An Exploration of Parents’ Perceptions Concerning the Forest Preschool

Year 2020, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 237 - 250, 28.05.2020

Deniz Kahriman Pamuk

Abstract

Aim of this study was to investigate parents’ perceptions about forest school. Qualitative research was adapted as methodology. Thirty-nine parents participated in this study. Their perceptions about forest school was investigated through interviews. According to parents, forest school is a place where children feel well, discover nature and interact with nature. Their reasons were for preferring forest school listed as children’s wellbeing, children’s health, rich learning environments, non-academic orientation, child-centred learning, play and the staff characteristics. Findings also revealed that parents consider children’s increasing interest in nature and natural elements in terms of environmental awareness and environmental knowledge; social emotional development in terms of enhancement in self-confidence, social abilities and responsibility; motor development in terms of physical strength and speed; cognitive development in terms of inquiry skills.

Keywords

Forest school, early childhood education, parent

References

• Bilton, H. (2010). Outdoor learning in the early years: Management and innovation. New York: Routledge.
• Bingley, A., & Milligan, C. (2004). Climbing Trees and Building Dens: Mental health and well-being in young adults and the long-term effects of childhood play experience. Institute for Health Research, Lancaster University.
• Blackwell, S. (2015). Impacts of long term forest school programmes on children’s resilience, confidence and wellbeing. Retrieved from http://getchildrenoutdoors.com/resilience-wellbeing-and-confidence-development-at-forest-schools/
• Burke, R. S. (2014). Taming the Wild: Approaches to Nature in Japanese Early Childhood Education. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 2(1), 76-96.
• Chawla, L. (1998). Significant life experiences revisited: A review of research on sources of environmental sensitivity. The Journal of environmental education, 29(3), 11-21.
• Close, M. (2012). The Forest School initiative and its perceived impact on children’s learning and development: an investigation into the views of children and parents. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Cardiff University, GB.
• Copeland, K. A., Sherman, S. N., Kendeigh, C. A., Saelens, B. E., & Kalkwarf, H. J. (2009). Flip flops, dress clothes, and no coat: clothing barriers to children's physical activity in child-care centers identified from a qualitative study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 6(1), 74.
• Cresswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: qualitative and mixed-method approaches. London: SAGE Publications
• Davis, B., & Waite, S. (2005). Forest Schools: An Evaluation of the Opportunities and Challenges in Early Years. Final Report. January 2005.
• Davis, J. (1998). Young children, environmental education, and the future. Early Childhood Education Journal, 26(2), 117-123.
• Dean, S. (2019). Seeing the Forest and the Trees: A Historical and Conceptual Look at Danish Forest Schools. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(3), 53-63.
• Ernst, J., & Theimer, S. (2011). Evaluating the effects of environmental education programming on connectedness to nature. Environmental Education Research, 17(5), 577-598.
• Fjørtoft, I. (2004). Landscape as playscape: The effects of natural environments on children's play and motor development. Children Youth and Environments, 14(2), 21-44.
• García-García, P., López-Muñoz, F., Molina, J. D., Fischer, R., & Alamo, C. (2009). Methylphenidate extended-release capsules: a new formulation for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Front Drug Design Discov, 4, 228-46.
• Goodenough, A., & Waite, S. (2020). Introduction: The Good from Woods Project. In Wellbeing from Woodland (pp. 1-7). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
• Harris, F. (2017). The nature of learning at forest school: practitioners' perspectives. Education 3-13, 45(2), 272-291.
• Jayasuriya, A., Williams, M., Edwards, T., & Tandon, P. (2016). Parents’ perceptions of preschool activities: exploring outdoor play. Early education and development, 27(7), 1004-1017.
• Kahriman-Pamuk, D., & Ahi, B. A Phenomenological Study on the School Concept of the Children Attending the Forest School. Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi, 7(4), 1386-1407.
• Kellert, S. R., & Derr, V. (1998). A National Study of outdoor Wilderness Experience. National Outdoor Leadership School. Retrieved from https://www.childrenandnature.org/uploads/kellert.complete.text.pdf
• Knight, S. (2009). Forest Schools and outdoor learning in the early years. London: Sage.
• Knight, S. (2011). Risk & adventure in early years outdoor play: learning from forest schools. Sage Publications.
• Knight, S. (2016). Forest school in practice: For all ages. London: Sage.
• Knight, S. (2018). Translating forest school: A response to Leather. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(1), 19-23.
• Kolb, D. A. (1984).Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
• Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
• Lovell, R., O’Brien, L., & Owen, R. (2010). Review of the research evidence in relation to the role of trees and woods in formal education and learning. Forest Research.
• Lovell, S. T. (2010). Multifunctional urban agriculture for sustainable land use planning in the United States. Sustainability, 2(8), 2499-2522.
• May, H. (2005). Whose participation is it anyway? Examining the context of pupil participation in the UK. British Journal of Special Education, 32(1), 29-33.
• Maynard, T. (2007). Forest Schools in Great Britain: an initial exploration. Contemporary issues in early childhood, 8(4), 320-331.
• Merriam S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. 3rd ed, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage.
• Murray, R., & O'Brien, E. (2005). ‘Such enthusiasm - A joy to see’: An evaluation of forest school in England. Forest Research.
• Nicol, R., Higgins, P., Ross, H., & Mannion, G. (2007). Outdoor education in Scotland: A summary of recent research. Perth & Glasgow, Scotland: Scottish Natural Heritage & Learning and Teaching Scotland.
• O’Brien, L., & Murray, R. (2005). Forest schools in England and Wales: Woodland space to learn and grow. Environmental Education, 25-27.
• O’Brien, L., & Murray, R. (2007). Forest School and its impacts on young children: Case studies in Britain. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 6(4), 249-265.
• O'Brien, L. (2009). Learning outdoors: the Forest School approach. Education 3-13, 37(1), 45-60.
• Patton, M. Q. (2002). Two decades of developments in qualitative inquiry: A personal, experiential perspective. Qualitative social work, 1(3), 261-283.
• Phenice, L. A., & Griffore, R. J. (2003). Young children and the natural world. Contemporary Issues in early childhood, 4(2), 167-171.
• Ponterotto, J. G. (2006). Brief note on the origins, evolution, and meaning of the qualitative research concept thick description. The qualitative report, 11(3), 538-549.
• Rickinson, M., Dillon, J., Teamey, K., Morris, M., Choi, M.Y., Sanders, D., & Benefield. P.A. (2004). Review of research on outdoor learning. London: NFER.
• Rivkin, M. S. (1995). The great outdoors: Restoring children's right to play outside. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
• Rushton, S., & Larkin, E. (2001). Shaping the learning environment: Connecting developmentally appropriate practices to brain research. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(1), 25-33.
• Sobel, D. (2008). Childhood and nature: Design principles for educators. Stenhouse Publishers.
• Tiplady, L. S., & Menter, H. (2020). Forest School for wellbeing: an environment in which young people can ‘take what they need’. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 1-16.
• Waters, J., & Begley, S. (2007). Supporting the development of risk-taking behaviours in the early years: An exploratory study. Education 3–13, 35(4), 365-377.
• Williams-Siegfredsen, J. (2012). Understanding the Danish Forest School Approach: Early Years Education in Practice. London: David Fulton publications.
• Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2006). Qualitative research methods in social sciences. Ankara: Seckin Publications.