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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to hate Forest School?

403 replies

thetreelooksnice · 01/02/2018 18:08

That's it. My kids hate it. They get cold and muddy. It was OK when they were younger but now they want to stay in the warm to study!

OP posts:
Oblomov18 · 01/02/2018 20:56

Middle class?
Fad that will be gone be on 5 years?

Nope. I predict not. You clearly know nothing of the history of Forrest schools.

My friend had set up 4. Thriving.
They will become bigger and better and more, in the future.

annoyedofnorwich · 01/02/2018 21:00

Applause for @greensleeves

HolyShmoly · 01/02/2018 21:00

Forest School sounds amazing, I'd never heard of it before. I'm keen on future dc joining scouts or similar as my nieces and nephews all benefit massively from it, and they would have a lot of outdoor experience anyways.

As others have mentioned, aldi and lidl do fairly reasonably priced base layers and waterproofs, but tights and leggings also work well for base. Long sleeved t-shirt, short sleeved t-shirt, jumper and fleece or gillet under their coats. Not all wellies are Hunters.
Most of those will be either part of their normal wardrobe or can be second hand/hand me down.

And I would have hated it as a kid, all the more reason that I should have been doing it. As it was my mum used to practically kick me out of the house, but I'd smuggle a book with me and go find somewhere (outside in good weather, sheltered in bad) to read in peace.

How long do they normally do it for? Is it an all day in the outdoors thing or just a couple hours? Do they go to the loo in the woods or are they normally fairly close to toilets?

BlondeB83 · 01/02/2018 21:01

I think it’s brilliant!

OllyBJolly · 01/02/2018 21:05

I know I would have hated it at this age, so YANBU! It is not for everybody

Isn't doing things you don't like just part of education - and life?

This thread is like the one about the daily mile. So many reasons not to do it - wears out shoes, bad weather, kids don't like it, they get muddy - yet early research shows children perform better, are more attentive and the danger of childhood obesity decreases in schools that do this.

Original poster
thetreelooksnice · 01/02/2018 21:07

It's not a matter of Aldi thermals! The school (private) has a uniform, including Forest School gear. Thermals underneath all day in the classroom would be stifling.

Common Entrance is nearing, the boys need to study not sit around trying to do stuff under a tree just because the school advertises this "feature"!

OP posts:
Bingowingslikeashieldofsteel · 01/02/2018 21:08

My school does forest school based sessions for 11+ year olds and I can't rate it highly enough. The things that can be sorted out and discussed while paddling in a stream or sipping hot chocolate and toasting marshmallows are endless. Yes, they probably could still be dealt with in a classroom environment but it's the most effective way I've seen of increasing self esteem, team building skills and resilience in school.

There are always kids who don't want to do it... but there are plenty who don't want to do maths and we don't just decide they shouldn't have to do that because they won't enjoy it. As previous posters have said there is endless research to show the impact socially, emotionally and educationally. And plenty more anecdotal evidence out there!

I agree with others too - if they're cold then they're not wearing the right kit, their provision should have plenty of warm/waterproof clothing to lend out. Nothing worse than being cold and/or wet.

raindropsandsunshine · 01/02/2018 21:10

Ours have no toilets anywhere, so it's a discreet tree or hedge if a toilet break is needed!

raindropsandsunshine · 01/02/2018 21:12

@NovemberWitch That's good, I guess it comes down to having good forest School leaders who can inspire in any location.

Jazzy11 · 01/02/2018 21:13

What's forest school?Hmm

Rinoachicken · 01/02/2018 21:15

Both my boys love it and I think it fantastic. A bit of cold/mud/wet never hurt anyone.

And with all the stress our kids are out under to sit exams every 5 mins, I would think a bit of time every week to get out of the classroom would do their mental health the world of good!

