water colors + building * Week 21 *

Hello Athens Forest Kindergarten families!  

Welcome back, Maisie! We’ve missed her so much over the past couple of months and are so happy to see her and her family again!

It was another wonderful week exploring our favorite spots at the fallen oak tree below the Crow’s Nest and in the woods near Pavilion 1. This week’s emergent “school work” was very heavily focused on our hands and I’ll share a few highlights focused solely in that area of development.

HANDS

A few students channeled their inner “forest ninjas” this week, practicing stealthy ways to move through the crunchy leaves and help friends and teachers. The ninjas successfully brought water bottles to friends in need, pushed the wagon to and from the play locations, found the boundary cones and mud kitchen tools when it was time to pack up, and washed hands and cleaned up after lunch. We love this team of ninjas!

Using small sticks, rocks, acorns, moss, bark, other materials from the forest floor, a fairy house came to life! Amora, Tilly, Silvia, Nat, and Mabel worked together all week to create an amazing little structure suitable for the Queen of the fairies complete with a “wood burning stove” and feather bed. A very serious debate emerged during the build between Mabel and Tilly: “Do fairies exist or should we make our own fairies?” Mabel was content to wait for the real fairies to arrive while Tilly made a family of fairies using sticks, leafs, mud, and acorns.

Ashley brought primary water color paints and students set to experimenting. “What happens when we mix blue and yellow in “Blue… and yellow… make GREEN!” They painted on paper, rocks, and wood. Did you find a beautiful blue or green painted stick in the bottom of your child’s backpack this week? Take a look!

The well-loved fort/house that we built last semester just isn’t big enough for all the students who are interested in playing inside of it. As a class, we set out to build an even bigger fort next door. Students worked together to gather large sticks and rocks, carry them to the build site, and determine the best place to put the sticks in order for the walls and roof to be covered. Sylvan, Nat, William, Orora, Henry, Amora, Tilly, Silvia, Caroline, and Howl all contributed to this “forest castle.” After spending time inside, Amora did mention that the wind was still getting in, so we discussed what we could do to keep the wind out. “MORE STICKS!” We’ll be working on this castle for a while. Our budding artists also used chalk pastels to “paint” the house. It is so colorful and I’m excited to see everyone work together as we built it! I suggest using your annual park pass to visit Sandy Creek Park this weekend and take a look at our buildings!

All of us are continuing to explore what makes us feel safe and happy while we play together in the forest. Students are encouraged to check in with one another, communicate their needs, and hold boundaries. 

Thank you to our AFK Co-op Helpers this week: Ryan, Kirby, Hala, Clarke, and Sarah W.! Teamwork makes the dream work!

Celebrating Friendships, and a Flying Squirrel! - Week 20

It's been a magical week in the forest! The very earliest signs of spring are being noticed by our forest kindergarteners…Occasional green shoots emerging from the leaves on the ground, more active and vocal birds, and a week of warmer weather! The play site at the fallen White Oak continues to captivate the students. Nooks in the trunk and branches have become a restaurant, a house, a workshop, and an ice cream shop! 

This week, ropes were offered to the students to add to the tools available for their use. So much open-ended experimentation, play, and problem solving took place using these ropes! Naia and Caroline spent a long while tying the ropes to trees to make an animal trap. Juniper utilized her knot tying skills, Henry enjoyed trying out the rope to lasso branches, and several friends grabbed ahold of a length of rope to pretend to be a train! 

We continued to follow the children's interest in animal homes this week. Several burrows are spotted every day, and the children love to imagine who may be hibernating inside. On Tuesday, a flying squirrel came to visit us! It was incredible to observe this rarely seen, nocturnal animal, and the students did such a wonderful job with self control to give the squirrel the space it needed. It was incredibly friendly, and seemed just as interested in the children as they were in it! Kylie gently placed the squirrel in the terrarium to ensure it wasn’t injured, and the students were able to quietly observe it for a couple of minutes before it was released. We hope to meet our flying friend again!       

