Winter Solstice – Free Plans
The Returning Light
The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year and the turning point when the light begins to return. For thousands of years, people have noticed this moment, gathering to share warmth, food and stories, and to remind one another that winter does not last forever and bright days are ahead.
We have created a small set of free Forest School session plans to help mark the Solstice outdoors with children. The plans are rooted in folklore and seasonal awareness, and are designed to be calm, flexible and open-ended.
There are three plans, one for each age group:
• Year R (EYFS)
• KS1
• KS2
Each session includes a folklore story, arrival and settling activities, open-ended woodland experiences, a simple fire-cooked seasonal snack, mindfulness, SEND adaptations and curriculum links. The plans are intended to be used at the end of term, over the Solstice weekend, or kept and revisited in future winters.
These are offered freely to the Forest School community. You are welcome to use them as they are, adapt them to suit your setting, or take inspiration and make them your own.
Download the plans here:
If you do use the plans, we would love to hear how they work in your woodland. Feel free to tag us or share photos of your sessions.
Wishing you a calm end to term and a gentle turning of the year.