Sarah Watkins

Sarah Watkins is a Forest School leader, author, and associate lecturer in the Education department at the University of Worcester. She runs Dandy Lions, an outdoor learning company and Forest School provision in Herefordshire, where she focuses on nature-based, adventurous play experiences for young children. Her work centres on outdoor play, risky play, and children’s wellbeing in the early years.

Watkins is co-author of The Power of Risky Play in the Early Years (with Zoe Sills), a 2025 book that supports early years practitioners to embed and facilitate risky play in their settings. She is also the author of Outdoor Play for Healthy Little Minds: Practical Ideas to Promote Children’s Wellbeing in the Early Years, which offers practical guidance for using outdoor play to support young children’s mental health. In addition, she writes on topics such as balancing risk in play for children with SEND and the benefits of risky play in early childhood across professional magazines and online platforms.