Bangkok Prep Launches its inaugural Community Day at the school’s Forest Campus in Bang Kachao

Bangkok – On Saturday 30th November, Bangkok Prep International School held their first Community Day at the ‘Get Growing Community Farm & Learning Centre’ – the new environmentally-friendly recreation centre in Bang Kachao, Samut Prakarn. Activities during the exciting family day included planting corn seeds, picking up rubbish along the roads and mindful walking around the Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park and Botanical Garden.

Bangkok Prep is partnered with Get Growing Community Farm & Learning Centre, lovingly known as the school’s Forest Campus. The two organisations will work together side-by-side to embrace and bring out their sustainability culture, not only to the Bangkok Prep community but also to the wider local community.

Mr. Paul Leenutaphong – Bangkok Prep’s Community Coordinator and the school’s key person in creating this program – mentions “It was really refreshing to see families together in nature, away from the bustling Bangkok Metropolis. Kids were actually having fun with the play structures, surrounded by natural greenery, and were happy to even have a swim in the pond. This is something kids are natural at, and it is sometimes saddening to see parents who are afraid for their children to take risks and prevent kids from being kids. A very pleasant day with the added benefit of ‘feel good’ trash collection”.

The fun-filled day also involved many outdoor activities such as a ‘maker-space inspired’ outdoor workshop and observing and appreciating the free range chicken farm (there will be an “adopt a chicken” program starting soon!) The Forest Campus is in a dynamic stage of development and will soon feature a horse stable in addition to the current facilities.

These natural playgrounds have been acclaimed by Bangkok Prep students as being “the most exhilarating and ‘groundbreaking’ outdoor playground in Bangkok!” These purpose-built play areas are designed for encouraging children to take and assess risks in playing as an essential part of growing up. Activities include various obstacle courses, a zip line, a pirate ship slide, a walk on the rope over the water (there are showers and rooms for children to change their clothes if needed).

One of the benefits of these activities is to promote active parent-child bonding in a relaxed outdoor setting, where parents/guardians will encourage and be responsible for their children at all times.

Bangkok Prep has a proud history of supporting environmental initiatives: The school hosted the FOBISIA environmental conference in March 2019 and was also chosen as the Forest Schools Level 3 Training Programme venue in October 2019 – the first time this has been held in Thailand.

In addition to this, the school has already led several class trips down to the natural recreation centre for an “outdoor learning” hands-on session on ecology, practising the Forest School ideology.

Bangkok Prep’s Head of School Duncan Stonehouse complimented the initiative: “Bangkok Prep continues to prioritise and invest heavily in environmental sustainability and it was tremendous to see a strong turnout from parents, children, staff and members of the community.”