Discover the Nursery Daily Routine at Wilderwood Forest School
A typical day at Wilderwood Forest School is a gentle blend of structured shared moments and vast stretches of unhurried, child-led discovery within the arms of nature.
Arrival and Breakfast
Children arrive directly into the woodland and are welcomed into our outdoor base. Breakfast is available for those who need it, offering a calm, nurturing start to the day that supports wellbeing and independence.
Forest Rules and Shared Expectations
Each day we revisit our forest rules together — guiding children to play safely, build strong friendships, express their emotions, and develop the confidence to try new things.
Child-led Play and Exploration
The majority of the day is spent in child-led play within the natural environment. Adults observe carefully and respond to children's interests, supporting learning through conversation, modelling and shared problem-solving.
Lunch and Community Food
Lunch is cooked on site and shared outdoors. All food is vegetarian and mealtimes are unhurried, social experiences that support communication, independence and a strong sense of community.
Stories, Rest and Collection
The pace slows after lunch for stories and rest before afternoon play. Children can be collected between 4.30pm and 6.00pm, providing staff time to share key moments and ensure a smooth transition home.
Forest Information
Food
We believe that healthy and nutritious meals are vital for a child's wellbeing and give them the fuel they need for a day of adventure outdoors. Each day begins with a breakfast offering a selection of healthy fruits and cereals. Children also have a variety of snacks available to them throughout the day with choices such as a selection of fruit, breadsticks and crackers promoting healthy snacking habits. Sometimes we may even have made our own to enjoy! Â
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Our hot meals are vegetarian and seasonal, lovingly prepared on-site in a dedicated kitchenette area, ensuring a balanced and delicious lunch for our young learners. We require parents to provide a packed lunch (no nuts) for their teatime which gives us the freedom to eat in a range of spots around the forest and really become absorbed in our surroundings. Â
Dietary needs and allergies are carefully managed in partnership with families.Â
 We ask children to bring a refillable water bottle.
Toileting
Every child is unique in their toileting journey. We have a private changing tent for nappies and potty training, and we are also proud to offer a sustainable solution of a composting toilet for those that are already toilet trained so the forest benefits from us too. Soap and water are always provided for healthy hygiene practices.
Learning & Development
When your child joins the Wilderwood Forest School Nursery we create an online learning journal for them using a reputable nursery software management system. It is used to securely hold information about your child and family and manage relevant information including communications, payments and most importantly, your child's development. We use this system to record photos, videos and general observations about your child's learning and development which you will be able to share at home together and check in on how your child is doing and the exciting things they have been up to whilst in the forest. Â
Sleep & Rest
After lunch, we settle younger children with stories and songs before naps on camp beds in our designated sleep tent.
As for our older children, this is a great opportunity for activities that promote mindfulness and reflection as they settle to activities such as circle time talks, stories and story scribing, artwork, sensory experiences or child-led play and discovery with their other friends under the trees.
Forest Rules
Every day we explore the Wilderwood forest rules because they help to create a safe, respectful and nurturing environment. Our rules support safety and risk awareness, helping children to make sensible choices, understand risk and in turn keep themselves and others safe. They also encourage social and emotional development as we agree to shared expectations, listening, how to manage emotions, turn taking and co-operation. We offer a balance of freedom and guidance so children can be adventurous whilst knowing the boundaries are clear and fair for all.Â
Clothing & What to Bring
Each day can be different in the forest with regards to the changing weather so we will always keep you updated as to any changes in what to wear as the seasons arrive. We provide you with a list of what your child should be dressed in to ensure they are comfortable and suitably prepared. If required we can provide your child with an outer layer comprising a set of brightly coloured waterproofs and a jacket at cost price. We kindly ask that children:Â
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Must arrive dressed in their waterproofs  Â
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Have a named bag with a change of clothes (more if toilet training)Â Â
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Wear wellies or closed in boots up to the ankle Â
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Bring a named water bottle Â
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Bring a named picnic lunch  Â
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Bring a sunhat in the summer and on hot days Â
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Wear thermals, hat, gloves and bring extra socks in the WinterÂ
Safety
Safety is paramount every day in the forest and we ensure we achieve this in many ways. Aside from the essential risk assessments we carry out before children arrive on site our children always wear brightly coloured clothing so we can see them easily and they remain within our sights and set basecamp boundaries. We keep maintained adult to child ratios and carry out regular head counts. Children are always registered in and out on our nursery management system. Staff each carry a walkie-talkie for immediate and prompt communication throughout the day with senior staff also carrying mobile phones to contact parents if required. Children are encouraged and supported to think and carry out positive safety actions through our forest rules as well as incorporating this into games such as 'follow the whistle'.
Extreme Weather
When it rains or drizzles we have fun! There are so many learning opportunities like counting our jumps in muddy puddles or putting up a tent together to keep ourselves dry, collecting raindrops in jars for a music session. However, on occasion if the weather is extreme, we retreat to our safe, secure, and warm cabin to continue our learning indoors. We follow nature’s lead whilst ensuring everyone stays comfortable.
