2.6/ 2.7 Key Principles of Play
Type of Play Description Forest School activity
Symbolic This type of play allows The children will use
children to explore and natural materials to
work on their understanding symbolise people / objects
of concepts, using objects in their play. They often do
to symbolise things from this with pinecones in the
their experience. woodlands and may create
“families” of pinecones or
build things using them.
Rough and tumble This is close encounter play Evidenced in Forest School
through which children can sessions through running,
determine their own climbing, and physical
strength without causing game s.
any harm or injury to each
other. It gives the children a
feeling of exhilaration and
helps them to use up excess
energy
Socio dramatic This is role-playing where In the woods, this requires
children may re-enact more imagination from the
experiences of a personal, children. They may
social, domestic, or participate in playing games
interpersonal nature. The such as collecting natural
children may role-play items in baskets and
visiting the shops, cleaning pretending to be shopping.
the house, or looking after
babies.
Social This is how children learn In Forest School sessions
about the rules of social children could be
engagement. It is often encouraged to work
linked to socio-dramatic together to complete their
play goals. An example of this
could be playing Hungry
Birds, the children need to
work together to find all of
the “worms” that are hidden
in the area.
Creative Children are often engaged May include building
in creative play, through houses and shelters for
using their imagination to animals, designing pictures
design and create different on the floor using pine
things. This can be through needles and pinecones…etc
making and building
physical items or
expressing themselves
through dance It can also
involve the creation of
Jo Benn-Day Level 3 Forest School Leadership Unit 3
, 2.6/ 2.7 Key Principles of Play
different games and role-
play adventures.
Communication This is play using language, At Forest School this may
words, or gestures take the form of play-acting
during role-play games,
telling jokes, singing, and
poetry.
Dramatic Similar to Socio-dramatic In Forest School children
play except that the events may want to act out the
that the children are role- Bear Hunt story because the
playing are those in which environment is similar. Or
the child is not a direct any other story you may be
participator. This includes using in your Forest School
acting out stories. sessions
Deep Play which involves taking Forest School sessions may
risks to help develop offer the children the
survival skills and conquer opportunity to use tools
fear. and fire or conquer their
own personal fears such as
heights, climbing, and
insects.
Exploratory This type of play involves a Forest School session may
exploring the environment explore the woodlands and
or items found in the manipulate and explore
environment. materials through handling,
throwing, or banging.
Investigating noises could
be conducted by banging
sticks on different things in
the woods.
Fantasy This is play where the child Found in lots of role-play
may rearrange the world games that the children
and role play ideas that create in the woods.
would not usually happen in
real life.
Jo Benn-Day Level 3 Forest School Leadership Unit 3
Type of Play Description Forest School activity
Symbolic This type of play allows The children will use
children to explore and natural materials to
work on their understanding symbolise people / objects
of concepts, using objects in their play. They often do
to symbolise things from this with pinecones in the
their experience. woodlands and may create
“families” of pinecones or
build things using them.
Rough and tumble This is close encounter play Evidenced in Forest School
through which children can sessions through running,
determine their own climbing, and physical
strength without causing game s.
any harm or injury to each
other. It gives the children a
feeling of exhilaration and
helps them to use up excess
energy
Socio dramatic This is role-playing where In the woods, this requires
children may re-enact more imagination from the
experiences of a personal, children. They may
social, domestic, or participate in playing games
interpersonal nature. The such as collecting natural
children may role-play items in baskets and
visiting the shops, cleaning pretending to be shopping.
the house, or looking after
babies.
Social This is how children learn In Forest School sessions
about the rules of social children could be
engagement. It is often encouraged to work
linked to socio-dramatic together to complete their
play goals. An example of this
could be playing Hungry
Birds, the children need to
work together to find all of
the “worms” that are hidden
in the area.
Creative Children are often engaged May include building
in creative play, through houses and shelters for
using their imagination to animals, designing pictures
design and create different on the floor using pine
things. This can be through needles and pinecones…etc
making and building
physical items or
expressing themselves
through dance It can also
involve the creation of
Jo Benn-Day Level 3 Forest School Leadership Unit 3
, 2.6/ 2.7 Key Principles of Play
different games and role-
play adventures.
Communication This is play using language, At Forest School this may
words, or gestures take the form of play-acting
during role-play games,
telling jokes, singing, and
poetry.
Dramatic Similar to Socio-dramatic In Forest School children
play except that the events may want to act out the
that the children are role- Bear Hunt story because the
playing are those in which environment is similar. Or
the child is not a direct any other story you may be
participator. This includes using in your Forest School
acting out stories. sessions
Deep Play which involves taking Forest School sessions may
risks to help develop offer the children the
survival skills and conquer opportunity to use tools
fear. and fire or conquer their
own personal fears such as
heights, climbing, and
insects.
Exploratory This type of play involves a Forest School session may
exploring the environment explore the woodlands and
or items found in the manipulate and explore
environment. materials through handling,
throwing, or banging.
Investigating noises could
be conducted by banging
sticks on different things in
the woods.
Fantasy This is play where the child Found in lots of role-play
may rearrange the world games that the children
and role play ideas that create in the woods.
would not usually happen in
real life.
Jo Benn-Day Level 3 Forest School Leadership Unit 3
