Our Week in the Forest...
As the autumnal weather makes itself better known in the forest, the children have used the week to reconnect with lots of different aspects of nature that have been a little ignored of late.
Under the watchful eye of Leia, the children got to grips with a wonderful tree, known as an elder. With paintbrushes reversed, the children carefully poked out the soft pith centre and hollowed them out. These hollow beads were then threaded carefully, by the children, onto pieces of string to become fabulous pieces of natural, artisan jewellery: necklaces, bracelets and charms were all made and worn instantly. Maybe you’ll see more natural jewellery in a shop near you!
Autumn brings with it many changes, as noticed by the children, such as the colder weather, leaves changing colour and the presence of lots of mushrooms of all imaginable shapes and sizes. The children are very cautious in their searching for mushrooms as they know that some can make them poorly. Luckily, our resident foragers, Abbey and Phil, were on hand to answer any questions the children might have and to suggest habitats that might be good to search for mushrooms in. Amazingly, the biggest mushrooms, parasol mushrooms, grew right next to the path into the forest so everyone had a chance to marvel at their size! Who knows how many others we’ll see as the season progresses.
Our new settlers have done amazingly well this week in learning the ways of the Little Forest Folk and already joining in with activities and making friends as if they’ve always been here. Virginia, Sarah, Spike and the rest of the team have been there to ensure that these first days allow everyone to feel like a Little Forest Folk-er!
Little Forest Folk
Wimbledon