15th September 2025

Today’s session explored foraging, processing natural materials, and creating art in the woodland environment. Children began by carefully collecting ripe blackberries from designated areas, practising safe foraging skills and learning how to identify suitable fruit while respecting the plants and wider habitat.
Back at our base area, the group worked collaboratively to sieve the berries and extract the natural pigment. They then combined the juice with cornflour to create a simple, eco‑friendly paint. This hands‑on process encouraged curiosity, scientific thinking, and problem solving as they experimented with quantities, textures, and colour intensity.
Using sticks as natural paintbrushes, children engaged in creative mark‑making on a variety of outdoor surfaces. They explored how the paint behaved differently on wood, fabric, and card, and many developed their own techniques for blending or layering the natural dyes.
The activity supported fine‑motor development, sensory exploration, and a deeper understanding of how natural resources can be used sustainably. Learners demonstrated teamwork, patience, and independence throughout each stage—from sourcing materials through to creating their final artwork.
This session nurtured a strong sense of connection with the environment and celebrated creativity using materials directly from the forest, in line with core Forest School principles.