Throughout the academic year, we take children to our community allotment in Tai Shui Hang. Here, they can explore gardening, grow vegetables, and nurture plants. The allotment is partly sponsored by our Parent Staff Association (PSA), making this experience possible for more children.
At our allotment, children will discover the magic of sowing seeds, caring for plants, and witnessing the beauty of nature's growth. They'll develop a deeper understanding of the environment and sustainable living.
Once our harvest is ready, we bring it to our school kitchen, where children actively participate in preparing nutritious meals. This hands-on approach teaches them valuable lessons about healthy eating and the importance of fresh, homegrown produce.
Our community allotment is a thriving ecosystem of learning, teamwork, and respect for nature. It's an opportunity for children to make a positive impact and develop a lifelong love for gardening.
At ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten, we run regular Forest School and Beach School sessions. These unique outdoor educational experiences offer children the chance to connect with nature in a hands-on and immersive way.
In our Forest School, children explore the wonders of the natural world, learning through play, discovery, and adventure. They engage in activities like building shelters, identifying plants and animals, and developing their creativity and problem-solving skills in a woodland setting.
Our Beach School takes learning to the shores, where children discover the marvels of the beach environment. They explore tide pools, study marine life, and engage in beachcombing activities that foster curiosity, teamwork, and environmental awareness.
Both programs provide a rich learning environment that promotes physical and mental well-being, resilience, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.
What is Forest School?
The world's first known forest school was created by Ella Flautau in Denmark in 1952. The idea formed when the children in her community regularly met in a nearby forest. Forest Schools stems from the Waldorf-Steiner approach to education which is child-led, play-based and where adults are viewed as facilitators, not teachers. Research shows that the amount of time children spend outdoors and freely playing outdoors has significantly decreased over the years. The term Nature Deficit Disorder has been coined to describe the impact of this lack of contact with the natural world on children (and adults).
The Forest School Approach has its foundations in educational theory and is based on the understanding of neuroscience. Being involved in a Forest School programme has a number of holistic, educational, and physical and mental health benefits. The Forest School approach to learning is holistic, play-based, and learner-centred, with strong roots in universally recognised pedagogy.
It is based on observations of children’s needs. It is a long-term provision to support learners and leaders to build relationships with themselves, peers, practitioners, the community, and the surrounding environment. The progressive and highly flexible planning ensures children’s interests and needs are met. The sessions focus on the holistic development of each child involved and provide opportunities for children to develop their social, physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional and spiritual intelligence. Children also learn about the natural environment and develop practical skills.
Children are given opportunities and are supported to take appropriate risks. In doing so, they build self-confidence and become better equipped to assess and handle risk.
Meet our Outdoor Learning Lead, Claire Jones
Claire is a trained Forest and Beach School leader and holds a Level 3 Qualification in Forest School. She supports staff in planning and facilitating Forest School sessions.
She aims to provide rich, diverse, multisensory experiences, allowing children to connect with the natural world. She creates opportunities for noisy, boisterous, vigorous, physically active play; opportunities for physical challenge and risk-taking that is inherent in the value of play; rough, uneven surfaces, with opportunities for the development of physical strength, balance, and coordination; and natural elements and loose parts that children can combine, manipulate, and adapt for their own purposes.
The Forest School leader plays a role in educating people about sustainable practices, biodiversity, and the impact of human actions on the environment by developing a love of the outdoors.
Trips to the local Basketball Courts offer children a large space to be physically active. Regular physical activity is an important part of getting and staying healthy.
Encouraging children to be active from a young age sets good habits early on and helps them develop the skills they need to stay active throughout their lives.
Regular Physical Activity helps children:
- with healthy growth and development
- build strong bones and muscles
- improve balance and develop skills
- maintain and develop flexibility
- achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- improve cardiovascular fitness
- reduce stress and feel more relaxed
- improve posture
- boost confidence and self-esteem
- have fun with their friends and make new ones (More details at Healthy Kids)
Many classes will take part in a variety of learning engagements at the Courts such as parachute games and scooting.
Places to visit close to our school
Places to visit in the New Territories
- Ma On Shan Park
- Kadoorie Farm
- Lions Nature Education Centre, Sai Kung
- Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve
- Ma On Shan Country Park
- Sai Kung Country Park
- Hiking trails in Tai Po & Sai Kung
- Beaches (sand, rock pools, mangroves)
- HK Forest Adventures
All classes at our kindergarten go barefoot at some point during the school day. This might be in the classroom, sensory room, or during physical and/ or garden time. Moving around barefoot can benefit children tremendously in a number of important ways.
Builds Balance
Going barefoot increases children’s balance and helps them develop good posture. Children keep their heads up more when they walk barefoot because of the sensory feedback they get from the ground that they do not feel while wearing shoes. By not looking down as much, they have less chance of losing their balance and falling. Children are also more likely to adjust their movements because they have more direct contact with the ground. These natural adjustments help them develop better balance, movement, and posture.
Develops Body Awareness
When barefoot, they can climb, pivot, balance, and adjust quickly when the ground surface changes. This is because they can directly feel the surface they are walking on, helping them respond more effectively to pressure or imbalances in their feet. This builds neuromuscular strength, spatial orientation, balance, and coordination.
Prevents Injury
When children spend more time barefoot, their feet and lower legs strengthen, they have stronger arches and ankles, and their bodies are more agile and less prone to injury. Children who grow up with large amounts of barefoot time have wider feet and have a more even distribution of pressure towards the outside edge of the foot and across the toes.
Improves Senses
By giving our children more opportunities to experience new sensations, we allow them to enjoy their world in a new way. It also allows them to develop a mindful presence and conscious awareness of their surroundings. They ultimately learn to be more tuned into their surroundings as they move around barefoot.
Information taken from www.TheEpochTimes.com and
https://modernalternativemama.com/2017/04/26/kids-play-going-barefoot/
