It’s always a treat to observe how classes who have been to Forest Fridays engage with the environment. Our main role is to remind them of the structure, provide opportunities for learning and connection and creativity, and to keep time! We are also very lucky to have 6th class assisting us with Junior Infants and 1st class. Each one of them adds to the experience of the rest of the children.

Each child was given a “ticket”, which was a leaf or flower that is available along the route to base camp. On their walk to the base they looked for “matching tickets” along the way.

Collecting gorse for wild tea.

We found a letter on grandmother tree. The children took turns to read it.

Hello Children,

Welcome back to the forest!  It is wonderful to see you all again. Like the young trees in my forest, you have grown taller, stronger and wiser in the last year.

My question for you today is… what makes us plants grow?

Did you notice how the plants all around the forest have grown new leaves? Not so long ago in winter, the ground was bare. Now, it is a carpet of green.

The sun, our dear friend, has woken up the forest from its winter sleep. As spring comes, the sun stays in the sky for longer and we have more sunlight.

Us plants use that lovely sun to make food in our leaves. Our leaves are like food-making machines that need sun, water and air. We use that food to grow tall and strong.

You humans can also enjoy this food by picking our leaves to eat!

Have fun in the forest!

Yours kindly,

Grandmother Tree

Choice based learning

Hut building, making creatures and bug hunts. Tree climbing, tea making, swinging, game creating. The children choose what they want to do. They are so experienced. It’s so interesting to observe them working and communicating with each other; keeping themselves, each other and nature safe and happy whilst learning so much.

Sit Spot