Ep 92 - Forest School in Catalonia w/ Vicky Mateu

In this rich and reflective episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma sit down with Vicki from El Bosc de Montseny in Catalonia to explore Forest School life in rural Spain. From roaming cork oak woodlands to foraging shepherd’s cherries and crafting lavender bundles, this conversation dives into parenting, pedagogy, and place-based learning beyond the UK. Vicki shares how her project grew from a desire to be outdoors with her daughter into a thriving child-centred forest setting rooted in community and Catalan tradition.Together, they discuss child-led transitions, the cultural significance of log-honouring rituals like El Tió, and the legal grey areas of home education in Spain. There's a rich comparison of ecological literacy, mushroom folklore, and the practicalities of adapting to regional climates and fire restrictions. This episode is a celebration of hyper-local connection, slow pedagogy, and the universal language of play.🎙 Featuring: wild boars, golden eagles, fire-free winters, emotional scaffolding, rustic cherries, and the story of how one stick of wood can steal a nation's heart.🌍 This is what Forest School looks like—when it speaks Catalan.⏱ Chapter Timings:00:00 – Vicki introduces her Catalan Forest School: names, meanings, and mountains02:48 – From radical Scouts to motherhood: the path to forest education06:43 – Building a daily outdoor school in a rain-sensitive culture09:35 – Legal grey areas: home education and forest schooling in Spain12:31 – School transitions and how ex-Forest School children thrive14:12 – The changing landscape: cork oaks, chestnuts, rivers, and roaming17:37 – Mediterranean herbs, careful foraging, and culturally embedded mushroom love28:25 – Folk traditions: El Tió, shepherd's cherries, and seasonal storytelling40:07 – Teaching outdoors in a system obsessed with outcomes47:32 – Child-led conflict resolution and transition support through parental presence57:13 – Natural separation: creating emotionally safe step-downs from parent-toddler to independent sessions🌲 Keywords: Forest School Spain, Catalan nature traditions, parent toddler transitions, Forest School in Europe, outdoor education, emotional scaffolding, Mediterranean ecology, child-led learning, folk customs, outdoor parenting, foraging with children, nature connection, preschool progression, sustainable childhood🔖 Hashtags:#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #Catalonia #ChildLedLearning #NatureConnection #ForestSchoolPodcast #ForagingWithKids #SeasonalTraditions #ParentToddlerGroup #WildernessEducation #FolkTales #NatureBasedLearning #SlowChildhood #EmotionalScaffolding #HomeEducation🌐 More Episodes & Support:Listen 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]