The History of Forest Schools
University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture
Forest schools originated in Sweden in the 1950's (Pound, 2005)
after the late Dean Russell of the University of Wisconsin- Madison College
of Agriculture saw how important learning in the outdoors was when he visited
Australia and he watched children planting trees in the public as an educational
project (Madison Metropolitan School District, 1996). He liked seeing this idea,
so he thought he would try it out when he got home
(Madison Metropolitan School District, 1996). Denmark then adopted the
idea and it impacted the early years education a lot as it became a huge part
of the early years education (Pound, 2005).
In 1995 the UK after a team from Bridgwater College visited Denmark and
was impressed by the whole concept of Forest Schools, so they went home
set up their very first Forest School of the UK (Pound, 2005).
In 2005 there were approximately 150 in England, 27 in Wales and 10 in Scotland (Pound, 2005).
It is not certain how many Forest Schools there are today, but the number is growing.
after the late Dean Russell of the University of Wisconsin- Madison College
of Agriculture saw how important learning in the outdoors was when he visited
Australia and he watched children planting trees in the public as an educational
project (Madison Metropolitan School District, 1996). He liked seeing this idea,
so he thought he would try it out when he got home
(Madison Metropolitan School District, 1996). Denmark then adopted the
idea and it impacted the early years education a lot as it became a huge part
of the early years education (Pound, 2005).
In 1995 the UK after a team from Bridgwater College visited Denmark and
was impressed by the whole concept of Forest Schools, so they went home
set up their very first Forest School of the UK (Pound, 2005).
In 2005 there were approximately 150 in England, 27 in Wales and 10 in Scotland (Pound, 2005).
It is not certain how many Forest Schools there are today, but the number is growing.