Ep 42 - Picture Books!

Lewis & Gemma dive into one of their favourite teaching tools—📚 picture books—and ask a thorny question: Do illustrated stories belong in Forest School, or should they stay indoors? After skimming recent battles on practitioner forums, they argue that well-chosen picture books can deepen nature connection and social-emotional learning.

The duo outline multiple benefits:

• Bibliophilia – fostering a tactile love of books, from “Bible-thin” pages to musty hardbacks.

• Visual art inspiration – hand-drawn illustrations double as art resources; children copy styles or invent their own.

• Story as time-lapse – seasonal picture books (e.g., Where the Wild Things Are) condense year-long natural cycles into minutes, giving kids a mental map of change.

• Global connection – stories set in woodlands abroad expand children’s ecological horizons beyond the three acres they visit weekly.

• Emotional literacy – titles like My Big Shouting Day show tantrums from a child’s viewpoint, allowing group discussions on feelings and behaviour.

They showcase favourites—including Shirley Hughes’ gently domestic “Out and About” series, Arnold Lobel’s witty “Frog & Toad”, Michele Brathwaite’s nature-rich “Tangle and the Fire Sticks”, and the metamorphosis love-story “Tadpole’s Promise.” Gemma explains how she transforms some texts into oral tales, illustrating ways to scaffold play (shop-keeping with conkers!) without “preaching” worthy eco-morals.

Finally, they invite listeners to share beloved titles in The Forest School Podcast Community Facebook group, and tease future training dates on storytelling, cooking, whittling and a full Level 3 leader course.

Key Topics & Timestamps
00:20 – 02:55 Why record a video? Syncing claps & intro to picture-book debate
02:55 – 07:45 “Books don’t belong outdoors!”—summary of Facebook beef & counter-arguments
07:45 – 11:03 Bibliophilia, art & global nature connection
11:03 – 15:15 Story vs. non-fiction: Where the Wild Things Are & time-lapse ecology
15:15 – 18:45 Shirley Hughes’ “Out and About”: everyday woodland play
18:45 – 23:00 Emotion coaching with My Big Shouting Day 🤯
23:00 – 27:30 Graphic-novel layouts, experimental fonts & Tadpole’s Promise twist
27:30 – 31:15 Role-modelling through storytelling: Gemma’s live “Sally’s Secret” den tale
31:15 – 34:20 Arnold Lobel’s Frog & Toad: kindness, cookies & comedic acting
34:20 – 36:20 Invite for listener recommendations + upcoming CPD dates

Links & Contact

• Join the chat → Facebook: The Forest School Podcast Community

• Course calendar & bookings → https://theforestschoolpodcast.com/training

• Email Lewis & Gemma → [email protected]

• Support us on Patreon for bonus sessions → https://patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcast

Please share your top woodland-worthy picture books—old classics or hidden gems!