A reflection on the FSA National Conference 2026 by Matt Harding, Chair of Trustees for the Forest School Association
How would you imagine a Spirit of Play?
Perhaps an impish face, peeking out of a tree, ready to cause mischief? Perhaps something more ethereal, a ribbon of green smoke weaving through a forest? Maybe a playful spark of flame dancing over a campfire.
Whatever your interpretation, it was almost certainly present and spinning its magic at Walesby Forest at the end of September for this year’s conference.
There was a tangible feeling of playful inspiration throughout the weekend. Guided by the workshop providers, keynote speakers and panellists, nearly 400 people celebrated the multiple natures of Play: connecting, laughing, and being ridiculous in the best possible ways.
Embers: The Power of Play
This year’s theme, Embers – The Power of Play, asked us to think about the small, glowing things that keep our practice alive: the spark of curiosity in a child’s question, the warmth of a shared fire, the quiet heat that carries over from one session to the next. Forest School is, at its heart, a play-based pedagogy, and this was a weekend for remembering that play isn’t something we simply provide for others. It’s something we also need ourselves.
From 25 to 27 September, Walesby Forest Activity Centre in Nottinghamshire became the meeting point of the Forest School community. With its woodland and open spaces to explore, it was the perfect setting for a weekend of play, learning and connection.
Learning by doing: the workshops
Having a menu of nearly 50 practical, creative and thought-provoking sessions on offer, choosing just three was the weekend’s hardest challenge. Highlights included Jon’s swings, Tom’s Games and the Wild Woman workshop amongst many others, all of which caused ripples of conversation and sharing of ideas throughout the weekend.
Why play matters: keynotes and panels
Our keynote speakers and panellists brought together leading voices from the worlds of play, Forest School and outdoor learning around two big questions: Why Play Matters and The Future Landscape of Play. As the well-known saying goes, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Sion Edwards, Chris Martin and Eugene Minogue shared their valuable insights into play, and how crucial it is for us and our learners.
By firelight and moonlight
As ever, some of the most memorable moments happened after the formal programme ended. The opening and closing ceremonies framed the weekend, stories were told by fire and by moonlight, and the legendary conference quiz was as fiercely (and joyfully) contested as ever. The Metre Market buzzed with swaps and finds, and the Saturday night ceilidh saw nearly 400 Forest School folk spinning, stumbling and laughing their way through the dances, sitting round the campfires, or sharing some homemade beverages. If the Spirit of Play was anywhere that weekend, it was certainly there.
Carrying the embers home
Embers are small, but they hold their heat a long time, and with a little breath they can light a whole new fire. At the closing ceremony, that idea became something we could hold in our hands: each of us was invited to take home a piece of charcoal from the central fire, to use when lighting the fires in our own settings. In the weeks ahead, fires will be lit in woodlands, school grounds and community spaces up and down the country, each one carrying a little of Walesby’s glow. Our hope is that everyone who came carried home more than charcoal: a new game to try, a new friend to call, or simply a renewed sense of permission to play.
A huge thank you to everyone who made the weekend possible. Special thanks go to Mimi for her brilliant organisation of the event, to Nell for her work with our Endorsed Trainers and Local Groups, and to Tilly for her admin and budget support behind the scenes. Thank you too to all of our trustees for their time, care and commitment. And a heartfelt thank you to our volunteer team, who took on hundreds of tasks throughout the weekend, both seen and unseen. So much of what made the conference run so smoothly was down to them.
Thank you, too, to our workshop providers, speakers, panellists, the Walesby Forest team, and every delegate who brought their own spark to the weekend.
So keep an eye out. The impish face peeking from a tree, the ribbon of green smoke weaving through the woods, the spark of flame dancing over the fire: the Spirit of Play didn’t stay behind at Walesby. It travelled home with us, tucked in alongside the charcoal, and it’s ready to cause a little mischief wherever we play.
