The Free Mini Course
Learn one of our fun 'boundary games' which reinforce safe boundaries on your site and can be used to help learn the names of the plants and trees around you.
Learn how to make clay eggs and nests, make a crown out of willow, a pencil from elder and create your own plaster of paris moulds from real animal tracks!
What's Included?
5 video lessons full of fun activities, tips and essential safety knowledge selected from our bumper Forest School Activities course.
The full course has over 100 videos and resources with modules on: Fire & Pedagogy, Ropes & Knots, Cooking on a Fire, Shelters & Play, Natural Crafts, Using Tools, Wild Food & Foraging and Nature Awareness Games.
Here is a sample video with clips from our Forest School Activities Course
Testimonials for the Forest School Activities Online Training
Róisín Dexter
Primary Teacher and Forest School Leader, Dublin
"Having learned my outdoor skills on face-to-face courses, I initially couldn't understand how they could be learned online.. but The Outdoor Teacher has shown me that they absolutely can! And, in fact, with some extra advantages. For example, I was able to rewind and watch something again in order to take it in more fully or practise it. Marina brings to the screen her decades of experience teaching in the outdoors. Each technique is explained and demonstrated very clearly, with lots of background information and ideas - perfect for both the beginner and the experienced outdoor teacher."
Claire Samways
Physiotherapist, Coppice Crafter & Trainee FS Teacher
"I have just completed the Tools Module online with The Outdoor Teacher. I am currently in training to become a Forest School teacher and feel this has given me the confidence and skills necessary to enhance my learning to enable me to deliver activities that involve using tools safely and creatively."
Daniel Ford, PHD
Educator & Researcher
"I found the resources to be accessible, relatable, and encouraging, and the content and style of the instructional videos were clear and informative with identifiable stepping stones and goals for practitioners. The calm pace of the demonstrations created a sense of confidence in the material that is both motivating and gently inspiring."
Course Curriculum
- Introduction (1:34)
- About the Instructor
- Nature Awareness Games: Only Safe If Game for Early Years and Older (1:28)
- Natural Crafts: Leaf Crowns (2:22)
- Natural Crafts Volume 2: Clay Eggs & Nests (3:12)
- Using Tools: A Simple Elder Pencil (3:17)
- Nature Awareness Games: Plaster of Paris Animal Tracks (3:53)
- Our Forest School Activities Online Training
- Course Feedback Form
- Make Your Own Palm Drills (3:09)
The Forest School Activities Training
Our foundation training course comes with lifetime access to over 100 step by step inspirational videos and resources. Designed for teachers and practitioners. Single modules are £49.99 +vat or save £100 when you buy the 8 module bundle
Get All 8 Modules For £297 +vat
To find out more about our licence and subscription models, click here to get in touch.
FAQs
When does the course start?
The course starts as soon as you register. You work at your own pace and you will receive a certificate when you complete (paid courses only).
How long do I have access to the course?
Our paid courses come with lifetime access to the lessons and videos for as long as you like, across all your devices. The free course is limited to 7 days as it is your chance to try before you buy.
Is my instructor qualified?
Yes, Marina Robb is a UK Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer and has been training Forest School Leaders since 2011. She has been working with groups in nature since 1995 and you can read more here.
Our organisation can’t pay using a credit or debit card – can we still buy the course?
Yes, we understand that many schools and other organisations can’t pay by card – contact us and we can send you an invoice to pay us by bank transfer in UK Sterling, Euros or Dollars. We can even accept cheques from UK bank accounts.
Can I access the course on my mobile?
Yes, the course can be accessed on all devices. If you have an iPhone, you can also download the free ‘Teachable’ app from the Apple Store and complete the course using the app, downloading any videos you like onto your device.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
If for some reason you are not happy with the course, contact us in writing within your first 30 days for a full refund. You will need to include an explanation of why you want the refund.
We don't have access to a woodland - can we do these activities in a playground or park?
Yes, you can. Whether you are near a woodland, park or school playground - all the activities can be adapted for different circumstances.
We have run activities using fire, tools, games, wild food, crafts, swings & ropes, shelters in school yards and playgrounds.
It does take more preparation and consideration of equipment. If you wanted to make fires, you would either designate a small green area of the playground for this purpose or use a fire bowl to lift the fire off the ground. We have also taken many groups on short walks throughout the seasons to gather some plants for many activities.
Posts can be put up to replace trees, so that children can still set up various rope bridges or constructions and with a little thinking you can easily set up a rope swing and tarpaulin shelters.
In schools we often ask parents to contribute a log for our wood pile and ask for help to bring in useful materials we may need over the year.
Can I share my course with my colleagues?
No - the license is granted for 1 user to view the contents of the course. This access must not be shared with any other person and only the named user will receive the certificate and be able to answer the assessments. See next question for bulk licencing queries.
Can we purchase multiple licenses for our staff team?
Yes, please contact us for bulk purchasing discounts. We can set up the user accounts for you and send you access codes and you can pay by invoice.
Do I get a certificate?
All our courses come with a ‘Certificate of Completion’ from The Outdoor Teacher Ltd (apart from the free taster course). You can view a sample certificate HERE
How can we contact you if we have a question?
Yes feel free to call or email us with any questions - our contact details are on the contact page.
Our commitment to Nature & People:
The Outdoor Teacher, alongside its sister organization Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC aim to transform health, education and family through nature.
We are whole-heartedly concerned about the safeguarding of future generations, human and non-human alike, and the growing understanding of reciprocity between humans and nature. Whilst we are advocates for all people accessing nature and its benefits, we know that this is only healthy if we prioritise the care for the natural world and address issues of equality.
The Outdoor Teacher is working towards becoming a certified B-Corp. Certified B Corps are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. We aim to be part of this community of leaders, driving a global movement of people using businesses as a force for good.
We are using Monzo Business Banking which is listed as an ethical bank: https://monzo.com/ethics.
All content is copyrighted and owned by The Outdoor Teacher Ltd.
Videos produced by Media Citizens Ltd.