The forest is in bloom!
Spring is in full swing at Wimbledon and our children have been exploring the wonders that it has to offer! You can’t walk too far without spotting some amazingly bright bluebells, which we have loved looking at and watching them grow over the past few days. We have also noticed the new forms of life around us, especially the tiny green caterpillars that have been found all over base camp. These new forms of life have inspired our Little Forest Folk-ers to go on some amazing bug hunts and learn a little bit more about the life around them.
Looking at the different creatures all around us in the forest is always an exciting part of the day but being able to look with magnifying glasses makes it even better! Our children have been so excited with being able to use the magnifying glasses to get a real, in-depth look at any creatures that they happen to come across. These have enabled them to look at the length of the bugs, the different colours on them and even as much as close as to see their eyes. When going on our hunts, the children have been so aware of the need for being kind and gentle to the bugs that they come across and show such care when getting a close look at them. Looking at the creatures has also inspired some very thoughtful conversations. The children have wanted to find books and more information about what they discover, and then they share their knowledge with their friends. Being able to have such a close look at the life that is around us daily, and have our educators sharing the information they know with our children is such a great way for children to learn new skills. They pick up so much information from being so close to nature and it’s such a wonderful way to learn.
Our adventure walks have also been a way for us to search for new life in the forest this week. One of our favourite places is the frog pond and it is where we go to search for new water life. When we are there, we see such a variety of life such as frogs, the different flies that jump across the water, and the moorhens and ducks that swim across. Whilst at the frog pond our children also look at how the seasons affect the water levels. They notice the change in depth when we have had heavy rain and can see how dry it turns around the edges when it’s been sunny. Sometimes the children use sticks to measure the depth, noticing where the water marks go up to on the stick and working out if it is too deep to walk in. This is a great way for children to learn about measurements and different ways to measure.
Our children have been getting very creative during their days in the forest, particularly by doing hand painting. They have been mixing the colours and then choosing which shapes to make with their hands and fingers. From this, the children have noticed that their hands are different sizes to their friends, and they can compare on the paper. This then led into a conversation about who could make the longest line using their finger, or who could make the biggest spot with the end of their finger. It’s also been a fun way to make their handprints into other images, by then drawing on the top of them. The children have enjoyed looking at what can be made from their handprint and coming up with ideas of what to add. It’s such a great way to express their creative side and share some time with their peers where they can sit and talk about their thoughts and ideas.
With all this new life around us our children are learning so much new information, and it’s lovely to watch them spend time with their friends sharing everything new they learn.
“A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement.”- Anonymous
Little Forest Folk
Wimbledon