On Friday, we enjoyed a low-key, early Valentines Day celebration! We shared a special snack of bunny crackers and dried strawberries, and gathered together for a story. Some of the children opted to bring Valentine treasures for their fellow students, and each child left with a bag of tiny gifts. It was so wonderful to watch the children's patience and giving nature toward one another as they shared their Valentines! 

We hope you all have a beautiful weekend, and we can’t wait to see you on Tuesday! 

Animal homes + mud kitchen music - Week 19

Happy February, Athens Forest Kindergarten families!

We spent another wonderful week exploring 2 favorite forest locations between the Crow’s Nest and Picnic Shelter 3. Despite these sites being visited frequently, we always seem to find new ways to interact with the land and notice the changes created by weather, animals, and seasons. While there is so much that happens in a week of school, I’ve shared a few things about our time together that coincide with 4 areas of development.

Head

Caroline brought a terrarium and Juniper brought a hand lens to share with the class this week. Logs were turned over and so many insects were carefully collected, placed inside the terrarium, and examined with the lens.

For months now, students have expressed interest in animal homes and creating shelters in the forest. As a program that focuses on child-led emergent curriculum, we read new books about beavers and squirrels and the homes they create for themselves and, subsequently, other animals in the ecosystem.

Heart

Howl and Orora are back in the forest with us this week after a short time being away. We are so glad they are back!

William and Sylvan took care of a pet worm, “Wormie,” building a mud home with a stone roof. They were so gentle with this small, squishy friend.

Hands

At circle time on Friday, a birds nest and white tail deer antlers were brought in for the students to handle and discuss. They were all so excited to share stories about their own experiences with these animals.

Amora and Mable turned the mud kitchen pots and pans into a drum set and spent a long time creating music and singing songs.

Buckets were used on Thursday and Friday to move sticks, mud, and water around our play site. “Clay dough” was made by students using red clay, water, and sand and then rolled out into small spheres, carefully arranged on leaf platters and served to fellow classmates.

Holism

Introducing the Adventure Vests went well this week! This is an effort to ensure students’ safety in the forest and have a visual reminder that we are one big group of explorers.

A new rotating seasonal menu for the month has been introduced and includes great north beans, polenta, beets, and squash as well as some of the old favorites.

All of us are continuing to explore what makes us feel safe and happy while we play together in the forest. Students are encouraged to check in with one another, communicate their needs, and hold boundaries.

Thank you to our AFK Co-op Helpers this week: Kirby, Basel, Hala, Ryan, Iralyn, and Bernice! This program would not be the same without everyone’s contributions.

We are grateful for you all!

Stick wands + exploration - Week 18!

Good morning, Athens Forest Kindergarten families! 

As of Friday, Sarah and Sylvan are healthy and back with us in the forest! We missed them so much!

We spent the chilly, sunny week exploring the forest just below the Crow’s Nest, one of our favorite places to explore! We found giant snail shells, quartz “crystals,” identified Little Brown Jug, crane-fly orchid, (green above and purple below), and wild onion! Despite visiting this site often, we find new things every day!

During our morning circle to start the week, we discussed what makes us feel safe and happy in the forest and what we can do to help make your friends feel safe and happy. A lot of learning and play centered around cooperation, delegating tasks, shelter building, and restaurant management. We ate one of the best hamburgers ever on Thursday  ;)

A pack of “baby cheetahs” evolved in the forest and many students explored the forest floor on all fours. Students also spent time drawing family and forest scenes with chalk pastels to share with guardians after pick up and in their nature journals. Ashley introduced yarn stick-wrapping to students and magic wands were created. The class hiked down the trail and explored a bridge and the old campsite shelters. 

We explored a brand new fallen tree on Friday! The upturned tree roots provided very exciting climbing, excavating, sliding, and balancing opportunities. We plan to go back often and explore more! 

Thank you, Clarke,  Ryan, Iralyn, and Bernice, for contributing as forest and lunch helpers this week.

Community, botany, and branching out - Week 17

Hello, forest kindergarten families!

