233 - Who can be a Failure at Forest School and What can they fail at? W Lily Horseman

In this lively, reflective episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis, Wem, and guest Lily pick apart the famous “three look afters” and ask a bigger question: who’s allowed to fail at Forest School, and how do we help people fail well? From cartilage kneecaps and Mr Potato Head jokes to space holding, autonomy versus community, and that dreaded “shit spoon” moment, they explore boundaries, blame versus shame, and how to create conditions where struggle leads to learning rather than humiliation. Expect practical facilitation nuance, philosophical detours, and a few perfect tangents about tracksuits.

⏱ Chapter Timings

00:00 – Cold open: kneecaps, bandagraphs, and Mr Potato Heads

03:14 – Axing the “three look afters”: demands, agency, and who can fail

06:06 – Flattened hierarchies or hidden authority: responsibility in practice

10:38 – Boundaries, safety, and culture shift for new groups

14:49 – Space holding, low-demand setups, and modelling altruism

21:27 – Failing well: conditions for struggle without humiliation

25:22 – Nunchi: reading the room and tailoring support

28:56 – Relational failure, shame versus guilt, and belonging

49:22 – Process over product: the “shit spoon” and reframing success

1:05:00 – Lily’s trainings, FSA roadshows, and resources

🌲 Keywords

Forest School agreements, failing well, autonomy vs community, space holding, shame vs blame, boundaries and safety, facilitator judgement, process over product, reflective practice, learner agency

🔖 Hashtags

#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #ReflectivePractice #CommunityLearning #NaturePlay

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Mentioned in this episode:

Animated “What is failure?” video discussed: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CVvtkueZU/?mibextid=wwXIfr