Our Week in the Forest...
It has been another week of joy, learning and friendship!
This week we have used the fire twice to participate in some cooking experiences. Spike led us in a vegan hot dog cooking session, which of course the children were very happy to lend a hand in eating! Virginia cooked up our usual Thursday picnic lunch into cheese quesadillas, which were equally as appreciated. The entire process of the fire is exciting – from spending the morning on adventure walks collecting kindling, to watching closely at how it is made, cooking the food up until the last moment, when the children watch the fire go out. When we use the fire, the children are very respectable of the safety boundaries and ensure all of their friends are too. The fire imposes a sense of calm around the forest, not to mention an inviting aroma.
In base camp this week, the children have enjoyed climbing the trees, using the swing and using the rope courses. All of which though, require turn taking. The children have loved to use the hourglass timers to monitor this and take autonomy in assessing fairness. Of course, then it became about who got to hold the timer… however, we witnessed some beautiful negotiating and deliberating. The children set up a log on which the child who was next got to sit on; this child got to hold the timer and announce, “Start” and “Finished”. Others waiting formed a queue alongside the log. We are not entirely sure if the line was more for the activity or being the timekeeper but either way, what a lovely interaction and experience to observe!
Dramatic play has been observed in abundance this week. The children have opened up their imaginations to all sorts of wonder and made use of the forest around them to tell their stories. We have witnessed everything from being on a cooking show, to being dinosaurs, to being fire fighters all the way to being mummy and daddy. The possibilities are endless. Dramatic play has incredible benefits in early childhood. It allows children to feel powerful, find the difference between fantasy and reality, ease any emotional tension and of course strengthen social relationships.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Here’s to another week of more investigation!
“Advice from a campfire. Bring people together, spark new ideas, kindle strong friendships, radiate warmth, be a good storyteller and don’t go to bed fired up.”
- Anonymous
Little Forest Folk
Wimbledon