As the season visibly changes, a raft of new things to play with pepper the floor around us. Sweet chestnut husks wrapped over pinecones make rather authentic looking hedgehogs, and this week we made many snug homes for these cute critters. Children collected leaves and formed “soft and warm” beds, then propped sticks against logs to afford them more shelter from the elements. Some hedgehogs even had kitchens and bathrooms separated by twig walls, and with some support, front doors to pass through led to leafy green front gardens with a scraped path to a front gate. Next, a great idea inspired us all to poke large leaves onto long thin sticks to make flags so that other hedgehogs could find a nice place to live.
Sticks and leaves always provide endless possibilities and this week we’ve also been making many forest fairy crowns. These are made by threading leaves onto lengths of spindly holly branch, which can then be bound into a circular shape with some very easy twists that children can be very involved with. Sticks, string, and feathers combined too, to make cat toys for educator "cats" to chase and catch, which was exceptionally good fun!
All the new leaf litter makes for even fuller food creations, as pots, plates and pans spill with pies, porridge, and pancakes. As well as being fabulous cats, educators are also well-established Food Critics and overwhelmingly these dishes always taste delicious which always delights the chefs!
We hope you get to enjoy some of these natural changes too this weekend and we’re looking forward to seeing all of you next week.
Little Forest Folk
Wandsworth