Winter's bliss!
During this week we've seen rain, sleet, winds and excitingly the first sun in a long time! It feels as though spring is right around the corner, even if the calendar insists there is one more month of winter left. As the days become longer and the darkness wains, we've noticed signs of new life in the forest. Just like the brave strong saplings bursting through the duff of the forest floor, our little ones are blooming. We have certainly noticed big shifts in our group of explorers; new friendships are blossoming, children's development is shooting ahead (We're amazed with the eloquence and expression of our kids) and confidence, energy and enthusiasm are at a high! Having forgone our indoor site to stay safe, we have really valued those extra minutes in the forest - doing what we do best, and we have settled into our new routine nicely.
This week has been a particularly strong one for physical activities; our climbing and balancing activities have been consistently challenging and engaging (though not stumping any of our monkeys yet), with rope ladders both vertical and horizontal, glorious swings and intricate climbing frames. Construction and role-play have played a large part in our fun this week. We have enjoyed building cosy dens, bridges and vehicles and using them to imagine new worlds to inhabit. Sticks have been used for log cabin style dwellings, tarps for tent vibes and logs for buses, boats and aeroplanes. Our dens have been homes to families of animals, the boats have been fishing vessels and aeroplanes have been transporting us to across the globe (and believe it or not into space). Even our creepy crawly friends have been treated to a new house or two.
Writing has been a theme this week with plenty of children showing great interest in understanding letters, numbers and mark making in a multitude of mediums. We've painted our names, chalked our numbers and made pictures in the mud. Illustrated letter cards have been intriguing as we identify words that begin with the same letter as our names, and our rhyming books and piqued interest as we imagine what can rhyme with. Some children have also been writing their own tales dictating to our practitioners. They incorporated elements of lived experience, favoured narratives from stories and pure (sometimes bonkers) imagination. As with most weeks the consistent staple of adventure walks, tuneful songs and being knee-deep in the natural world have kept our spirits radiant even on the greyest of days.
Tough times never last, but tough people do, and here at Chiswick if we can brave the elements in the best of spirits, we have no doubt we will overcome these less-than-ideal times. Have a wonderful weekend all!
Little Forest Folk
Chiswick