‘Forest schools’ grow in popularity during distance learning

Stomping through puddles, scrambling over fallen logs and digging in the dirt with sticks may not sound like traditional educational activities, but they are core parts of the curriculum in “forest schools,” EdSource reports.

Learning amid the leaves is the hallmark of a forest school, an immersive outdoor education model devoted to the exploration of nature. Forest schools, which have their roots in Scandinavian educational tradition, generally focus on preschool age children. Instead of sitting quietly at their desks, these students build forts in the forest, pick berries fresh from the bush and have story time at the shore.