Our Week in the Forest...
All hands were on deck this week as the children converted the obstacle course into a make shift hospital ward! Scaffolding planks became beds with pallet boards serving as headboards. The ward was ticking over nicely with an army of doctors swarming over the few patients who had arrived with sore legs, ears, chins and one "my welly doesn't fit!"
The doctors were working together to make medicines and encouraging their patients to "drink it all" but suddenly there was an influx of patients with stomach bugs. The ward was filled with the sounds of vomiting and the doctors became rushed off their feet as they ran from bed to bed, trying to get enough jugs to their patients to catch the imaginary projected fluids. Sticks became thermometers, torches and syringes as the battle was on the diagnose the pandemic.
The ward had another quiet patch and Xiao arrived, also with a stomach ache. He was then presented with a leaf "this is your baby girl, you just had her" said the doctor. He passed out from the shock but it was nothing a stick poked into his knee didn't cure and then it was time to gather around his bed and take turns passing the baby around for cuddles.
The doctors were then under pressure to get Xiao's hospital bed freed up (sound familiar?) as there was an operating theatre to open. New chins were inserted, teeth were pulled out and everyone was stitched up and sent home alive.
When children or the ones they love need medical help, children can feel that these situations are out of their control but being able to engage in medical role play is so important as it allows them to practice being in control and consolidate their understanding and experiences in a non-threatening environment.
Miranda and Lizzie have been helping children who have been wanting to make their own resources this week - some split pins were sourced and children drew and cut body parts for robots, dragons, bears, dogs and people and cut the individual pieces out. They helped make holes into each piece and attach them together with the split pins so that they had movable parts. These toys were then used to support their small word play.
Small world play has been a theme this week, as not only did they make figures to play with, but a group of children got busy with some boxes and tubes rescued form a destiny in the bin and with the use of tape, made a castle! This was then followed through inside where the children gathered together paints and brushes and got busy making it a rainbow of colours. Who says children need toys in order play? Our children prove that the magic is in them...not in the toy shop.
We hope you have a lovely weekend... only 12 days till Christmas!
Little Forest Folk
Twickenham