Spring is definitely springing now, and the energy awakening in the flora and fauna we are lucky to be immersed in, is palpable. Bug hunts are beginning to reveal newly emerged beetles and eagle-eyed little ones have even spotted new-born “baby spiders” too! With our identification packs educators were able to support children to see the differences in shapes and sizes of British arachnids, leading to a group discovering that they were young harvestmen. Children were as excited as us to also find out that this species have even been found in 400-million-year-old fossils. These digits were etched into the forest floor with a stick, with several children astutely exclaiming that this was “the biggest number ever”!
Under the new canopy shoots, children have also really enjoyed making dream catchers with help from Nicol, Lilli and Abbie. Here, on the craft tarp, strong hands have bent lengths of holly sprigs into circles or “raindrops” and pulled string ends to tighten the knots that have fixed these base shapes. Next, colourful wool was selected from the “scraggly seaweed” wool pile and snipped at with carefully controlled scissors. This was then wrapped, threaded, tucked, poked and pulled in and out and all around the shapes, creating beautiful “rainbow spiderwebs”! To finish the piece, the site was scoured for ornamental feathers and pinecones which were bound and hung from the base. A loop at the top made these good to go, and the forest has been adorned with this awesome art all week. This activity also enabled many moments for great conversations about managing bad dreams, and the importance of sleep to give us more energy to play and grow.
The web theme continued, with Dan creating a spectacular pulley system that operated a net attached to a giant hula hoop, suspended high from an oak branch. In the morning, as other educators arrived, excited children coaxed them into trying out a delicious feast of candle covered cakes, leafy salads, and pinecone popcorn placed below the trap. An unsuspecting Sam and Matt tucked into the treats, and several children at a time had incredible fun lowering the net onto them! The best way to picture this, is to imagine the only good bit about the classic 80/90’s board game “Mousetrap”, when the upturned basket falls onto the mouse pieces at the end (I’m sure it’s not just me that played this!).
On that note, may your extended Easter weekend be full of family fun. Here’s hoping that some of this great sunshine keeps on pushing through. See you all soon!
Little Forest Folk
Wandsworth