We had another wonderful week in the forest! We had very manageable weather, and were able to explore quite a few new areas. On Tuesday, we ventured to a new play site. This site is significantly larger than where we’ve been spending the majority of our time, and the children were really able to expand and explore. It has been incredible to observe their confidence and dexterity lately! After lunch, we celebrated William turning 4 with singing, a special birthday crown and cape, and a bit of cake his mom, Ginny made!

Wednesday, we revisited the same area as we did on Tuesday, and it was wonderful to watch the children gravitate to areas they spent time in the day before. This week, we continued to follow the children's interest in the trees surrounding us. Some friends chose to partake in a tree lesson, and we spent a lot of time with our tree field guide. We discussed ways to identify trees and plants in different seasons through observing fallen leaves, vines, and bark. Spending time in the forest in all seasons of the year is such a gift!  

On Thursday, Hamlin joined us in the drizzly weather. Several students noticed how different the moss on the rocks and trees looked in the rain, which led to a discussion about the ways various plants absorb water. Students discovered giant shelf mushrooms on a log, and carefully lined up and counted their collection…23 all together!  

Friday brought colder weather, and we were grateful for Erik, Silvias dad, to start a big fire for us in the fireplace. After a morning of exploring the forest, we gathered at the picnic shelter for a warm snack of millet porridge with cherries and yogurt, chamomile tea, and a story by the fire. We were happy to have Julie with us, and several students spent time showing her all their fascinating finds with magnifying glasses!

We hope you all have a fun and cozy weekend, and we can’t wait to see you next week!

Trees, compost, and new friends - Week 16

After our delayed start to the semester, this week brought happy reunions and a wonderful return to the forest!

Head:
Running interests and themes this week focused on the trees around us, and composting! Children were invited to explore the parts of a tree. We learned more about the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, and crown of the tree. Most of the trees in the forest are bare now, which led to observations and discussions about the seasonal shifts of the environment. 

During the week, we observed a few students digging holes in the ground in hopes of finding worms as they did in the warmer months. When they wondered why they weren’t finding many, we talked about how the colder temperatures affect the forest creatures, both big and small, and their attempts to find warmth. Some of the children then decided to dig a deeper hole, hoping to dig deep enough to find the worms!  

We've begun a composting program at AFK! As part of the clean up routine after lunch, each child will empty their leftovers into a compost bucket before placing their Lunchbot into the dirty dishes bin. In the spring, we hope to have good compost to use when planting our garden. Occasionally, the leftovers bucket will head home with Kylie to treat her chickens, who lovingly provide eggs for our lunches. Interconnectedness is an important value at AFK, and we feel this is a meaningful, hands-on way to involve the children in a part of that process. 

We have reinstated the invitation for students to join storytime with a snack to begin the day. This week we read “Little Witch Hazel” by Phoebe Wahl and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost.

Check the library section of the portal for links to a few books on trees and composting we’ve read this week as well as our storytime selections!

Heart:
This week, we welcomed a new student, Howl! We are so happy to bring Howl and his family into the group, and observed so many kind moments between Howl and the other children. 

As any change in routine can bring, a few of our friends had a bit of hesitation at drop off early in the week. Such empathy was shown between the children as they helped their friends adjust to school again. During circle time we shared ways to make ourselves feel happier or safer when we are upset. Students took a moment to think about times they were feeling upset and began to brainstorm ways to help their friends who may be having a hard time. We noticed students offering a special stick to hold, an ice pack, water bottles, hugs, and invitations to play. We are so proud of the deep empathy each student has for their classmates, particularly at such young ages. 

Hands:
On Tuesday, we set out for a hike! This is always an exciting break in the routine, and offered the opportunity to strengthen the sense of place our students are building in the forest, as well as help Howl to become better acquainted with the environment. 

Later in the week, a few child-sized, manual hand tools were introduced. Several children enjoyed practicing drilling holes with a hand drill, and using a level to explore the slants and angles of branches and logs.    

Holism:
Julie, who is completing her practicum with us began joining us on Friday! Julie will be with us each Friday, and will serve as our Forest Helper to further her experience in education. The children were immediately drawn to her friendly and gentle spirit, and enjoyed showing her all their favorite corners and nooks of the forest, and especially the climbing skills they’ve gained! We have such warm feelings as our forest kindergarten community continues to grow. Next week, we look forward to welcoming a new student, Caroline and her family!


