Our Week in the Forest...
It has been a beautiful week in the forest, with friendships strengthening and the newer children building their relationship with their new environment.
This week we have been busy using ropes for all sorts of creative ideas! Most popularly, spider webs have been created all over base camp. Our Little Forest Folk-ers love to feel autonomous and independent as they choose their rope and produce whatever they may see in their creative thoughts. The learning in the process involved whilst creating the web tends to be more beneficial than once the product has been created. We reflected this week on process over product. Allowing the children to set up their own play experiences inspires them to use their creative minds, imaginations and offers them confidence in their own abilities. How special for a child to stand back and feel proud of what they have achieved before they go ahead and begin their interactions with it.
The children have also made teepees this week with tarps, pegs and mallets. Their team work and support of one another’s ideas was inspiring. Once the teepees were built, the children furnished them with blankets, pillows and materials and then some chose to play with them and some didn’t. For some, the play was the process and so, completed. And yes, that was just as important.
Collecting, mud making, swinging and tree climbing were all taking place across the forest this week. And so, we can’t wait to see what next week holds.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, see you next week!
“The most engaging preschool experiences rarely come home in a backpack.” Unknown.
Little Forest Folk
Wimbledon