5 Minute Forest School activities # 1 Cherry Laurel secret messages

The start of a new range of videos sharing some simple 5 minute activities that can be used within Forest School or other outdoor education approaches.
This week it's creating secret messages with Cherry Laurel leaves. A great activity for all ages. You just need the leaves and a stick, the only limit is their imagination. Have fun and get creative!

[@EccentricNature]

That's a fun little trick. :)

[@riccarter3478]

Nice video
Thanks for sharing 👍

[@vickybroad469]

That's a great idea! If you don't have cherry laurel available, can you use other leaves that have a similar waxy texture?

[@duncanintheforest9137]

I am sure there will be other leaves that would work, trial and error I guess. Cherry Laurel is used everywhere for amenity planting, schools, car parks, housing estates. Might work on Rhododendron, Holly or Holm Oak, I will give it a try and let you know

[@rachaelstubbs7731]

Can you confirm if Cherry Laurel in non-toxic? I have been told that it should be used with children? Thanks.

[@duncancoleman8403]

Hi Rachel, thanks for your comment. Cherry laurel is slightly toxic, the fruits, foliage and seeds. The latter being the most dangerous if ingested. But the use of the cherry laurel leaves for craft activities poses little to no risk. A large number of common plants both in the garden and in woodland can be toxic this shouldn't be a barrier to their correct use at Forest School. But good a good risk assessment process and identification skills are vital.
A great example of this is Foxglove which can be deadly if ingested (all parts of the plant) but Foxglove leaves have a great texture which can be used for craft items, the flowers are beautiful and are often a favourite item collected by children. As long as the children understand not to eat anything they find in forest. Then the risk is very low. In addition many toxic plants produce an acrid smell when crushed or bruised and are foul tasting as a first line of defence. Plant poisonings are much more common amongst adults who have misidentified a toxic plant for an edible plant and often eat a considerable quantity .