Week 15 - Celebrations!

Hello AFK families! We want to thank you all so very much for your kindness and generosity not only this week, but over the entire semester! We wish you all a wonderful break filled with family time, rest, and lots of play! We are truly so grateful to be with your amazing children as their guides at AFK, and we can’t wait to return to the winter forest in January!

We had a full and exciting last week of the semester! Tuesday, we all enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather and the children were happy to reconnect with friends after the weekend. Eva (our newest Educator!) joined us for the day, and she brings such playful energy to the group! Thank you to Sarah, Naia’s mom for being our Lunch Helper! We brought out the magnifying glasses in the forest, and a few friends loved moving layers of leaves on the forest floor and taking time to view what was underneath. The children have been so in tune with the changing seasons, and the subtle differences in the environment as the forest prepares for winter. At circle time in the mornings we continue to talk about directions and the weather, and even on cloudy days, point to the East where the sun is rising.        

On Wednesday, we visited a beloved play site we call The Bridge Site. The children are always happy to spend the day here, and were even more excited to visit after moving across the lake! Wednesday afternoon, we visited the garden and harvested some of the broccoli the children planted earlier in the fall. They were amazed to see how much their plants had grown (maybe the broccoli felt the same way about them!), and were so proud to harvest it and place it in baskets. Together we talked about how some of the broccoli was ready for harvest, and some needed more time to grow. Everyone seems eager to visit the garden again next month and is happy to have more veggies to harvest this season! Nat found an incredible partial Snapping Turtle shell, which everyone really enjoyed observing. Ken, Maisie’s dad, joined us as our Forest Helper!
On Thursday, we held a Friendship Feast for lunch! This was such a fun departure from our grain, green, veggie, bean lunch staple. The children chose from a buffet of their friends favorite foods. Some of the offerings included cheese sandwiches, strawberries, veggie straws, popsicles, barbecue potato chips, popcorn, ramen, homemade cookies, cheese pizza, cherries with whipped cream, and broccoli from the garden for good measure. The children loved taking turns sharing stories about the food they brought. Special thanks to Bernice, Henry's grandma, and Anastasiya, Silvia’s mom for the extra help with the feast, and to all of you for participating in this fun celebration!

Friday, the children enjoyed a full morning of play in the forest. Playing in the shelters we’ve built over the last two weeks continued to be a favorite activity. Lots of our friends enjoyed looking at seasonal books together and being read to, and of course there was lots of room for big, energetic play and climbing! Thank you to Sheena, Amora’s mom for being with us as a Forest Helper!  

Sarah, Kylie, and Ashley are looking forward to meeting over the break to do some exciting planning for next semester. We have some wonderful professional development trainings, invitations, and dreams in the works and can’t wait to see you all soon!

Shelters, babies, sandpaper, and a snake burial - Week 14

Thank you to Naia’s mom, Sarah and Henry’s grandma Bernice for helping with lunch. Thanks to Maisie’s dad, Ken: and Orora’s mom, Anna for being Forest Helpers this week!

Head:

A big theme this week has been shelter building! With guidance from the Educators, the children created two shelters over Thursday and Friday. Kylie made a magical door! We observed them looking for and trying out different sized sticks for the buildings. They quickly learned what sizes worked well, and loved venturing out to find larger branches to use. They created their shelter designs, including which areas would be left open for doors and windows.

Heart:

The children have embraced nurturing play, making “babies” out of large pieces of bark and sticks. Lots of the same caretaking that the children experience at home shows up in their play, whether towards stick babies or each other!


Hands:

Sometimes our handwork is all about process over product—We brought some sandpaper and a few of the children enjoyed sanding sticks and making logs smooth. Sanding for the sake of sanding can be gratifying for surprising reasons but from a developmental perspective, it’s nice to appreciate the development of their “transformation schema” — when they themselves are in charge of making rough bark smooth, it’s a powerful lesson!

