Looking for Forest School KS2 Stone Age activities? This pack helps children explore Stone Age shelters, hunter-gatherers, cave art, tools, fire, food, survival and early settlements through practical outdoor learning. It is perfect for KS2 teachers who want creative, curriculum-linked Forest School ideas that bring prehistory to life without needing lots of equipment or complicated preparation. If you are new to this area, discover our Beginners Guide to Forest School.
New to Forest School? Start here
If Forest School feels overwhelming, start small.
You do not need a woodland, fire pit or specialist tools to teach the Stone Age outdoors. You can use your playground, school field, garden, nature area or any small outdoor space.
Try:
- One Stone Age shelter-building challenge
- One outdoor cave art activity
- One simple question, such as: “How did Stone Age people survive using nature?”
Forest School-inspired history works best when children can move, build, talk, imagine and compare life in the past with life today.
Ready to make a start? Download now and take the 60-day free trial.
Try this tomorrow
Build a Stone Age Shelter
Ask children to work in pairs or small groups to create a mini Stone Age shelter using natural materials.
They could use:
- sticks for the frame
- leaves for covering
- grass for bedding
- stones for a fire circle
- bark for walls
- chalk or rope to mark the shelter area
Time: 25–35 minutes
Prep: Low
You need: Sticks, leaves, bark, stones, chalk or rope
Learning: History, design, teamwork, problem-solving, speaking and listening
Encourage children to explain:
- What would your shelter protect people from?
- Which materials have you chosen and why?
- How would people keep warm?
- Where would they sleep?
- What would you improve if you built it again?
This gives children a simple, practical way to explore Stone Age homes, survival and use of natural materials.
Explore the Higher Level Skills Forest School Ideas Packs
Forest School KS2 Stone Age Ideas
Here are a few simple ways to link the Stone Age to outdoor learning and Forest School.
1. Stone Age Hunter-Gatherer Trail
Create a simple outdoor trail where children imagine they are hunter-gatherers looking for what they need to survive.
They could look for pretend or safe examples of:
- food sources
- water sources
- shelter materials
- animal tracks
- tools
- firewood
- safe places to rest
Use picture cards, natural objects or chalk markers to guide the trail.
Ask children:
- What would be useful for survival?
- What would be dangerous?
- How would Stone Age people know where to go?
- How did they use the land differently from us today?
This links beautifully to history, geography, survival skills, speaking and listening, and problem-solving.
2. Cave Art Outdoors
Invite children to create Stone Age-inspired cave art outside using chalk, mud, charcoal-style mark making or natural pigments.
They could draw:
- handprints
- animals
- hunting scenes
- symbols
- patterns
- shelters
- tools
Children can work on large stones, tree-safe boards, cardboard, paper fixed to walls or the playground floor.
Encourage them to think about:
- Why did Stone Age people make art?
- What stories might the pictures tell?
- Which animals were important?
- How is this different from writing?
This supports history, art, communication and creativity.
To view the full catalogue of Forest School Activities, head to the Forest School Hub.
3. Stone Age Tool Design Challenge
Ask children to design a pretend Stone Age tool using natural loose parts.
They could create:
- a digging tool
- a hunting tool
- a scraping tool
- a fishing tool
- a carrying tool
- a food-preparation tool
Use sticks, stones, leaves, bark, string or wool.
Children should explain:
- What is your tool for?
- How would it help someone survive?
- Which materials did you choose?
- How could you make it stronger or safer?
This links to design and technology, history, materials and evaluation.
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✅ ready-to-use Forest School activity packs
✅ curriculum-linked KS2 outdoor learning ideas
✅ outdoor history, geography, art and DT planning
✅ SEND-friendly nature-based activities
✅ seasonal topics and Stone Age to Iron Age resources
Ready to make a start? Download now and take the 60-day free trial.
Why use Forest School for the Stone Age?
Forest School-inspired learning helps children experience history in a practical, active and memorable way.
Instead of only reading about the Stone Age, children can:
- build shelters
- explore hunter-gatherer life
- create cave art
- design pretend tools
- investigate natural materials
- role-play survival choices
- compare past and present life
- work together to solve problems
This makes the Stone Age topic easier to understand, especially for children who learn best through movement, making and hands-on experiences.
Who is this resource for?
This Forest School KS2 Stone Age pack is ideal for:
- KS2 teachers
- Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 classes
- Forest School leaders
- outdoor learning coordinators
- history subject leaders
- homeschoolers
- nurture groups
- SEND groups
- after-school clubs
- enrichment days
- creative curriculum weeks
It can be used as part of a Stone Age to Iron Age topic, outdoor history lesson, Forest School session, curriculum enrichment day or practical history project.
Curriculum links
This pack can support learning in:
- history
- geography
- design and technology
- art
- speaking and listening
- PSHE
- teamwork and problem-solving
- outdoor learning
- SEND provision
Children can explore survival, shelter, food, hunter-gatherers, early humans, tools, art, materials and how people lived in prehistoric Britain.
To view the full catalogue of Forest School Activities, head to the Forest School Hub.
FAQs
How can I teach the Stone Age outdoors?
You can teach the Stone Age outdoors by using shelter building, hunter-gatherer trails, cave art, pretend tool design, survival challenges and outdoor role-play. Children can use natural materials to explore how Stone Age people lived.
What are good Forest School activities for the Stone Age?
Good Forest School Stone Age activities include building shelters, creating cave art, making pretend tools, setting up hunter-gatherer trails, exploring natural materials and role-playing survival choices.
Can Forest School link to KS2 history?
Yes. Forest School links brilliantly to KS2 history because children can explore the past through active, practical and memorable experiences. Outdoor learning helps children build, compare, question, retell and explain historical ideas.
Do I need a woodland to teach Stone Age Forest School activities?
No. You can teach Stone Age Forest School activities in a playground, school field, garden, nature area or small outdoor space. Natural loose parts, chalk, hoops, sticks and stones are enough to get started.
Do I need tools or fire for this Stone Age pack?
No. These activities can be completed without tools or fire. Children can use sticks, leaves, stones, bark, chalk, rope and loose parts to explore Stone Age life safely and creatively.
Is this suitable for SEND learners?
Yes. Forest School Stone Age activities can be very supportive for SEND learners because they are practical, visual, sensory and active. Children can show understanding through building, sorting, movement, role-play, pointing, drawing or working with adult support.
What age group is this Stone Age Forest School pack for?
This pack is designed for KS2, especially Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6. Activities can be simplified for younger children or extended with deeper historical vocabulary, comparison and discussion for older pupils.
Can I use this with a Stone Age to Iron Age topic?
Yes. This pack works well as part of a Stone Age to Iron Age topic. Children can compare shelters, tools, food, farming, settlements and daily life across the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age.
Ready for more KS2 Forest School ideas?
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Start your 60-day free trial today and bring more creative, active and meaningful history learning outdoors. Ready to make a start? Download now and take the 60-day free trial.
