Forest School
Letting Nature Lead the Way:
At Forest School, our ethos is simple but powerful: nature is the best teacher. We believe children thrive when they’re given space to explore, take risks, and connect deeply with the world around them. Whether they're building dens, climbing logs, or cooking over an open fire, everything we do is rooted in real, hands-on experiences that build confidence, resilience, and joy. It’s about letting children discover their own pace, passions, and purpose in a natural environment. From reading stories in the yurt to harvesting vegetables they’ve grown themselves, every part of our day is intentionally designed to nurture curiosity and care- for themselves, for others, and for the wonderful planet.
What’s the magic of Forest School at Toddlers Inn?
The benefits of Forest School are incredible. We see children grow in confidence as they manage risks, and take part in real, meaningful tasks. Their fine motor skills develop through woodwork, their creativity soars with loose parts play, and their understanding of the world deepens as they care for animals and tend to our garden. It’s about learning how to work as a team, solve problems, and care for the environment. This approach doesn’t just support physical development, it strengthens emotional wellbeing, boosts social skills, and lays the foundation for lifelong resilience and curiosity.
The children are able to find a wide range of natural materials in Forest School to be able to use for mark making as well as construction and transient art. We love gathering different resources as each season provides new and exciting challenges.
In Forest School the children are encouraged to create and build their own dens. It is a great time for the children to work as a team as well as developing problem solving skills.
Understanding how to be safe around an open fire is embedded into our ethos and daily routine as one of our special Forest School rules. We love cooking seasonal dishes that include harvested or foraged ingredients from our allotment and local woodland as well as trips to our local farm shops.
At Toddlers Inn, the children take part in a wide variety of wood work activities, from individual projects to group challenges. Woodwork encourages hand eye coordination as well as developing an understanding of keeping themselves safe.