Top School Trips -Issue 6

WE LOVE TO LEARN A classroom with no walls Reconnect with nature in a fun-filled forest adventure for every child... The nation’s forests are the perfect place for a school trip. The benefits of children learning outside are well known: it can reduce stress, improve emotional well-being, build resilience, and boost self-confidence. A forest visit allows for all this and much more, while offering a valuable learning experience. With forests all over England there is an opportunity for every school to get involved. Forestry England offers plenty of free downloadable activity ideas to help you plan your perfect class visit. With its great ideas for EYFS and Key Stages 1 and 2, you'll find everything you need to help your pupils to reconnect with nature and build long-lasting friendships in a stimulating but low-stress environment. Ranger in a Bag This brand-new learning resource is the perfect tool for a self-guided visit. Ranger in a Bag is suitable for preschool and primary-aged children and has everything you need for a fun-filled forest adventure, all zipped up in a handy rucksack. The bags are based around a role/career in Forestry England with clear learning outcomes that link to the national curriculum. Self-guided visits Forests are natural classrooms – the perfect place for hands-on learning. Take your class on a self-guided visit and the time is yours, allowing for free play, exploration and child-led discoveries. The forest is also the perfect setting for role-play and scenarios, a fantastic way to encourage creativity and inspire their minds. Free downloadable resources can also extend the life of your trip. Guided visits If a self-guided visit is not for you, Forestry England has a variety of guided visits on offer across its forests. These range from bushcraft to forest ecology and learning about forests and climate change. Whatever the session, these hands-on activities led by Forestry England staff or third-party providers excite and engage your students. Head to the website to discover what's on offer at a forest near you. LEARN I NG JOURNEYS GEOGRAPHY Learn about native woodlands within the temperate forest biome using the geography lesson plan, or study maps and the physical and human processes that shape our environment. SCIENCE Learn about our native British trees and how important they are for both people and wildlife. Find out all about the forest cycle, woodland habitats and some fascinating real-life experiences. PSHE Help the children in your class develop an appreciation and understanding of the world around us. Reconnect, build relationships and inspire children within a beautiful forest setting. CURRICULUM LINKS www.forestryengland.uk/learning E: info@forestryengland.uk // FORESTRY ENGLAND www.teachwire.net/school-trips | 27 PARTNER CONT ENT