Another day of misty rain, delightful puddles, and late morning showers shaped our day’s activities. We had a smaller group today all dressed for the weather, and students alternated between making art, such as popsicle stick puppet figures (forest animals, dragons, unicorns and egyptian deities) and some work with clay in the form of bejeweled bowls) along with playing in the puddles near the pavilion creating dams and scenarios for imaginative play. After an excellent book on the power of words “Say Something” at snack time, we took the opportunity to talk about how we use words at AFK, discussing with the children hurtful, positive, and powerful ways words can be used. The discussion was relatively short and most students had something to say about their experiences. We will continue to engage with the children as a group about what they are thinking and feeling regarding topics that relate to their time in AFK and how they treat themselves, each other, and the forest. After snack the rain picked up and so did we! We then traveled to the small forested band near the pavilion open field where a tarp had been set up by Sarah and the children happily made mud pies, climbed trees, and identified “bases” and other objects of interest. The children continue to negotiate their relationships and call each other out regarding fairness and honesty. It is good to see them saying how they feel when something doesn’t feel right, as well as advocating for one another on occasion. We had a quick damp walk back to the visitor’s center, and lunch inside with mangos added to our rice and bean toppings. So sweet!