We have had fewer numbers in the forest this week and have been missing some familiar faces, as have the children! Nevertheless, the forest has been filled with bubbling laughter and bright smiles all round, as the children have immersed themselves in imaginative play together. This week, there seems to have been a focus on heading out on adventures and the children joining together to work brilliantly as a team.
At the start of the week at Paradise, a long obstacle course was created from new materials that the children hadn’t used before. Raised, slim beams proved a good challenge for the children as they balanced up, along and down. It was brilliant to see just how much the children have progressed with their balancing skills and grown in confidence to attempt them independently. The children then had to jump into a couple of rubber tyres and finally crawl through a tunnel at the end of the course.
We also hung up a piece of string between two posts and the children drew wonderful pictures of items that could be brought from the ‘shopping line’ and put into a wicker basket. We had some great products for sale: a space rocket, a tree, many types of fruits and vegetables, a shark-potato and a potato-stone (which was a potato that tasted like stones…an acquired taste!). There was a lot of pride on the faces of those who went up to stick their own picture to the shopping line, and returned to point them out later!
Lastly, at Paradise, there was a lot of care and attention put into some very special presents that were made. Pieces of bark were wrapped in paper, decorated by the children and were finished off with a lovely twine bow and pieces of masking tape. Some of the children wanted to ensure that each of their family members got one, which was very heart-warming to observe!
Each morning at the forest this week, the children have headed out on an adventure walk. We’ve been lucky enough to observe some natural wonders. We headed down to the lake where we saw mandarin ducks, a coot nesting and some tufted ducks, which the children loved watching dive down and bob back up again. Further around the lake, we stumbled across a couple of toads, with one giving the other one a piggy back. The children all gathered in a curious circle and a chorus of “ribbit-ribbit” erupted and the children watched as they hopped to the safety of the water. On a different adventure walk, the children came to a clearing of knobbly trees and looked through a hole into one that had been hollowed out. On our way back to camp, we ‘trip-trapped’ over a bridge and played pooh-sticks in the water, watching bubbles of foam form as the water trickled down the stream.
There was a strong sense of team work on our adventure walks too. Some of the children found a big wooden slab and a group of them all helped each other to carry it around the lake, not failing to pick it back up again if it fell to the ground, giggling each time it did. Near to camp, the children found a steep mound which was tricky to walk up! This didn’t bother the children, as they found long sticks to reach out to the climbers in order to hoist and heave them up, cheering each other on. There has been a lovely atmosphere full of friendship.
Back at camp, the children enjoyed creating mini ‘rock-pools’, where pebbles were collected and covered with water. There is always a keenness to wash special pebbles and items that are found in order to reveal their true beauty, and as per usual, many treasures were pocketed (or ‘hooded’ we should say). Paper aeroplanes have also been a key feature, with the children taking care to ensure their designs were efficient in order for the planes to zoom in the breeze. Lastly, the children have enjoyed some new story books around the circle at snack and lunch-time. We even had the pleasure of reading out a Paw-Patrol magazine that was brought in by one of the children. A secret revealed; the teachers discovered that Ryder is in fact a boy, not a pup!
It has been a positive week with smiles glowing here, there and everywhere. We wish everybody well and to take care. Sending a big forest hug to all and to the faces that we didn’t see this week. We hope to see you all soon!
Little Forest Folk
Wandsworth