This June holidays, Outdoor School Singapore by NTUC First Campus is rolling out five different holiday programmes, which include activities like endurance walk, boulder climbing and more. These activities are to train up children’s independence and perseverance when in the forests. Trainer will also teach them risk-assessment skills, like what to do when they encounter wild boars or different types of dangers in the forest, as well as how to observe their surroundings to ensure it’s safe before sitting down/eating. All these are useful survival skills that children these days may not be exposed to. Furthermore, it trains the mental well-being of children and develops them holistically.
For example, for the Forest Scouts Programme held at Chestnut Nature Park, the children are tasked with a rescue mission and will have to walk through the forest alone and complete the tasks. Children will be taught how to assess their environment to avoid possible hazards, and will have to muster their courage and independence to complete the mission (under the hidden watch of our instructors). But the additional outcome of this camp is that while walking through the forest, children can enjoy a multi-sensory learning experience, as the terrain at Chestnut Nature Park will be ideal for children to do so. Termed “Forest Bathing”, children can learn to explore and observe nature at a closer and deeper level. This goes beyond just being outdoors/playing at the playground!