Guide to palm drills
Palm drills are perfect to use with children as an introduction to tool use in woodwork and simple activities.
Read More about Guide to palm drillsHT use a bowsaw
Woodworking & tools guides
How-tos, guides & manuals to choosing & using tools outdoors.
Early Years & Primary School children can develop woodworking skills with proper training & supervision.
Outdoor Hub
All Activities
What's New
Art & Creating
mud, clay & sand
pine cones & conkers
leaves, sticks & petals
weaving & wool
wooden discs
campfire craft
sun print
inks, dyes & perfume
pebbles
ice & snow
with tools
Tool use & Traditional Crafts
tool guides
weaving
felting
pewter
hammers
knives
secateurs & saws
palm drills & rotary hand drills
fire craft
Outdoor Play
mud kitchen book
mud kitchen case studies
den building
Other outdoor play ideas
Curriculum Outdoors
numeracy
literacy
science
Inspirations
Festivals & celebrations
Fire, Shelters & Bushcraft
fire
knots & cordage
shelters
Food Outdoors
foraging
campfire cooking
campfire recipes
Nature
Growing & Gardens
Health & Wellbeing
Activity Downloads
Product Information
All Events
Courses, Training and Workshops
Forest School Training
Forest School Leader Training (Level 3)
Forest School Assistant Training (Level 2)
Other Forest School Related Training
Outdoor Learning Courses
CPD
Conferences and Lectures
Annual/Special Days/Weeks/Months
Festivals, Camps and Residentials
Study visit
All Forest School
Benefits of Forest School
Forest School activities & ideas
Forest School articles & blogs
Forest School Day
Forest School guides & books
Forest School history
Forest School kit lists
Forest School principles
Forest School qualifications
Forest School Tools
Forest School training
Forest School videos
FS research & reports
Key Forest School organisations
Muddy Faces & Forest School
What is Forest School?
Why forests & woods?
All Mud
Creepy Crawly Café
FREE Making A Mud Kitchen book
International Mud Day
Introduction
More mud books & mud kitchen guides
Mud activity ideas & free downloads
Mud articles
Mud campaign
Mud Champions!
Mud Day resources
Mud Day, mud play & mud kitchens videos
Mud gallery
Mud on Social Media
Mud play tips
Mud reports & research
Muddy case studies
Shop for mud kit
The importance of soil
All Health & wellbeing
Connecting to nature
Going to the loo & hygiene outside
Hand washing
Health & wellbeing articles
Health & wellbeing books
Health & wellbeing videos
Introduction
Mental health & being outdoors
Pandemic & COVID-19
Ready for any weather
Reasons to be Outside
Research, reports: health, wellbeing
Shop for Health & Wellbeing kit
Sit spots
Useful websites: health, wellbeing
All Fire, foraging & food
Books on fire
Campfire recipes
Dragons Sneeze
Dragons Sneeze stories
Fire guides & articles
Foraging & food articles
Foraging & food useful websites
Foraging books
Foraging guides
Foraging tips, recipes & ideas
Introduction to foraging
Muddy Faces fire guides & activities
Reclaiming snack time:
All Nature & nature connection
Books on nature
Nature Connection videos & podcasts
Nature connection & nature deficit
Nature connection article & tips
Nature connection in the news
Nature guides & resources
Nature Premium
Reports & case studies: nature
Research: impact of nature
Useful websites: nature
Safe Tool Use at Forest School - A 12 point system for using tools at Forest School
Safe tool use at Forest School can be a key part of the learner-led process – extending children’s play opportunities and developing skills. In this video Forest School Lou shares her 12 point system for using tools at Forest School using an acronym ‘A.C.A.D.E.M.I.C.S S.U.C.’
Muddy Faces tool guides
How to use a Bow Saw
A Muddy Faces, free to download, guide: how to introduce and use bow saws safely with a group aged 8 yrs+.
Download the pdf here:
How to use loppers
A Muddy Faces, free to download, guide: how to introduce and use loppers safely with a group aged 4yrs and upwards.
Download the pdf here:
HT use loppers
Guide to rotary hand drills
Rotary hand drills are a great tool to use in an outdoor classroom, forest school or woodworking area. Learn about different types of hand drills and how to use them.
Read More about Guide to rotary hand drills
Guide to drill bits
The common types of drill bit, what we recommend & how to fit a drill bit into a rotary hand drill.
Read More about Guide to drill bits
How to use eyelet pliers
A step-by-step guide to using eyelet pliers. Eyelets can be really handy for creative activities like making flags and bags.
Read More about How to use eyelet pliers
Bypass & anvil blades
Secateurs and loppers are an essential bit of kit to have in your forest school or outdoor classroom. Learn here how to choose the correct blade for the job & understand how each cutting action works.
Read More about Bypass & anvil blades
Guide to clamps & vices
Different types of hand clamps & which ones suit what kind of project.
Read More about Guide to clamps & vices
Cross section of a tree trunk
Free download of this really useful annotated cross section below.
Tree trunk cross section
See also
A selection of guides to tool use and activities that include the use of simple tools used in early years woodworking provision like palm drills and hammers.