Outdoor & Forest School
Outdoor & Forest School for 5th
Practical resources for outdoor and Forest School-style learning — seasonal lesson plans, scavenger hunts, nature journals, outdoor maths, risk assessments, bushcraft progression. Built for schools with woodland access AND those with just a playground.
All resources
Forest School Practitioner's Bookshelf
A curated reading list for primary teachers wanting to take outdoor learning more seriously — foundational books, practical activity guides, and the wider thinking on childhood and risk.
Forest School Without Woods — Playground & Field Adaptations
How to run Forest School-style sessions when your school has only a playground, a field, or a small green corner. Practical adaptations covering activities, kit and routines.
Nature Journal — Printable Templates
Five ready-to-print nature journal templates — one big drawing page, observation grid, weather diary, year-long tracker, and 'today I noticed' reflection page.
Outdoor Learning Risk Assessment — Pre-Session Checklist
A pre-session checklist for outdoor learning sessions — site, weather, participants, equipment, supervision and emergencies. Adapt and sign off before going out.
Outdoor Learning Skills — Progression Tracker (EYFS to Y6)
Year-by-year progression of outdoor learning skills — from EYFS gross motor through to Y6 fire safety and independent project work. For schools building a coherent outdoor curriculum.
Summer Outdoor Learning — Activity Pack
Six summer outdoor activities — pollinator survey, sun shadow clock, pond-dip basics, grass meadow zoning, water cycle in action, leaf shapes. EYFS to Y5.
Outdoor Maths — Activity Cards
Eight outdoor maths activities — measure a tree, count seeds, perimeter of the playground, symmetry hunt, angle spotting, estimation walk, time-and-distance, leaf fractions.
Outdoor Maths Trails Pack — KS1 and KS2
Two sets of outdoor maths trail cards — one for KS1 and one for KS2. Children follow clues around the school grounds, solving maths problems they encounter along the way.
Seasonal Nature Journal Template
A four-season nature journal with drawing and writing prompts for each visit outside. Pupils record what they observe, hear, find, and notice changing across autumn, winter, spring, and summer.
Cloud Spotting & Weather Prediction Outdoor Activity
A printable cloud identification guide and outdoor activity — naming cloud types, predicting weather from observations, and connecting meteorology to the science curriculum.
Outdoor Map-Making Activity — School Grounds
A guide for children to create their own maps of the school grounds — includes map keys, compass rose, scale estimation, and aerial view drawing. Develops map skills practically and builds spatial awareness.
Soil & Earthworms Outdoor Investigation
A complete outdoor science investigation into soil types and earthworm habitats — testing drainage, observing soil layers, counting earthworms per metre squared, and connecting findings to the science curriculum.
Symmetry & Patterns in Nature — Outdoor Maths & Art Activity
An outdoor maths and art crossover activity — children find examples of symmetry, tessellation, spirals, and repeating patterns in the natural environment and record them through sketching and photography.
Weather Observation Outdoor Learning Pack
A complete outdoor weather observation activity — recording sheets for temperature, wind direction, cloud types, and precipitation. Includes a class weather diary template and a guide to Beaufort scale wind observation.