Books, bugs and picnics have been amongst the many highlights of our week in the forest. Books are more than just entertaining for our children, we use them as an important tool that supports the development of concentration, listening, communication and language skills. They ‘aid socio-emotional development, good mental health and well-being and help to lay the foundations of good literacy skills that prepare the way for school’. This week Matt shared the joy of books and libraries with the Red Group through the book "Detective Dog". Green Group have been using the "Book of Bird Noises" to see if they can identify the numerous birds making an appearance during the glorious springtime. Cici also unpicked the issue of picky eating using the books "Berries are Best" and "Runaway Pea", having a discussion around the characters and trying to hunt for runaway peas in their dinner bowls. This encouraged dinners to be eaten and for the most trickiest of customers to experiment with trying different foods and textures. With the change in weather, we've also had a change in menu and it's gone down a treat with the children. Lunch in the forest has featured a new pasta dish which the Green Group loved and also a Picnic Lunch which the Red Group adored!
Whilst books provide a wealth of knowledge and meaning, the benefit of an outdoor education means that the children can also use the wider world as a resource, to look for meaning and information. Whilst out on our adventure walks, Red Group have been reading signs and hunting for numbers along the woodland trails. Being able to see numbers and shapes, and recognising risk and danger through signs helps our little ones to navigate their world. Themes from books regularly feature in the children’s role-play with Educators joining in, such as Sam pretending to be the Troll from the same named book or tree trunks being used to create prop shop fronts from familiar stories. This all helps our Little Forest Folk-ers to make connections and to build a sense of the world beyond the forest.
Green Groups use of natural resources as tools has been a central focus of their exploration this week. Whether that be using sticks and string as fishing rods to enact role-play or exploring the effects of weight on gravity when using a pulley invented by Dan to transport mud. Green Group have also been exploring squashing blueberries to make natural dye to dye string purple. Whilst over on Red Group, their exploration of the natural world this week has been focussed on Mini Beast hunts. They found sleeping Roman snails and some ants carrying a dead beetle. By looking at bugs and occasionally handling them, our Little Forest Folk-er’s learn the art of "observing before interacting" helping them to read situations and to first assess the risk posed to either themselves or other creatures.
By encouraging the children’s curiosity in observing the text that they see around them daily, this extends their joy in reading and helps to develop their focus and passion for learning. It’s such a pleasure to see their love for books continuing to forever grow!
We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Little Forest Folk
Wandsworth