Climbing the large fallen tree at our new favorite play site continues to be a favorite activity! After gaining much self confidence last week, the first thing Amora did Tuesday morning was a big climb on the tree!

We had two rainy days this week which brought lots of fun mud play. The children created a “mud slide” in one area. That may explain some extra muddy rain suits this week!


Holism:

The children observed an Eastern Worm Snake Kylie found under the leaves. The snake had died, and a couple of children were interested in discussing what may have happened. We did a simple “burial” for the snake and Naia placed a special stick on top of the site. We saw lots of reverence for the snake as a part of the ecosystem and “our” forest.










Mental maps, oak party, climbing skills, turtle spotting - Week 13

Thank you to Ryan, Nat’s dad and Eric, Sylvia’s dad who were our forest helpers this week. Thank you to Sarah, Naia’s mom and Anastasiya, Silvia’s mom who were our lunch helpers!

Head:

Exploring our forest at different scales continues to be a deep interest. We brought the hand lenses (magnifying glasses) this week. The children loved observing bark, insects, and the underside of a mushroom closely! Hamlin gently taught them how to lower their eye close to the lens to see better. The children’s mental maps have grown more complex too—We crossed a bridge, walked near the lake, and the children were quick to spot our play site from a new angle! 

Heart:

The children continued to form strong bonds with each other, and we observed so much courage and resilience being practiced this week! Naia built a house under the beloved White Oak (complete with a roof!) and invited friends to a party. There were so many different aspects of learning and various stages of development coming together in this multiple-age group! (structure building, planning skills, social-emotional competencies)

When one child fell and needed a band-aid, a few of her friends sat near her, asked if she was ok, held her hand to look at her “boo boo”. They patted her back until she felt ready to play again. Having the time and space to practice empathy and just sit together without being rushed is so wonderful.

Hands:

There has been a lot of skill building on the fallen tree. One day Amora was climbing it. She was nervous and very cautious, but after a while she was heard saying, “I’m not scared!” to herself and climbing confidently! We saw a striking progression with Henry too, from wanting help one day, to being coached on how to climb down, to mastering the skill fully two days later!

Holism:

On Friday, we went on a mini hike through an area of forest we hadn’t explored together as a group. We observed a female box turtle that we think may have been readying herself for hibernation. The children formed a circle around her, and were so kind and peaceful. They used quiet feet and gave her space while they marveled at her.

Leaf matching, snack party invitations, nature's jungle gym, and spontaneous gratitude: Week 12

It’s high autumn in the forest, and our forest kindergarteners have been enjoying every moment of it! The beauty and abundance of falling leaves have created so many opportunities for play and learning this week!

As you all know, we have ventured across the lake to our new play sites! Thank you all for your flexibility as we navigate our new drop off and pick up zones. We have loved exploring the new forest areas, and have found some absolutely magical spots to take us through winter. 

Head:

Our group is so fortunate to spend hours under the canopy of a large variety of hardwood trees. The children enjoyed a leaf matching invitation in the forest this week, matching leaves not only by color, but by species and learning their names. 

We are continuing to offer a rotation of activities after lunch. After a full morning of play, an assortment of puzzles, blocks, art supplies, and books allow the children to engage in a restful activity until pick up time. We look forward to adding a wooden loom for weaving after the break!    

Heart: 

As we continue with child-led snack time, we’ve noticed a subtle development in the group. Beyond simply realizing its time to refuel their bodies for more play, we’ve noticed the children inviting a small group of friends to have snack together. Asking their friends if they’re also hungry, choosing from the snack options, arranging their seats near one another, and enjoying a little break together really reflects the growth and bonds that have formed. The fluidity of snack being available throughout the morning has leant itself to the children having ownership over their physical needs, but has also allowed a lovely moment of community to take place. 

This week Kylie witnessed another moment of kindness between friends when Henry needed help putting his shoe back on. Nat jumped right in to help so they could continue their play!

