Our Week in the Forest...
When half term rolls around, most children get a week of rest and relaxation away from learning. However, at Little Forest Folk our children relish the opportunity to charge into the forest, roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. What’s more, during the holidays we open our doors to inquisitive and excited faces, both old and new. That’s where our regular attendees’ empathy and expertise shine bright like the sun!
Our leaders of tomorrow have welcomed their new friends with open arms and open hearts. The friendships that our children have formed in the space of just a few days are driven by sincerity, love, curiosity, and a desire to impart the life skills and lessons that they have picked up while in the forest. The wonder on our holiday camp children’s faces when they have been exploring the forest setting with their new friends has been mirrored by the pride and maturity shown by our LFF regulars.
Also this week, the bird is the word; we’ve indulged in all things avian. Afternoons have been spent taking walks to the pond, identifying the different types of birds living in and around the banks, including coots, moorhens, herons and Canada geese. Our sharp-eyed observers have also been investigating the different types of nests each bird builds, along with watching the birds flap around in a feeding frenzy!
Print painting has been an incredibly popular activity this week. With pipe cleaners fashioned into make-shift bird’s feet, our children have learnt how to use stamps to make the most wonderful bird journey paintings. Some children decided to experiment with the pipe cleaners, manipulating their stamp to make a variety of different marks.
With a sense of direction to rival a homing pigeon, our explorers love nothing more than going off piste. This week we’ve explored any and every route in and out of the forest we could find. But no matter how far we diverged, the children have used their previous knowledge to engage with their environment, finding safe routes back to our base camp. They really do pay testament to the old saying ‘Not all those who wander are lost’.
We hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy the Spring-like feel in the air.
Little Forest Folk
Chiswick
