Our Week in the Forest...
Frogs croak, rain soak.
Chicks peep, crickets leap.
Bees hum, robin come.
Birds sing. It’s spring!
The excited chatter of children mimicking the chirps of spring chickens. The rising sun beaming down upon the Thames. The rumbling engine of the bus toward adventure. The palpable elation of what could become of the week ahead of us. These were the sensational delights that carried Little Forest Folk Chiswick into our Monday morning at the glorious Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. Following our inaugural visit to Kew last week, the children were bursting with excitement to revisit their new school site.
With magnifying glasses and plant and animal based swatch books at the ready, the children were itching to get up close and personal with every bug, leaf and flower that they could find. After mapping out a route together, the children led the way in search of inspiration. Some of our explorers delighted in identifying the range of trees and flowers that grow scattered across the grounds. Others were keen to use what nature has provided to express their love of all things bright and beautiful, using petals and sticks to make art ranging from butterflies to mandalas.
The attractions highest on the order of business were the incredible architectural artwork known as The Hive, as well as the aquatic display found in The Princess of Wales Conservatory. As we approached The Hive, jaws dropped and eyes widened, with one child exclaiming “That. Is. Beautiful!”. The children learned that the structure was connected to hives around the park, with a musical note being played every time a bee flew past a sensor on the entrance to their colonies. The ways in which our children interacted with their surroundings was fascinating. Some swirled and danced to the rising soundtrack of life produced by the bees, some played by jumping from cell to cell on the honeycomb inspired floor pattern, while others simply lay on the ground looking upwards at the geometric splendour of The Hive. We were also invited to learn about the types of bees found at Kew, as well as the ways in which they produce different types of honey products. It was a truly inspiring experience to be a part of, not least due to our children’s eagerness to learn.
Outside of Kew, we have been overjoyed to welcome holiday campers for the second week of the Easter Spring term break. With a handful of campers returning for a second week, alongside some new faces, our full-time attendees yet again paid testament to the Little Forest Folk ethos – welcoming with acceptance, exploring with curiosity, growing with resilience. This week’s campers were keen to spread their wings and explore the grounds of Chiswick House. With a guitar in hand, we sauntered through the hedge rows towards the rolling slopes that line the lake. As some children climbed through the branches overhead, while others sang in harmony to the soothing melodies of the guitar, the adventure walks this week have been yet another example of the diversity of our children’s interests. Here at Little Forest Folk we love to see children take charge of their play, making their dreams a reality!
Food in the forest:
Monday's tasty lunch:
Roasted marinated sweet pepper and butter bean dip
Blended with extra virgin olive oil, served with breadsticks and crudités.
Generous amount of roasted peppers give a lovely sweetness, along with lots of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
Team update:
We're delighted that Karina has joined the team!
Karina is a level 3 early years educator who is enthusiastic about outdoor learning. She is a dedicated athlete and even represented Great Britain at the Triathlon World Championships in 2014! Wow!
Happy egg hunting!
Little Forest Folk
Chiswick
