Forest School Scavenger Hunt
🌲 Discover, explore, and connect with nature the forest school way!
Bring your forest school sessions to life with our Forest School Scavenger Hunt — a nature-based learning activity designed to help children explore the outdoors with curiosity, confidence, and purpose. Perfect for forest school leaders, outdoor educators, and adventurous families, this printable resource encourages children to engage with their natural environment in a hands-on and meaningful way.
From spotting bugs under logs to listening for birdsong, each item on the list inspires children to observe, move, and interact with nature — all while developing key early years skills.
🍃 Ideal For:
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Forest school activities
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EYFS and KS1 outdoor learning
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Homeschooling and nature clubs
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School grounds and woodland settings
✅ What’s Inside:
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A beautifully designed, printable scavenger hunt sheet
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A variety of forest-themed prompts (look, listen, feel, find!)
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Easy-to-recognise icons for independent or guided use
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Reusable when laminated — perfect for mud, rain, and real forest fun!
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Encourages sensory exploration, mindfulness, and team-building
Whether you’re running a full forest school programme or simply adding nature-based activities to your week, this scavenger hunt is the perfect companion for meaningful outdoor learning.
📚 Supports Learning In:
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Understanding the world through observation and enquiry
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Communication and language through discussion and description
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Physical development through movement and exploration
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Personal, social and emotional growth through teamwork and confidence-building
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🌳 What Is Forest School? Why It’s More Than Just Outdoor Play
In recent years, forest school has grown from a niche educational movement to a widely respected approach to early years and primary education. But what exactly is forest school — and why is it such a powerful tool for learning?
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or outdoor educator, this post will help you understand the philosophy behind forest school, its benefits, and how you can begin to embrace its principles with confidence.
🍂 What Is Forest School?
Forest school is a child-led, nature-based approach to learning that takes place in natural settings like woodlands, parks, or even a school garden. It originated in Scandinavia and is now a growing movement across the UK and beyond.
At its core, forest school is about:
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Encouraging curiosity and independence
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Building self-esteem through hands-on experiences
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Developing a deep connection with the natural world
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Supporting holistic development across physical, emotional, and cognitive areas
According to the Forest School Association (FSA), it’s not just outdoor play — it’s a structured, long-term process that empowers learners through regular sessions in a natural setting.
🌿 The Benefits of Forest School
Forest school offers a wide range of benefits that support early childhood development and beyond. These include:
1. Improved Mental Health and Wellbeing
Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress, boost mood, and improve emotional regulation in children. The Wildlife Trusts found that outdoor learning increases children’s wellbeing and resilience.
2. Boosts Confidence and Independence
Through activities like den building, climbing, and exploring, children learn to take safe risks and solve problems on their own. This builds self-esteem and decision-making skills in a way traditional classrooms can’t always replicate.
3. Supports Communication and Social Skills
Forest school often involves teamwork — from carrying logs together to working on nature art projects. It fosters collaboration, leadership, and empathy.
4. Encourages Physical Activity
Outdoor learning naturally promotes physical movement. Climbing trees, walking trails, balancing on logs — these all contribute to gross motor skill development and physical health. The NHS recommends daily outdoor activity to support healthy child development.
🍃 Forest School Activities to Try
Here are a few simple ways to incorporate forest school principles into your own setting:
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🔍 Scavenger Hunts: Try a Forest School Scavenger Hunt to help children explore and observe their surroundings.
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🪵 Den Building: Use sticks, branches, and leaves to construct shelters. Great for teamwork and creative thinking!
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🎨 Nature Art: Create mandalas, stick people, or leaf rubbings using found materials.
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🔥 Fire Skills (With Supervision): For older children, safely learning how to build and respect a campfire can be empowering.
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🐞 Bug Hunts: Encourage children to look under logs and in leaf piles to discover the tiny world of invertebrates. Check out our Mini Beast Resources.
🌍 Forest School Is for Everyone
Whether you’re in a rural woodland or an urban school with limited space, forest school can work for you. Even small outdoor spaces can be transformed into a rich environment for exploration and learning.
The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) offers guidance and case studies on how to make the most of your setting, whatever it looks like.
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