Nurtured by Nature
Laughter and chatter filled the forest this week with children delighted to be reunited with some familiar faces as our holiday campers returned, not to forget new friendships also forming as we got to know new Forest Folk.
We started the week creating our very own natural necklaces and bracelets using the adaptable elder. We began by cutting the elder into small bead-like sizes and the children enjoyed attentively using a tent peg to push out the pith. Using wool, the children carefully threaded the beads one by one, creating their very own statement pieces.
Tuesday brought with it a wonderfully wet day and to see the children adapting and creating new ways to play using the elements is exactly why we spend our days immersed in nature. The rain created a perfect slippery slide for the children as we used one of our wide planks propped onto the cotton reel and took it in turns to slide down, landing with a splat in the marvellous mud.
We were also able to use the rain as a key ingredient in many of our mud kitchen goodies. The children used the water along with some flour, a splash of cinnamon, a handful of ginger and a big sprig of rosemary, creating a muddy cake with optimal sensory delight. Some children also created a thick paste using water and flour which they enjoyed mark-making with and watching as it changed when they added other ingredients.
The children have also launched up to space this week, exploring the unknown of our skies above. A new space book has sparked many questions as to how big the planets are, how we get to space and the concept of gravity. The children enjoyed making a big rocket using cardboard as the body with wings either side and small windows along the frame so the astronauts could look in awe at their surroundings.
Our Little Forest Folk-ers also enjoyed letting their imaginations run wild as they used the swing as their rocket ship, blasting off to space and flying back, bringing back alien friends! The unknown of these creatures alarmed some so we ran away, but then our forest folk assured us that they were friendly aliens, and we could show them what life is like on planet Earth.
Towards the end of the week, we continued to explore just how adaptable the natural elements are as we made nature mobiles, adding in a variety of resources such as green and brown leaves, sticks, bark and any other raw treasures that littered the forest floor. Some children also decided to make their own creations such as swords and tennis rackets, putting them to the test with leaf balls, which admittedly flew straight through the middle, but also occasionally got caught in the net!
Thank you for reading about our windy week here at Twickenham, we can’t wait to find out what next week brings. Enjoy your weekends and hold onto your hats for Storm Eunice!
Little Forest Folk
Twickenham