Summer Forest School
Play, explore, and learn!
In Spanish, in English... in nature.
This July, children aged 4–8 years old are invited to spend their summer immersed in nature at our bilingual Summer Camp.
Our Summer Forest Camps run in 1-week blocks (Monday–Friday, 10:00–17:00), and families can choose for their child to join us from one to four weeks.
Each week has its own theme, inspiring our activities, stories, and creations. For example:
Sticks and Stones – exploring the forest with natural crafts, games, and Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man as our story guide.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – weaving the classic tale into art, play, and our theatre workshop, where children prepare a short performance to share at the end of the week.
No matter the theme, children can expect a rich blend of forest school and bushcraft activities: fire lighting, tool use, shelter building, whittling, nature crafts, songs, outdoor cooking and plenty of free play and exploration.
A locally cooked lunch is included each day and enjoyed together in the forest, gathered around our handmade chestnut wood picnic tables. Morning and afternoon snacks are also provided. Sharing food in nature is a joyful moment of connection, laughter, and rest.
How does Summer Forest School work?
Forest School practices and Bushcraft activities make learning inspiring.
There is no difference in their minds between exploring in nature and learning a language.
Language has a chance to be used in a meaningful and active way. They are doing what they are learning.
Following a sequence, session by session. Each camp has a topic that leads provides a backbone to build upon, day by day.
Every session has a language learning objective to allow for the children to produce new language.
Children often take handiwork work home so their enthusiasm and learning continues after the session.
We work on the whole child and their role within the group. Sessions are wrapped up with a review of what they learnt and how they felt.
A Bilingual Camp
One of the most special aspects of our Summer Forest School is its bilingual setting. English- and Spanish-speaking children learn and play together, supported by bilingual monitors. At such a young age, this natural immersion makes language learning effortless — through songs, games, and friendships, children discover the joy of communication across cultures.
They love it. They learn.
Spending long days outdoors gives children the freedom to move, explore, and grow at their own pace.
Our Summer Forest School offers:
– learning practical skills with real tools and natural materials.
– building problem-solving skills, trying new challenges, and celebrating achievements.
– discovering the forest as a place to respect, care for, and belong to.
– transforming sticks, stones, and leaves into stories, art, and theatre.
– working together, sharing meals, and building friendships under and in the trees.
Learning outdoors has numerous benefits:
- Improving long-term health and well-being.
- Developing transferable skills such as communication and teamwork.
- Improving concentration, and encouraging a positive attitude towards learning.
- Helps learners develop emotional literacy, which is essential for success in all areas of life.
“We saw how small children happily put on their boots and rain coats and headed outside… splashing in puddles, picking flowers, gathering sticks, climbing tress – just like kids love to do. Mix this with Spanish and English speaking children and monitors ….and the method was born”
What about Bushcraft at Summer Forest School?
At our Forest School, we use Bushcraft also as a way to engage children. Bushcraft is the art of using the natural environment to meet basic human needs, such as shelter, food, and water. Children are usually fascinated by “survival” and the potential of learning new skills to increase their level of independence (from adult guidance) is perfectly provided for by Bushcraft.
Bushcraft activities include fire building and outdoor cooking, shelter construction, and tool use. By integrating Bushcraft into our Forest School sessions and camps, we provide a unique and valuable experience that they will carry with them for life.
Our groups are always small, with adult-to-child ratios never lower than 1:6, ensuring every child is supported, safe, and free to flourish.
At 4 Elements Galicia, we believe the forest is the best classroom. Our camps give children the chance to slow down, breathe deeply, and experience summer in the way it’s meant to be lived: outdoors, curious, bilingual, and full of wonder.
