Wild at Heart: Why Forest School is More Than Just Mud and Sticks
- Jabberwocky Nursery
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
At Jabberwocky Children’s Nursery, Forest School isn’t a one-off muddy adventure — it’s a thriving, vibrant part of everyday learning. Rooted in nature and brimming with opportunity, our Forest School programme gives children the freedom to explore, create, and grow in ways that simply aren’t possible indoors.
Tucked away in a secluded arboretum, our Forest School isn’t just a change of scenery — it’s a whole new world. Surrounded by towering trees, winding paths, and the quiet hum of wildlife, this off-site setting gives children the rare chance to learn in a place where nature leads the way. It's not a playground — it’s a living, breathing classroom where adventure happens naturally.
🌲A Natural Classroom for Early Years
We take our little explorers offsite to an arboretum, where they learn in a magical world of yurts, shepherd’s huts, and natural play spaces. With dedicated areas for planting, risky play, and even outdoor cooking, the entire setting is purpose-built for curiosity and independence.
Two yurts: one for 2-year-olds and one for 3-year-olds.
A shepherd’s hut for under-2s.
Mud kitchen, planting plots, and a dedicated risk-taking zone.
🎨Learning Through Nature
Forest School isn’t just about running wild (although there’s plenty of that too). Children express themselves through natural resources — creating art with sticks, clay, and leaves, or building dens and tools with real purpose.
This style of learning is proven to enhance creativity, critical thinking, and emotional resilience. According to the Forest School Association, children who attend Forest School regularly show increased confidence, motivation, and concentration — all essential building blocks for lifelong learning.
“We love to bug hunt, we love to use natural resources to express ourselves with arts and crafts, we love the freedom to roam... we love taking safe risks and observing wildlife.”
🔥Cooking & Community in the Woods
Yes, we really do cook at Forest School. Using small, portable gas stoves, children help prepare their own meals — then sit down together to eat in the great outdoors.
This hands-on involvement fosters independence and life skills, encouraging even picky eaters to try new things. It also strengthens social bonds and self-esteem.
🧗Risky Play, Real Growth
From pallet slides to rope ladders and tree climbing, risky play is a core part of the experience — and it’s backed by research. Risky play helps children learn to assess danger, manage fear, and build physical confidence. It’s not about recklessness; it’s about trust, boundaries, and boldness.
“Safe risks are everywhere at Forest School... tools to use for gardening and building things.”
🐔Animals, Nature, and Nurture
Our young carers get involved in feeding and watering chickens, collecting eggs, and maintaining our planting areas. Nature is alive and interactive here — not just a backdrop but a co-teacher.
We’ve got:
Bird boxes (some with hatching chicks!),
Regularly checked hedgehog houses,
And a planting zone with tomatoes, strawberries, and dreams of wildflower meadows.
Even when things don’t go to plan — like last year’s wild bird seed — the children learn the value of patience, effort, and trying again.
Every Area of the EYFS, Covered Naturally
From communication and language to physical development, personal, social and emotional growth — every strand of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) can be enriched through Forest School. But it’s not just a tick-box exercise. It’s real, raw, magical learning.
If you’re looking for an early years setting where your child can thrive in nature, build resilience, and truly discover the world on their own terms — Forest School at Jabberwocky might just be what you’ve been searching for.
About Us:
Jabberwocky Children's Nursery is a Nursery and Preschool dedicated to providing the best that an Early Years setting has to offer in a colourful, spacious, purpose built environment. We believe in creating magical places for children and engaging children’s curiosity and imagination to inspire lifelong learning in a safe, loving, enabling environment. We embrace the fact that all children are unique and special and we strive to offer a programme of care and education that not only ensures children experience all areas of the ‘Foundation Stage Framework’ but that also appeals to every kind of learner.
Jabberwocky is easy to get to from Street and also Glastonbury, Butleigh and Meare. So if you are looking for a Day Nursery in Street or looking for a Day Nursery in Glastonbury or other local Mendip Somerset towns then please come and see us!
Visit the Jabberwocky Nursery website at: www.jabberwockynursery.co.uk
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