In this richly reflective and gently irreverent episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem are joined once again by artist and activist Ruth Webb of The Lost Giants. From slug cohabitation to giant curlews, this episode weaves together humour, art, neurodivergence, community ritual, and the slippery intersections between protest and play. Together, the trio explore how masks and costumes can invite unmasking, how children become wild elements in the woods, and how activism might flourish through joy rather than solemnity. They also dive into the role of “fooling,” go-betweens, and teasers in processions, and examine how these ancient roles can create safety, connection, and transformation. As they near the end, a moving conversation about hopelessness, beauty, and finding meaning in collective creation becomes a quiet ritual of its own.
⏱ Chapter Timings:
00:00 – Slugs, pets, and cross-species adoption
01:41 – Giants, Ghost Woods, and the mysterious new slug beast
06:00 – Masking, unmasking, and slipping into forest school skins
09:25 – Becoming more-than-human through imaginative embodiment
13:15 – How communities prepare to meet a giant
15:05 – Dancers, go-betweens, and the art of fooling
22:00 – Activism, humour, and the risks of misreading the tone
26:21 – Protest, presence, and the potential of artistic action
32:35 – Giant curlews, media coverage, and public perception
36:49 – Community, celebration, and the quiet resistance of joy
🌲 Keywords: Forest School activism, masking and unmasking, fooling, teasers, Lost Giants, protest art, creative resistance, neurodivergence, child-led play, giant puppets, ritual and joy, community connection, visual storytelling, wild embodiment, playful protest
🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #ProtestArt #CreativeActivism #LostGiants #ChildLedLearning #RitualAndPlay #NatureConnection #MoreThanHuman #ForestSchoolPodcast #CommunityCreativity #WildEmbodiment #Fooling #GiantPuppets #HopeThroughArt
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