Ten teaching staff from Durham schools were trained as Forest Bathing Leaders. They attended our 6 day training course at Ushaw. They then worked with groups of children back at school to deliver a Forest Bathing programme of 6 sessions. They observed the children throughout the programme and reflected on their sessions. They each carried out an investigation into the benefit to the wellbeing of their children. This involved different approaches at each school, including asking children to identify their feelings before and after the session and asking class teachers and parents for their thoughts. They attended a feedback session to discuss how they had found their sessions and the impact on the children. They all completed the course work, with our support, for the level 3 Forest Bathing leader accreditation and received NOCN certificates. This was all made possible thanks to funding from Durham AAP.
Project Evaluation
The project was a success with all 10 teaching staff completing the training, the programme of sessions with their children and the coursework to complete the level 3 accreditation and gain their certificates.
The feedback from the participants was extremely positive; they enjoyed the course and found it had huge benefits to their personal wellbeing from forest bathing.
The teacher feedback about the impact of the programme on the children was extremely positive too. Both themselves, other teaching staff and parents found the children were calmer and happier after the Forest Bathing sessions and the children expressed how they had enjoyed the sessions and found them beneficial to their wellbeing.
At some of the schools, as a result of hearing about the sessions, parents and other teaching staff had asked to be included in Forest Bathing sessions to help their own wellbeing.
Impact
Feedback from the teaching staff:
“This has been such a good course to have taken. It has had significant impact on my teaching and will throughout the school I am sure.”
“This has been such a positive experience. I really did not imagine what a positive experience this would have been.”
“Personally forest bathing has had a positive impact on my well-being, knowing I can go for a walk or going to sit by a tree to switch off from work stresses, taking time for myself. I have found I have noticed my natural environment more and I’m aware of my surroundings and appreciating nature.”
“The children are loving it and it is having a positive impact on their behaviour- parents have mentioned they have gone home better after the session.”
“The impact of this programme has been marked, resulting in a significant reduction of the number of negative lunchtime incidents and an increased ability to be able to cope within the classroom.”
“I was really positively surprised by how they let go of their inhibitions and were willing to have a go at these invitations. The feedback afterwards was really positive.”
“Parents have fed back to say that they have been calmer”
“Generally, participants show a much greater appreciation of nature and an understanding that damaging one part of our ecosystem effects all others.”
“I absolutely loved doing the course with the other participants. The activities were fantastic and the location was really conducive to the learning. I really did not understand the concept in much detail at the start, but the process has been fantastic and has changed my practice significantly. The group of children really connected with the environment that they experienced. They have become experts at noticing living creatures and identifying tree types and really understood the benefit of the natural world. The responses of children who were extremely anxious have been so positive.” Witton Gilbert Primary School
“Child with anxiety now gets in car to come to school in the morning. Children are using some of the mindful breathing exercises to help them get to sleep.” Neville’s Cross Primary School
“A great, positive atmosphere, very enjoyable, loved every minute!” Witton Gilbert Primary School
“I enjoyed the opportunity to experience Forest Bathing for myself prior to leading the sessions. It was so relaxing!”
“I will prioritise the freedom Forest Bathing gives the children to be young and relax. Seeing one boy change from expressing no emotions and not talking, to chatting with other children and saying he felt happy.”
“Nice to see a different side to some of the children. Language development for a Ukrainian child to learn English and becoming more confident. Thank you so much it has been amazing, very inspirational.” West Rainton Primary School
“I enjoyed watching the children take part and engage positively. Seeing an improvement in social communication and emotional wellbeing. The children enjoying sitting still! And being present and mindful in nature.” Bearpark Primary School
“(A surprise was) how calm and effective forest bathing is.”
“I am confident doing risk assessments and equipping myself for the sessions. I am happy leading groups in different activities and I have seen the positive effects…I have seen their joy grow across the sessions. They started walking down to the woods, by session 2 they were skipping there.” St Godrics RC Primary School
“Following sessions, the children, (several of whom were previously presenting as very emotionally dysregulated /lack of engagement/ at risk o school refusal) were calm, relaxed and happy and really interested in the details of the natural world around them”
“The event was fantastic as a whole…. I will encourage people in all walks of life, that spending time in nature is hugely beneficial…. It took me by surprise how beneficial it was” Elemore Hall
Feedback from the children:
“ I like it because we are all helping each other.”
“I’m happy that I’m here.”
“I love every single thing.”
“I told my Mum about this- listening to the birds and everything.”
“I feel calm when I come through the portal.”
“That was my favourite part because I was at one with nature.”
“It helps me, my anger and worry goes away and I come out feeling great.”
“Helps you calm down from being too hyper.”
“Gets your mind set up and so you can be more focussed and calm in lessons.”
“Opens your mind for anything you need to do.”
“Is calming so good for going back to lessons.”
“I could sit under my tree all day….I wish we could do this every day.”
“I felt blessed.”
“I don’t have to sit still or stay in the same place to learn.”
“I think I’ve become more confident. I’ll say what I think in front of others a bit more now.”
‘‘When I’m outside, I feel really calm…I never knew that I could hear so many sounds and the sound of leaves was really restful.”
“I feel really comfortable when I’m outside. I’m helping my uncle in his allotment now and we’re growing our own food. I can tell my uncle about all the creatures there.”
“We have to listen to the trees, they make you happy.”
“I found it tiring at the start and I was nervous. I then found it calming and restful.”
“Forest Bathing is fun. The tasks help me be happy.”
” Forest Bathing is good and makes you feel happy.”
Feedback from parents:
“Since doing Forest Bathing he is calmer at home and does some of the breathing exercises to help him go to sleep.”
“She has loved Forest Bathing and now gets in the car easier to get to school in a morning.”
“She is loving Forest Bathing and seems a little calmer at home”
