Our Week in the Forest...
It was a very rainy start to our Stay and Play week which led to some amazing muddy puddles in the forest. Some of our parents got their wellies on and got stuck in, enjoying spending the morning playing with their children outdoors. A lovely sight to see! The muddy puddles provided different textures for our cooking, great opportunities to be painters and were absolutely amazing just for running and splashing through!
The valley in the forest is fast becoming a swamp with so much wet mud. After slipping and sliding through it all last week we came up with a fabulous way to get from one side to the other… our very own Indiana Jones style bridge, complete with the threat of crocodiles below snapping at our ankles. The bridge was so popular that we had to put safety precautions in place and create an organised queue to ensure we could safely get from one side to the other. Most of the children were incredibly keen to have not just one turn, but hundreds, and returned again and again throughout the morning. Some of the children were less keen as it looked a little too challenging, but with some encouragement from the educators most of them bravely stepped up. As they successfully made their way across from one side to the other their confidence took a massive leap forward and they eagerly lined up for another turn. When asked “Was that hard or easy?” the response was “so easy”. It’s great to see our children facing their fears, persevering when they don’t succeed at first and going back to challenge themselves, walking with greater ease and confidence each time.
Our adventure walks to the lake have shown us that signs of spring are definitely on their way back after our sudden snowstorm. The birds are in abundance on the lake and we have spotted cormorants and herons amongst the usual swans, geese and ducks. We even spied a coot making a nest on the lake ready for the first spring babies. With the sun shining through the clouds today we are hopeful.
Little Forest Folk
Chiswick