Our Week in the Forest...
It’s been lovely to have had a number of our holiday campers return for week two, while others have joined us for the first time. Our Easter theme has continued, with the children often choosing to take part in a number of adult led activities.
An Easter egg scavenger hunt proved to be one of the most popular activities. This was after the initial disappointment of finding out the eggs weren't made of real chocolate! However when the children realised they got to decorate our polystyrene eggs how they wanted, they soon forgot all about chocolate. Some children decorated their eggs with paint, some with the natural resources from the forest and others used both. The eggs were then hidden around the forest and the children had to find them. Everyone worked on their foraging skills, and it was lovely to see how the children worked together looking for the eggs, realising teamwork proved more productive than working individually. Once all the eggs were found, together we discussed where we should put them. The answer was an obvious one for our little nature enthusiasts — a nest! We had a think about what animals lived in nests, where nests were often built and what they were built with. Once we had discussed it, it made sense to have a go at building one. Some children chose to go off and find sticks, others chose to stay and form a nest out of the materials brought back. Working together, everyone helped to build a nest big enough to fit all our 18 eggs in.
The rope ladder that was conjured up by one of our holiday campers last week, became a bridge/boat/ladder/train/whatever else the children’s imagination led them to this week. With the help of Otis, the children eagerly got involved in the manufacturing of this engineering masterpiece. The children used their mathematical skills to find a number of sticks that were the desired length, problem solving skills to figure out a way of attaching them together followed by some physical development through balance and coordination as they climbed aboard.
At the end of each day, as we have our snack we like to have a think about the things we have done, what we enjoyed and what we would like to do next time. It has been a real joy to hear how so many of our children said their favourite thing was making new friends. The world of relationships and social interactions can be a tricky place for young children, but through our style of outdoor education, we love to see children developing their communication skills and building friendships.
Our holiday campers will be missed, and we look forward to seeing you at our future holiday camps. For our regular children who have been away…the forest awaits you!
Food in the forest:
Our full April menu can be found on our website HERE
Monday's tasty lunch:
Roasted marinated sweet pepper and butter bean dip
Blended with extra virgin olive oil, served with breadsticks and crudités.
Generous amount of roasted peppers give a lovely sweetness, along with lots of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
Happy egg hunting!
Little Forest Folk
Fulham
