As a child I was always outside playing, running (and tripping), climbing (and falling) and balancing (and wobbling). In this environment I was challenged, I experienced success and failure, tears and lots of laughter. The experiences I gained in the outdoors as a child I know positively shaped who I am today.

This childhood love of the outdoors led on to a career that has always been linked to the outdoors in some way or another, as an outdoor pursuits instructor, expedition leader, and in environmental education.  As my experience working with groups increased so did my appreciation and understanding of the benefits of physical and imaginative play particularly in an outdoor environment.

In 2001 I became a Forest School leader and subsequently a Forest Schools Training provider. For me, forest schools address what I feel a lot of children lack and need – this is to access outdoor physical play and learning on a regular basis with a focus on self esteem in a supportive and challenging environment. If a child feels good about themselves they will try new things without fear of failure and from this, academic success and emotional understanding will develop.

As well as working with children, I have worked with a range of professionals such as teachers, nursery practitioners, and forest rangers. Many of these people have contributed to the development of the products on this website. I hope you find these products useful and if there is something you need, drop me a line and I will try to find it for you.

Liz Knowles