Welcome to Forest School! Have you wondered what is inside the coaches’ bags? Why do some look so bulky? In no order of importance, here are the top 7 things that EVERY Forest School Coach must have in his/her bag!

I can guarantee you that you will definitely find tools such as string/rope, whittling knife and groundsheet in EVERY Forest School Coach’s bag! 

String and ropes are very important when it comes to bushcraft, where children let their imagination run wild and build whatever they want using the resources found in the forest! I have seen children creating their own tree swings and pulley systems using rope. Some even made bow and arrows, tripods and working turrets from sticks and string! 

Knives come in handy when children want to whittle (to shave the bark off the stick), cut, saw or even split wood! Children have used them to make their very own skewers for their fruits and marshmallows and some even made spears and flutes! The coaches are also trained to make utensils (ladle, spoon and fork) from branches!

Groundsheets are often used to place belongings that you do not want to get muddy and dirty and are often a gathering point for the children and coaches! They are also particularly useful when the children want to build a shelter to keep themselves dry from the rain! I have even seen a child use the groundsheet as a raincoat when he did not bring one! 😂 

All Forest School Coaches are trained in wilderness first aid and we carry around with us the basic items in a First Aid Kit - gauze, surgical tape, plasters, cotton buds, cream etc! 

What is wilderness first aid? 

Well, apart from the basic first aid knowledge, coaches are also proficient in using items found in the jungle (sticks, leaves, vines) to make stretchers, tourniquets, and even casts and splints when necessary! Recently, one of the coaches helped to create a wooden splint to immobilise one of the children's fingers - which he twisted when he tripped and fell!

Moving on, the water bottle is one of the must-brings in Forest School! Often, Forest School Sessions are conducted under the scorching hot sun and both the children and coaches often get very thirsty! At our Tampines Eco Green and Greenleaf Forest School, consumable water is not available anywhere for refill, unless you are up to drink river or lake water! Hence, both children and coaches alike will have to carry however much water they need! 

Remember to hydrate yourself as you are reading this!

Next up, ziplock bags / plastic bags to keep your items dry are an absolute must in Forest School (unless you have a waterproof bag)! Forest School sessions are rain or shine events and as I told a parent: “All weather is good weather, rain or shine, we continue!”. Hence, it is essential to keep the items that you cannot get wet (extra clothes, phone, earpieces, etc.) dry in Ziplock bags / plastic bags! 

Plastic bags also come in handy when you need a space to keep your rubbish / to pick up litter when you are in the forests and rubbish bins are not easily accessible! It is always advisable to bring extra just in case of any emergencies

A raincoat is extremely crucial when it comes to rainy sessions. In Forest School where the children and the coaches are constantly on the move, raincoats make movements more convenient while at the same time, ensure that the children and coaches are kept dry and protected from the cold breeze! Brrrrr! 

On that note, waterproof phone cases are also great in protecting our phones when we are caught in the rain or when we are exploring rivers! As coaches, we have to take pictures to document the session and our waterproof cases ensure that we do just that regardless of the weather or the activities we are engaged in!

Mud stains and wet clothes are often indicators of a fun and adventurous session. When the children want to explore rivers and muddy forests, having a change of clothes to change into something comfortable after the session is extremely useful! In my personal experience, there are seldom sessions where both coaches and children DO NOT require a change of clothes! This is especially true for sessions held at Clementi Forest.  

And of course, let’s not forget one of the most important items for a Forest School coach…

Our handphones! 

In Forest School (and pretty much everywhere), our phones are our main mode of communication before, after and throughout our sessions. In case of emergencies, it is extremely crucial that we have our phones ready to reach out to the relevant people. In regular sessions, our phones also play a vital role in capturing the memories of every session. If you have seen our sessions, you would probably have observed some coaches taking on the role of “photographers” for our children! I mean…how else would we get the lovely photos after every session? 😉