233 - Who can be a Failure at Forest School and What can they fail at? W Lily Horseman

In this lively, reflective episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis, Wem, and guest Lily pick apart the famous “three look afters” and ask a bigger question: who’s allowed to fail at Forest School, and how do we help people fail well? From cartilage kneecaps and Mr Potato Head jokes to space holding, autonomy versus community, and that dreaded “shit spoon” moment, they explore boundaries, blame versus shame, and how to create conditions where struggle leads to learning rather than humiliation. Expect practical facilitation nuance, philosophical detours, and a few perfect tangents about tracksuits.⏱ Chapter Timings00:00 – Cold open: kneecaps, bandagraphs, and Mr Potato Heads03:14 – Axing the “three look afters”: demands, agency, and who can fail06:06 – Flattened hierarchies or hidden authority: responsibility in practice10:38 – Boundaries, safety, and culture shift for new groups14:49 – Space holding, low-demand setups, and modelling altruism21:27 – Failing well: conditions for struggle without humiliation25:22 – Nunchi: reading the room and tailoring support28:56 – Relational failure, shame versus guilt, and belonging49:22 – Process over product: the “shit spoon” and reframing success1:05:00 – Lily’s trainings, FSA roadshows, and resources🌲 KeywordsForest School agreements, failing well, autonomy vs community, space holding, shame vs blame, boundaries and safety, facilitator judgement, process over product, reflective practice, learner agency🔖 Hashtags#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #ReflectivePractice #CommunityLearning #NaturePlay🎧 Catch the full episode:Spotify: https://shorturl.at/4WdyIYouTube: https://shorturl.at/3qOUsApple: https://shorturl.at/FxfMFRSS: https://shorturl.at/A0kx9🌐 More Episodes & SupportListen to more and access resources at www.theforestschoolpodcast.comSupport the show and join our community at www.patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcastFor questions, feedback, or collaboration: [email protected] in this episode:Animated “What is failure?” video discussed: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CVvtkueZU/?mibextid=wwXIfr