One Small Conflict at a Time

One huge benefit of forest school is social and emotional development for young children. Give them freedom and time to play, and opportunity will come for helping them manage their feelings and resolve conflict.

Example: Three children moved into another child’s play area when she stepped away. That child came onto the scene and told them to GO AWAY. Naturally, the three children resisted this treatment and stayed put. Voices were raised. Feelings were hurt. There may have been tears.

All they needed was a second chance. Some listening and empathy was in order all around, and they took a few minutes to tell me all about it.

“Do you want to try again?” I asked the single child. Yes, she did. And magically, when she dried her tears and approached them politely, asking them to please play somewhere else, they said, “Okay”. And then there was sharing and kindness on both sides, and pretty soon we were celebrating good feelings that come from working things out.

I love this. Childhood was meant for learning such things.