Welcome to
The Practical Forest School
We provide forest school programmes and events to schools as well as independent afterschool clubs and birthday parties in and around Horsham, West Sussex.
We believe in the power of being outdoors. We believe that children should be free to play because play is learning. We believe that a stick can be anything, and that life skills like risk taking can be developed in a child-led environment.
We offer both forest school sessions and curriculum-led outdoor learning where children can get away from their desks. Let’s bring the National Curriculum to life and help kids understand their natural world.
We love the lightbulb moments when a child suddenly realises they can light a fire, or jump a stream, or walk a slackline… when they’re proud of the stick man, the carving, the leaf art that they’ve made.
We can bring those experiences to your school, either through curriculum-based sessions (think: meteorology, the natural world, habitats, history, science, biology) or through child-led free play sessions through afterschool clubs.
Afterschool Clubs
Our blog
Find out what’s happening in the forest school world, get ideas for outdoor activities to use with your own groups, download printables and learning resources and follow along with our journey as we create outdoor learning experiences for children in Sussex!
Autumn/Fall Outdoor Scavenger Hunt with free printable
It’s autumn (or fall, depending on where you are) and it’s still warm enough to get outside for a scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunt ideas Here are some ways you could use a scavenger hunt with your children, or children in your setting. On a walk, where the scavenger hunt is the purpose of the activity…
15 Easy Autumn Forest School Activities
This article contains affiliate links at no cost to you. Read our earnings disclosure. Are you looking for easy forest school activities for autumn! (Or fall, as our US readers would call it!). You’re in the right place. We have a bunch of simple outdoor activities to share that take little time to set up,…
11 Forest School Recipes for Winter
This article contains affiliate links at no cost to you. The nights are drawing in, and we’re huddling around the fire circle in the dark these days. It’s cold and what would be better than a snack cooked on the fire? Our forest school sessions are around two hours long so that’s plenty of time…
Outdoors Winter Scavenger Hunt Printable
Get this beautiful outdoors winter scavenger hunt printable. You can use it with your primary school children, your family, or your Forest School setting.
15 Easy Winter Forest School Activities
Try these easy winter activities for forest school and outdoor learning. Keep warm and keep busy while getting some fresh air!
Tips From Forest School Leaders
Read personal stories and tips from people who have become forest school leaders to inspire your own journey.