The forest school approach. Education 3–13,37(1), 45–60.
O’Brien, L., & Murray, R. (2006).A marvellous opportunity for children to learn:A participatory evaluation of forest school in England
and Wales. Farnham, UK: Forest Research. Retrieved 18 January, 2012, from www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fr0112forestschoolsreport.pdf/
$FILE/fr0112forestschoolsreport.pdf
Waller,T. (2007).The trampoline tree and the swamp monster with 18 heads: Outdoor play in Foundation Stage and Foundation
Phase. Education 3–13, 35(4), 365–377.
Warden, C. (2010). Nature Kindergartens.Auchterarder, Scotland: Mindstretchers Ltd.
Waters, J., & Begley, S. (2007). Supporting the development of risk taking behaviours in the early years:An exploratory study.
Education 3–13, 35(4), 365–377.
Westgarth Kindergarten Bush Kinder. (2011). Bush KinderVision. Retrieved 10 February, 2012, from www.wgkg.vic.edu.au/bush-
kinder.
Williams-Siegfredsen, J. (2012). Understanding the Danish forest school approach. Oxon, UK: Routledge

26. • long-term process
• natural wooded environment
• relationship with the natural world
• holistic development
• supported risks
• professional practice
• learner-centred & play processes
(FSA, 2012)
UK FS PRINCIPLES IN BRIEF

27. • A holistic approach to children’s learning and
development
• Each child is unique and competent
• Children are active and interactive learners
• Children need real-life, first hand experiences
• Children thrive in child centred environments
• Children need time to experiment and
develop independent thinking
• Learning comes from social interactions.
(Williams-Siegfredsen, 2012, pp. 9–10)
DANISH FS PRINCIPLES IN BRIEF