Ep 20 - 2018 Review!

In this special reflective episode, Lewis and Gemma take a rambling, funny, and deeply human walk through the entire Forest School year of 2018. Using their camera roll as a guide, they recall the highs, lows, and everything in between—from frozen tree pickups in January to emotional moments with their own children in the woods. Expect stories about chaotic community Christmas tree collections, child-built treehouses, dead mice in fire buckets, camo shelters turned WWII reenactments, and the grounding presence of woodland wildlife. They also revisit the joy of elderflower pancakes, role-play wood chopping, buzzard shirts, ice-cream science, and opening their kindergarten provision for the very first time. With thoughtful reflections on modelling fatherhood, intergenerational play, early years observations, and what it really means to ‘step back’ in children’s learning, this episode is a time capsule of Forest School practice and philosophy in motion.⏱ Chapter Timings00:00 – Revisiting the year: should we go forward or backward?01:58 – The “Christmas tree pickup” disaster03:37 – 150 free trees, fences, and community confusion04:17 – Treehouse project: child-led, slow, and wonderful05:55 – Camouflage, swing day, and ongoing evolution06:27 – First adult CPD: freezing cold but passionate07:09 – Hanging frozen nature art from parachutes07:55 – Ice slabs and deep winter school fun08:16 – Birch tapping: discovering tastier sycamores08:33 – Wildlife still present: footprints and environmental reflections09:27 – Sudden March snow followed by T-shirts10:04 – A mouse in the fire bucket and child-led death education11:04 – Our first DIV helpers and the value of volunteers12:25 – Balancing professionalism with community roots12:50 – School trip to the River Cam for crayfish research13:33 – Holiday club highlights and powerful child-led play14:59 – Wood-chopping as immersive, imaginative roleplay15:59 – The stress play type: primal resource urgency16:15 – Elderflower pancakes and community chapati making16:52 – Sling play, male role modelling, and normalising fatherhood18:20 – The developmental impact of babies in the woods19:55 – Ice-cream making science (and too many plastic bags)21:11 – Buzzard shirts: long-term children stepping into leadership22:40 – Why being outside school systems creates continuity23:21 – Age-mixed play and inclusive community dynamics24:35 – Summer camping: bonding, owls, and minstrels26:01 – Building the bender shelter for kindergarten27:15 – The joy and depth of early years Forest School28:40 – Observing vs planning: navigating EYFS with authenticity29:47 – Maths moments and curriculum pressures30:29 – Walking, learning, and invisible progress31:41 – Avoiding play interference to deepen learning33:25 – Trust, safety, and modelling non-corrective responses34:21 – Ending with gratitude and festive goodbyes🔍 SEO Keywords: Forest School year in review, Forest School storytelling, child-led play, roleplay in nature, early years observation, EYFS outdoors, outdoor early education, woodland preschool, long-term projects, community Forest School, fatherhood modelling, treehouse building, Forest School camping, death in nature education, volunteer engagement, reflection in Forest School🔖 Hashtags:#ForestSchoolPodcast #ForestSchoolReflections #OutdoorLearning #ChildLedPlay #NatureEducation #EarlyYearsOutdoors #ForestKindergarten #CommunityLearning #VolunteeringInEducation #TreehouseProject #NaturePlay #WoodlandPreschool #EmpoweredChildren #PlayfulLearning #FatherhoodInEducation #ChildDevelopmentOutdoors🌐 More Episodes & SupportDiscover more at www.theforestschoolpodcast.comSupport the podcast via www.patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcastFor enquiries or collaborations: [email protected]