Live is not all academia

ShortandAnnoying · 01/02/2018 21:17

Forest school is part of the school day and they go out and do some outdoorsy things with educational value. We live near the sea and ours also do beach school.

raindropsandsunshine · 01/02/2018 21:18

@Jazzy11 I think it's done differently for different schools but mostly it's about getting outside and learning about nature. For example, our school children plant trees, they cut down sections when needed, basically help look after the forest along with trained guides. They also have sessions where they're left to make their own fun - see saws from fallen big branches, bows and arrows (they're never very dangerous but the children think they've done well with string and sticks) etc. They learn about the trees in the forest, the history of the area and much more.

zwellers · 01/02/2018 21:20

This would have been my idea of a nightmare as a child as a quiet bookish type.
Tracking around woods in the cold there's just no point. If I wanted to live in the country I would but I like the city. I will refuse make the dc take part if they hate it.

choli · 01/02/2018 21:20

Surely learning that you won't melt in the rain or suffer permanent damage from a bit of mud is educational? Do the OP's kids never go outside unless forced by the school? No hiking, no going outside unless it is warm and the sun is shining?

Original poster
thetreelooksnice · 01/02/2018 21:22

The OP's kids live in a house with lots of land and grew up doing that stuff!

OP posts:
5BlueHydrangea · 01/02/2018 21:22

I think it's a great idea, I wish they did it at dd's primary school. I'm interested in training as a forest school teacher which hopefully I will do at some point.
It's great how normal subjects can be incorporated into so many outdoor activities. Bring it on!

ReanimatedSGB · 01/02/2018 21:22

I think it is a good idea for kids to spend some time outside but there are going to be a lot of schools who do not have a handy local bit of woodland, and the nearest park isn't very safe (dogshit, drug dealers, only accessible via crossing three major roads) - and there certainly are going to be plenty of families who can't afford the extra clothing. If you can only run to one coat and pair of sturdy shoes per child, you don't want them getting covered in mud when you don't have the facilities to wash and dry them overnight.

MsGameandWatching · 01/02/2018 21:23

Forest School is like all other kids activities; Best Thing Ever until it isn't and then it's unbearably dull. Neither of my kids took to it and we are very outdoorsy - they'll walk/wander for miles without complaint.

It all seems a bit forced to me.

GeekyBlinders · 01/02/2018 21:26

I would have hated it in winter as a child - I was always cold, though perhaps I didn't have warm enough clothes. I would have loved it in summer - I used to play out from 5 or 6 with my big brother and with friends, ranging miles round the countryside, climbing trees, making fires, exploring, etc. These days few kids have that kind of freedom/benign neglect so on the whole I think this is a good idea. I suspect DS will love it, he adores getting messy in the pre-school gardens and helping his dad in our garden. Hopefully he's warm enough, I dress him in many layers!

Original poster
thetreelooksnice · 01/02/2018 21:28

MsGameandWatching Exactly. And the thing is the schools that do it bigtime are the ones in the countryside where the children already live in the middle of a field!

We had trees down this winter. My boys were out in all weathers clearing the drive, digging out the neighbours, helping with the fencing... And now they have exams coming up and they want to study in peace and quiet because their future depends on it.

OP posts:
Riverside2 · 01/02/2018 21:28

Raindrops, what a horrible place to have to change sanitary protection.

newtlover · 01/02/2018 21:29

I find it hard to believe at a private school parents are going to struggle to afford the kit. Those por boys, 'Common Entrance is nearing'all the more reason to let them take part in an activity that benefits mental health and social skills.

I can confirm that teenagers enjoy forest school. One aspect that struck me (doing FS with some very vulnerable kids) is that it allows them to let go of the pressure to be 'cool' and 'grown up'- they can just play and have fun without worrying what people think of them.
I wonder OP if you are projecting your own discomfort with this kind of thing onto your DC.

jalpie · 01/02/2018 21:32

The views in some of these posts make me so sad - this fear and distaste of our natural world is the very reason our habitats and species are disappearing at such an alarming rate! Problem is no matter how much you buffer yourselves behind concrete walls and computer screens, you can’t escape the truth that we’re inextricably linked to the environment and when we finally destroy it from lack of care, arrogance and overuse, we will die alongside it.

So instead of coming online to tell a bunch of strangers that your kids hate the outdoors, why don’t you expend a little effort teaching them to love and protect it 😡

Jazzy11 · 01/02/2018 21:32

This sounds amazing!!!!! I wish I had that when I was at school