How Forest School and Nature Play can develop the learning of history

Since the nineteenth century there has been a rich heritage of outdoor learning pedagogy in Europe, and today in Scandinavia the open air culture (frulitsliv) permeates Early Years education. In 1993 Bridgewater College nursery nurses returned from a visit to Denmark enthused by the outdoor educational settings and started their own ‘Forest School'. From 1995 the college developed the first Forest School qualifications. In 2002 a network of practitioners held the first national conference and a UK definition of Forest School was formulated: ‘An inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and selfesteem through hands-on learning experiences in a local woodland environment.'...