A new ‘forest school’ offering outdoor activities could be coming to York nursery under recently-lodged plans.
The project would see an outdoor area created at Acomb’s Muddy Boots Nursery where children can take part in activities such as tree-climbing, foraging, wood-working and bug-hunting.
The nursery says it hopes the activities would help improve children’s concentration, confidence, motivation and social and physical skills.
The plans lodged with City of York Council would see the forest school created in part of the outdoor area of the nursery, based in the grounds of Westfield Primary Community School.
A 6.8m-high and 10.3m-wide Nordic-style tipi would be put up to allow activities to be offered to children all-year round.
Activities which could be offered to children include building shelters and dens, animal spotting, arts and crafts, making camps and cooking.
The creation of the new outdoor area would also allow the nursery to put on up to 24 extra childcare places.
Dedicated team
The forest school would be run by a dedicated team specialising in outdoor activities.
The plans follow the establishment of a Forest School at the nursery’s sister site at Poppleton which has proven popular.
Muddy Boots’ application stated that research showed the benefits of playing and learning in the outdoors were indisputable and fit with their ethos.
It added outdoor activities could help tackle the effects that coronavirus lockdowns have had on children’s development and help more vulnerable nursery attendees.
The plans stated: “It has been found that the impact of intermittent lockdowns has significantly impacted children’s opportunities for socialisation and communication leading to speech delays in these all-important formative years of development.
“In giving children these amazing outdoor learning opportunities Muddy Boots will be giving them a sense of awe and wonder as well as allowing them the freedom to explore their physical capabilities.”