I have been following Naomi Walmsley’s column in The Bushcraft and Survival Skills Magazine with interest for some time. So I was pleasantly surprised when I came across a Forest School book that she had co-authored with Dan Westall. At the time I was looking for more ideas for my sessions with children and eagerly picked up a copy. I have not been disappointed at all and this book has become one of my favourite resources for outdoor learning.
Forest School Adventure, is packed full of activities to take you and your children outdoors. With lots of detailed pictures, instructions and interesting anecdotes. The projects range from how to make pine pitch glue to what it takes to build a shelter. There are separate sections for natural crafts, bushcraft skills, outdoor cooking and games. So you can easily find the type of activity you are looking for.
What I personally enjoy about this book is that it gives you a real variety of activities. Additionally, the projects really help you and your children to develop a deeper connection to nature. Many other outdoor activity books simply take indoor projects and change the setting, without actually creating deeper learning. Outdoor books should inspire you to push your comfort zones and explore the natural world, not just do paper crafts in fields.
In my opinion, Forest School adventure is a great introduction to outdoor activities for any parent or teacher looking to get involved in Forest School or Bushcraft. So if you are interested in taking your children’s outdoor time further, I heartily recommend picking up a copy of this book.
Naomi Walmsley and Dan Westall run the outdoor company Outback2basics, specialising in primitive skills. Their website can be found at https://www.outback2basics.co.uk/