A creative approach to managing difficult behaviour – Forest School and Therapeutic Play

Play and the Outdoors - an Experiential & Theoretical Journey into Forest School, Creative and Therapeutic PlayEmotional insecurity can prevent children from positive participation in activities and relationships. Children often use unacceptable behaviour as the way of coping with negative feelings. Forest Play recognises that these children require a more therapeutic approach to enable them to calm anxiety and fully engage in forest school.

Develop understanding of Attachment Theory and how it relates to emotional insecurity.Join our two day CPD course on 20th & 21st March 2018 to learn new creative strategies to help manage difficult behaviour and help young people enjoy all the benefits of forest school.

This course is suitable for forest school leaders and facilitators, outdoor educators, teachers, youth workers and anyone who works with children.

Play and the Outdoors – an Experiential & Theoretical Journey into Forest School, Creative and Therapeutic Play

Day one

  • Theory: Including – Child development and attachment; How to grow a brain; Importance of nature in childhood; Sensory Play and Stress; Group Dynamic: Importance of connection to others; Spectrum’s of emotions.
  • Activities: Role-play – The brain, baby to adult; group work to develop your skills and confidence. Group games and sensory experiences – forest school, fire and the creative use of clay, setting up your space – tarps and shelters, sand play in nature.

Day two

  • Builds on the outdoor skills of participants – fire-lighting, knots, mask making and story making.
  • Importance of risk and challenge. Focus on the need for individual therapeutic play when working with groups and developing skills.
  • Theory: Principles of child-led play – wild play/free-play/therapeutic play; Communication skills – instruction/reflection; Safe boundaries & Health and Safety in the outdoors; Risk Assessment; Directive/non-directive.

Takes place at our woodland site near Laughton, East Sussex
The course is led by Forest School Trainer, Marina Robb (Director of Circle of Life Rediscovery) and creative play and sand therapist Kate Macairt (Creative Spark). Both have many years experience in their field (and forest!) and have co-facilitated successful creative outdoor training programmes for many years.

Location: Mill Woods, East Sussex at our woodland site.

Cost: £165 per person for both days.

 Circle of Life Rediscovery

To find out more please visit the Circle of Life Rediscovery website, or book your place online. For any questions please send an email or call 01273 814226.