Our Week in the Forest...
Christmas trees, our friendly robin and theatre productions all featured this week!
With Christmas round the corner we decided to put up our tree to decorate! The children all selected different decorations and carefully hung them from the branches. Tinsel was wrapped around the tree along with fairy lights. As the children worked together as a team to finish the tree there was lots of discussion about decorations that they have put up at home with their families.
Out in the forest the children are still fascinated with our resident robin. This week the children built wonderful nests using vines woven around each other and leaves carefully threaded between the gaps. The children then tried to coax the robin from a tree down into the nests they had created. The robin came very close, inspected the nests and then flew away. The next day a group of children set about building a house for the robin. They searched for ‘Y’ sticks around the forest so that they could prop up roof structures and make secure walls.
Half way through the project we all noticed the robin watching and suddenly with a little swoop and a flutter he landed right in the middle of the house! The children and adults were stunned silent as we watched the robin inspect his new home!
Hans Christian Andersen’s story ‘The Fir Tree’ was brought to life in the forest this week as Ruth narrated and the children acted it out on stage! The children were eager to become different characters showing a wonderful ability to adapt their movements to become a hare, a stork, mice and fir trees! The freedom of expression from all the children never ceases to amaze us as the children confidently took to the stage to act out their part.
The Christmas theme did not stop there as the children wanted to make special Christmas cards for their families. They used wax crayons and water colour paints to create magic pictures. First they drew an image using the wax before washing colour over the top using the paint. As the images became clear the children’s eyes widened.
With so much fun this week we are all looking forward to see what next week will bring! Have a wonderful weekend!
Little Forest Folk
Barnes