Forest Play Day
Forest play day
Freedom in nature offers unlimited opportunities to learn not only about the world around us, but also, and perhaps even more importantly, about oneself. A child’s self-awareness, knowledge of his or her abilities and limitations, how he or she reacts to different situations, is the basis for building self-esteem. The more a child knows about himself, the more accurately he will make decisions for himself. Children who play in natural settings are less likely to fall ill and are more resilient to stress and less prone to behavioural disorders and depression. Mud, sand, water, leaves, sticks, pinecones etc. can help stimulate children’s immune systems.
Children’s stay in the natural environment promotes their development and has a positive impact on their behaviour, which is why our teachers implement the project in all preschool groups.
Advantages of children’s free play in nature
- learning to bear the consequences of their decisions
- building their self-esteem
- training their confidence
- developing their creativity
- learning to set rules for cooperation in a group
- becoming resourceful and independent
- being healthier
- having fun
PREPARATION FOR THE EXPEDITION
On such expeditions, each group is provided with hot tea and drinking water and a brunch. They are equipped with tarpaulins for sitting, utensils for digging in the ground, peelers for planing sticks and magnifying glasses.
An important consideration on such an outing is to ensure appropriate wardrobe. Waterproof clothing, mainly trousers that allow children to sit anywhere without worrying about getting wet is very useful.
Armed with mosquito and tick repellent, we set off into the forest.
While in the forest, we support the children in learning about their new surroundings, show them the nature around us and draw their attention to changes in nature. Mostly, however, we remain observers and give them the chance to experience the surrounding nature freely and to play together with their peers.