SMARTKIDZ PLAY AND
LEARN FOREST PLAY
HANDBOOK
May 2016
Smartkidz Forest Play Ethos
Smartkidz Play and Learn believe children should be back in touch
with outside world and we focus heavily on promoting this within
our club.
When we look back on our childhood memories we think of the times
we spent outside, rustling through leaves, playing football on the
local park, making mud pies, climbing trees and making dens.
We aim to provide a platform for children to create these memories
as well as helping them gain confidence, build self-esteem and
improve key communication and teamwork skills.
We also teach children skills in risk assessment, staying safe and how
to care for the natural environment.
“Children can’t
bounce off the walls,
if you take away the
walls” – Erin Kelly
Please ask to view our Forest Play policy, Risk assessment or 3-year forest
management plan if you would like more information
May 2016
What will Forest Play entail at Smartkidz Play and
Learn?
Forest play is an on-going programme we offer the children with a
mix of planned and child initiated activities within our forest area.
Our 5 main aims of Forest play is:
 To help children build confidence.
 To give children access to a range of different elements i.e. light
and dark, cold and hot, wet
and dry.
 To build the children’s skills
in teamwork, communication
and respect for their
environment.
 To support children in
understanding safety and
how to reduce risk
independently.
 To give children an understanding of nature and learn to respect
nature and living things
Environmental impact
Smartkidz Play and Learn believe it is important that children are retaught the importance of caring for nature and their environment.
We adhere to a woodland management plan (please ask to see our
woodland management plan) and make sure that there is a minimum
impact on the woodland area when activities are taking place.
May 2016
Examples of types of activities that may take place
during Forest Play
 Den/Shelter building.
 Campfire building.
 Outdoors cooking and hot
drinks making on a
campfire.
 Using tools to create
art/models/jewellery.
 Nature and wildlife
discovery.
 Nature and Wildlife identification.
 Learning respect for nature through play and activities.
 Problem solving activities.
 Physical challenges.
 Teambuilding activities.
 Tree climbing.
 Music making.
 Campfire singing.
 Campfire story telling.
 Gardening
Although these activities are usually planned the majority of our forest
play is child initiated.
All activities stated are under close supervision and ratios of staff to
children are taken into account when planning.
Help kids grow - Smartkidz allotment project
May 2016
In 2015 the children helped staff
and FOGG build an allotment for
the children in breakfast, after
school and holiday club.
We now have kitted out our
allotment area with a small green
house, a composter, a garden tool
container and garden tools.
Our allotment aims to get the
children involved in gardening and caring for the plants. We hope
they see the full journey of what they are eating from seed to plant,
from plant to plate, from plate to composter and back into the ground
to feed new plants. The children are encouraged to help with caring
for the plants by watering the plants daily while in club.
Promoting healthy eating
We hope that encouraging the children to take an interest in growing
their own plants , will lead to the children eating more healthily and
trying new foods.
Feel free to come and have a look at our allotment and any advice or help
would be gratefully received!
Smartkidz Play and Learn Forest Rules
May 2016
These rules have been created with the children and have been
placed within the forest area so everyone can abide by these rules.

We will work together to keep the forest area clean.

We will respect living things including insects, bugs, plants and trees.

We must ask and make sure a member of staff is present if we want
to climb trees.

We must stay safe and be careful when using the fire area.

We must use tools and equipment sensibly.
May 2016