Fire, shelter, foraging and nature — a real forest school day
Anoli holds a Forest School practitioner qualification and has been running outdoor education sessions in the Beatenberg forest for three years. A full Forest School day follows the children's curiosity rather than a fixed schedule — fire lighting, shelter building, foraging, and den construction depending on what captures the group.
Ages 5–12 work best. Children spend the entire day outdoors in all but lightning-risk weather. Parents are welcome to observe but Anoli works best when children feel independently responsible for the day.
Circle time at base camp
The day's intentions set as a group. Anoli explains the forest rules: touch gently, take nothing alive, leave no trace.
Shelter building
Teams of 2–3 build lean-to shelters from fallen wood. Anoli teaches knots, lashing, and waterproofing with bracken.
Fire lighting
Every child lights their own fire with flint and steel — Anoli guides each one. The fire ring is permanent and safe.
Cook over the fire
Bread dough on sticks, foraged nettles in soup, or campfire popcorn — depends on what was found during the morning.
Free forest time
Den construction, foraging, stream exploration, or tree climbing — children lead, Anoli follows at a safe distance.
Reflection circle and end
The group sits around the remaining coals. Each child says one thing they'll remember. Fire safely extinguished.
Old beech and fir forest at 1,000–1,200 m. No roads through the core area — genuinely wild for a group of children.
Anoli Rebecca
Family · Nature · Arts