Here at Inspirations Forest School and Nurseries, our forest school ethos begins in the baby room. During your child’s time in the baby room, they will be encouraged and supported to explore the outdoor learning environment in all weathers. This approach builds resilience, preparing them for progression to the toddler room, where the children have access to the outdoor learning environment all day, and into pre-school, where forest school and nature are a core aspect of daily life.

There are several benefits to babies experiencing the outdoor environment from an early age. Our weather isn’t predictable, which enhances the outdoor experience, as every day (sometimes each hour) is different. It provides a unique sensory experience for your child that cannot be replicated indoors. Simply feeling grass between their fingers while crawling is a valuable sensory experience that supports development.

Babies are natural explorers, and exploring the world through sensory experiences promotes brain development. When babies touch, see, hear and move, their brains form connections between brain cells called synapses. These synapses allow neurons to communicate and are the foundation for learning. The more babies interact with their environment, the more these synaptic connections are created and strengthened.

Physically, exploring an outdoor environment encourages movement and strengthens developing muscles. Crawling on uneven ground, reaching for natural objects and balancing on different surfaces all help build coordination, core strength and spatial awareness. These early gross motor experiences are essential for later skills such as walking, climbing and running.

Time outdoors also supports emotional wellbeing. Natural environments can be calming and provide babies with space to explore at their own pace, building confidence and independence. Group singing time in the garden with both baby rooms is always a hit, and bringing out the bubble machine for some songs adds even more excitement.

Research shows there are benefits after time outside for both you and your baby, including better sleep. Natural daylight supports regulation of your child’s internal body clock, helping them understand the difference between day and night. Even a short period of time outside, especially in the morning, can be beneficial to sleep.

At Inspirations, we take the babies out into the outdoor learning environment whatever the weather, ensuring they are dressed appropriately. In the garden shed we have a range of resources to continue enhancing the children’s learning.

In the garden, we have wind chimes and windmills. When the wind blows, the children quickly notice the sounds and movement. They look up at the gentle ringing of the chimes and watch the windmills spinning around. Many of the children point or move closer to see what is happening, sparking curiosity and an understanding of cause and effect.

When it’s dry, our educators add pots of water to the garden so the children can enjoy mark making using sticks, paintbrushes, leaves or their fingers. The children focus on watching their marks appear, and this activity provides endless learning opportunities. Splashing in puddles is another popular wet-day activity. We sometimes add powder paint to the puddles, allowing the children to see colours swirl and mix as they jump and splash.

When it snows, the children use spoons, pans and their hands to transport the snow around the garden, often ending up in the outdoor kitchen. We also bring snow indoors so the children can continue their exploration in a warmer environment.

In the outdoor kitchen, we add natural resources such as sand, leaves, lavender and sticks to vary how the children explore this area. A cherished memory from working at Inspirations is when it started to rain in the garden. The children held their arms up and said “yay” while smiling. This moment highlights that there really is no bad weather, it is how you perceive it. So next time the sky is a little grey, get wrapped up warm, embrace the great British weather, and look for the little moments.

– Sophie