We began the week as we ended the previous one, with plenty of pumpkin play. From creative painting to tool work practice, everyone was ever so entertained. We even tried out some pumpkin bowling down some slopes to topple little log skittles, which ended with much delight as one finally shattered and splattered all over the place! The pumpkins are also the perfect consistency for mallet and peg practice, and here children used great listening and focus to play safely and fairly amongst the business of everyone exceptionally eager to have a go. Again, on Friday, even more pumpkins were brought in, and with several split open on a tuff tray table, sensory play was very popular. Our compost bins are going to love all the extra vegetables we’ve been feeding them recently!
Over in the forest, with Autumn clearly in full swing we have all being enjoying the rich variety of colourful leaves. Soggy or crunchy, there’s much fun to be had with them all. The leaves are great to help support early maths language, identifying size and shape to find the right leaves for the job, and we’ve had some great moments of older children helping younger ones find good leaves for some crafting ideas. One much loved activity has been snipping faces into folded leaves, with the air filled with stories of leaf pixies that come out at night and dance around the mushrooms! We have also been finding lots of beech leaves with beautiful patterns in created by the larval stage leaf mining beetle, which educators have supported the learning with forest fauna guides to help explain the artistic natural phenomenon!
All in all, a lovely week, with glorious sun often pushing through still. Have a great firework weekend everyone!
Little Forest Folk
Wandsworth