The wonderful world of science and discovery with nursery children!
The children this week have gone on a journey of discovery! On our walks into the forest each day the children have been studying the different creatures and plants as they go. We found horse chestnuts and chestnuts close together and the children looked at how they differ. They discussed how the spikes on the cases feel and how many individual spikes there might be. We also looked closely at the seeds inside and the children looked surprised to find out that they could grow into huge trees like the ones we were sat under over hundreds of years!
We also found slugs and snails climbing on the brambles. The children questioned how they could crawl on something so spikey. Lots of us were amazed to find out that it is their slime that actually protects their soft bodies from sharp things as they move. The children noticed patterns on a snail’s shell and also on their body.
Another day saw the children posed with a question. What can you find that will float and what can you find that will sink in water? The children eagerly went out from the clubhouse armed with special little bags and collected everything and anything they could find, different types of sticks, seed pods, grasses, leaves, stones, blackberries, conkers, feathers, and mud were all stuffed in! As they collected, the children talked about whether they thought the objects they found would float or sink with some even giving detailed explanations such as, “This feather will sink because it is so small and wet!”. On camp the children were wide eyed as they tested all their objects and helped to record which items floated and which sunk!
With so many opportunities to discover more about the world we are all super excited to see what we can find out next week!
Little Forest Folk
Putney Heath