Adapting forest school practices to develop practical preschool teaching models in China

School of Education, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

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Abstract

The practical teaching model of preschool education has received widespread attention, but in China, its effective implementation is hindered by a rigid curriculum, insufficient teacher training, lack of resources, and outcome-oriented evaluation. This paper analyses the forest school model, which originated in the UK and is characterised by child- centred exploration in natural environments, through a comparative literature review and construction of a theoretical framework. The analyses show that forest school practices support children’s autonomy, creativity, and social-emotional development, but systemic barriers limit their integration into Chinese kindergartens. Based on these findings, this study proposes three strategies: redefining teachers as facilitators, reforming policies and resourcing to enable experiential learning, and localising curriculum design to align nature inquiry with national standards.