Learners get to play freely, and it is usual to work with tools (when they are assessed to be ready), build shelters, tie knots, and use lashings, practise fire striking, observe animal behaviour and habitats, hunt for bugs, climb trees, play with mud, sticks, stones, and clay, balance on logs, swing from trees, woodwork using tools (to make crowns, bows and arrows, weapons, jewelry, picture frames, musical instruments, etc), create bug and fish hotels, collecting and sorting natural materials like leaves, and flowers, or play group games.

While practitioners design lesson plans, and may offer suggestions to the children, children are given the freedom to lead the sessions, initiate and direct their own learning, which leads to higher intrinsic motivation and resilience. In addition, studies have shown that nature connectedness (e.g., feeling of oneness with nature) is supported by how freely the children get to play in nature and the degree of autonomy and choice that they have.

Sessions start and end with circle time.

Zone of proximal development (scaffolding), flow state, learning through schemas and inquiry, and community building are learning theories that coaches employ in the NatureDen Forest School approach.

At NatureDen, we do not curriculum-dump. We let the children decide what is it they need or want to do that day and grow their independence. When they face challenges in forest school, we support the children emotionally and with resources and hold space, which helps to build resilience and confidence in their own ability to overcome challenges and achieve goals on their own. As we do not prescribe what to do, the learners create their own play and hence grow their creativity.

Your child can wear what he or she would comfortably wear for play in natural spaces. Longs and covered shoes with socks are recommended.

Yes and no. No because all camps and programs at forest school follow the same philosophy. Yes because no two days at forest school are the same! This is because all forest school sessions are child-led and learner-driven, true to the forest school philosophy. We believe in a learner-driven curriculum as the learning is deep and engaging. Rather than keep learners limited to a specific lesson plan, the small group size allow possibilities for the children to do whatever they want and our amazingly versatile coaches to facilitate them. Studies have found out that the spatial autonomy and choice increases nature-connectedness (e.g., feeling of one-ness with nature) which increases personal well-being.

As the outdoor environment is diverse, it provides a wide range of landscapes the children can interact with and activities chosen by the children are what will be needed for their holistic growth at that time e.g.,: climbing trees, balancing on tree logs, running, negotiating steps, playing catch with friends, solving problems, planning the day, observing parts of a flower, identifying a spider, hugging a tree, singing, story-telling, negotiating, practicing empathetic language, discussing where to go and what to do.

Unfortunately, we are unable to do so there are commitments we have put in place to run the sessions including costs paid to third parties.

If your child is enrolled in a regular class schedule and you feel that having the ability to waive sessions occasionally is important to you, please email us at Naturedensingapore@gmail.com to receive a differentiated or longer-term package plan.

NatureDen Singapore is an initiative by Careloft which holds public liability insurance and carries out risk assessments for formally used sites. We highly recommend that families purchase their own insurance for any unforeseen accidents and/or injuries. We are not able to give any refunds for family emergencies or change of plans.