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Level 3 Award in Forest Kindergarten: Local Nature Play

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The aim of the qualification is to enable Early Years Practitioners
to organise, safely set up and facilitate Forest Kindergarten
sessions. These sessions will be regular and routine off-site visits
to a local woodland or nearby greenspace for children in their
setting.

Course Content

Understanding the Local Nature Play Approach to Place
1.Understand the benefits of visiting woodlands and less built-up spaces for early years provision
4 Topics
1.1. Critically compare different types of outdoor provision for early years.
1.2. Summarise the similarities and differences between the terms.
1.3. Evaluate the benefits of frequent, regular visits to woods or nearby greenspace all year round for both children and adults/practitioners.
1.4. Explain five different opportunities provided by woodland/green space experiences, which are not present in other learning contexts.
2.Understand the Local Nature Play approach to ecological responsibility in the outdoors.
2 Topics
2.1. Explain the access rights and responsibilities outlined in relation to your national context.
2.2. Explain the Local Nature Play Approach to ecologically informed behaviour whilst in green spaces.
3.Be able to conduct a site audit and survey for a woodland or greenspace for its suitability for regular nature play visits.
2 Topics
3.1. Describe the positive and negative affordances • what is available for playful activity • sheltering • toileting, etc of the site.
3.2. Complete a site survey including • features • at least 10 species of flora and fauna • potential ecological impact on the features and species
4.Understand the different roles and responsibilities for risk management and liability.
3 Topics
4.1. Explain the correct insurances and key policies and procedures relevant for outdoor provision.
4.2. Summarise the steps required to use private and/or public land.
4.3. Produce a site risk assessment and an activity risk/benefit assessment that highlight the Local Nature Play Leader’s roles and responsibilities for undertaking risk management.
unit 2 Understanding the Local Nature Play Approach to People
1.Understand the equipment required to undertake activity in a woodland/greenspace site.
1 Topic
1.1. Summarise the resources and equipment required for safeguarding children and staff and for encouraging nature play.
2.Understand the different methods of engaging staff, parents, volunteer helpers and the wider community.
1 Topic
2.1. Explain four activities that can be carried out to inform and engage other members of staff, parents, volunteer helpers and the wider community.
3.Be able to explain how to effectively communicate with children before, during and after their nature play sessions.
1 Topic
3.1. Develop a communication strategy that will include and prepare children for their nature play sessions, including feedback from children during and following sessions.
4.Be able to develop routines for going outdoors through safety games and activities.
2 Topics
4.1. Describe the routine used to support children getting ready, travelling to the forest kindergarten site and setting up.
4.2. Demonstrate safety games.
Understanding the Local Nature Play Approach to Pedagogy
1.Understand how the Local Nature Play Leader can prepare and provide for nature-based playful experiences.
3 Topics
1.1. Describe what the leader needs to have in place to be prepared for daily sessions.
1.2. Design a set of sequence of appropriate experiences to engage children in a range of nature-based experiences
1.3. Evaluate possible outcomes and cross curricular learning from nature play experiences with reference to the current Early Years Curriculum Framework for the country concerned.