Hanukkah and celebrations galore
How exciting our week has been in the forest! We’ve been talking to all our children about Hanukkah this week. We’ve had the most beautiful books, decorations, and activities. One of our children shared with us his experience of celebrating Hanukkah and brought a special treat for all his friends! The treat included some wonderful books for them to read in the forest, stamps, pictures of a menorah for them to colour in, some dreidels, stickers and a delicious chocolate coin which he personally handed to each and every one of his friends that day.
We are incredibly blessed to have children from different backgrounds and beliefs. We learn so much about their traditions every day and we are incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to share these wonderful experiences with them.
Our Little Forest Folk-ers have enjoyed making their own menorah using clay, sticks and candles. They went on a scavenger hunt for sticks around the forest and then selected the ones they wanted to use for their menorah. They also enjoyed making their own dreidel, experimenting with spin and using different techniques.
On Friday our Wild Cooking day, Florence helped the children make rugelach, a filled pastry originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. The children had a lovely time measuring the ingredients in the scale, scooping spoons of flour and sugar and sprinkling cinnamon on top! Such a delicious smell that lingered in the forest and on our children’s fingers!
With the colder days upon us, we’ve also been more active and have been on adventure walks every day to keep feet and fingers warm! Discovering different routes every time, the children voted and decided which way to go, swishing through the leaves and finding treasures along the way.
Music was, of course, a big part of our celebrations... from Paw Patrol to the Pirate Song, our children filled the air with their wonderful voices. Their joy, laughter and excitement was so contagious that everyone was involved, dancing and singing on the still green grass on our way to the front at the end of each day.
Next week, we will be making Christmas decorations and building a grotto for Santa! On Monday, 6th December we will celebrate Saint Nicholas and on Friday, 10th December will be Christmas jumper day. Our team will embrace the Christmas spirit and will bring their awesome jumpers, so do bring your child in Christmas jumpers too if they wish to join us!
Happy Hanukkah, everyone!
Little Forest Folk
Fulham