Thank you to our families who have recently jumped into roles as forest helpers and lunch helpers! As we continue to explore new play sites and lunch offerings, your help is greatly appreciated. If you are interested in joining us as a helper, please reach out to Sarah, Kylie, or Ashley for more information!

Hands: 

At our favorite new play site, we discovered a large, fallen White Oak. Its large branches and trunk have become a natural jungle gym many children spent nearly the entire morning climbing on the first day! Even our friend Hamlin couldn’t resist climbing its trunk! Aside from the wonderful opportunities for risk assessment, balance, and working together, the branches and limbs have already become tents, rooms, and tractors in imaginative play. We’re loving this feature of our new forest home!

Holism:

As Juniper enjoyed her snack one morning, Kylie observed her thanking the tree providing her a shady spot to sit. She looked up at the small tree said, “Thank you bush”, and went back to her snack. What a joy to notice these small moments of unprompted gratitude and reflection!    

Wednesday morning, we found feathers from a bird of prey. We can only speculate what may have happened during the night, but continued to find feathers throughout the week. Finding the feathers ranged from awe at their beauty to wondering what may have happened to the large bird. This led to moments of empathy and curious discussions about the food chain. 

As an extension of holism, I want to thank every one of you for welcoming Oliver into our AFK community over the past few months! As he returns to in-person school, I know he will carry this very special time serving as “big brother” to 13 younger forest siblings with him. He was so surprised and touched by the card you all put together with the children’s sweet thoughts, thank you!

We hope you all have a wonderful break next week, and enjoy the extra time with your amazing children. We can’t wait to see you all when we resume forest kindergarten on the 30th! 

Learning about scale, reuniting, lanterns, and timing: Week 11

Head: The children have been exploring hand lenses (magnifying glasses). Learning what the world looks like at different scales is a common theme in elementary school science and the hand lenses will be a tool available for them as the seasons change.

Heart: Maisie was back after being out for a long time and there were many hugs and shouts of glee!

Hands: The children made lanterns this week! It was a multi-day process of collecting leaves, planning for the lanterns, and then making them.

Holism: An impromptu game emerged this week where children caught leaves as they fell. It’s the perfect metaphor for how they’re becoming more and more at home in nature. It’s beautiful to see them settling deeper into their intricate knowledge of nature’s timing, and finding joy in it.

Cylinders, forts, sprouts, and directions! Week 10

Head:

The children have enjoyed all the possibilities the rain has provided for cognitive development. The usual pouring and mixing experiments continue and when it’s time to warm up, or during our new “station” time between lunch and pickup, we’ve been offering the children various materials to explore. Kylie brought a memory game and knobbed cylinders to add to our activity offerings this week. Another possibility brought on by the rain and cool weather is learning about fire! This week Kylie caught a spark from flint and steel and gave a lesson on fire starting.

Heart:

We did more housebuilding this week! In his book, Children’s Special Places: Exploring the Role of Forts, Dens, and Bush Houses in Middle Childhood, David Sobel says, “In these secret places, children develop and control environments of their own and enjoy freedom from the rules of the adult world.” Fort building can be seen as a practice of social competence, as these spaces involve child-created and managed rules and roles.

Ashley shared the story of the Apple Star Fairy. We’ve been cutting apples at snack time so the children have noticed the star shape inside the core. A retelling of this sweet story may be found here, should you like to tell it at home:

https://sugarspiceandglitter.com/our-waldorf-apple-story-with-a-montessori-twist/

Hands:

We found Puff Ball mushrooms on Friday, and a few friends loved sharing a discussion about the way these special fungi release their spores!

This week, we invited the children to participate in a bean sprouting activity. If you didn’t receive your child’s Ziploc bag of seeds on Friday, check their backpack! The students placed dried beans inside a damp paper towel. Hang the bag in a sunny window, and sprouts should emerge in a few days! We’ve been gardening regularly in our fall garden, and look forward to the children observing the beans sprouting as a visual understanding of what is happening beneath the soil in our garden beds.

Holism:

At circle time this week, we have been discussing the 4 directions. Kylie has demonstrated the sun rising over the field to the east, and explaining the way it sets in the west. No matter the season or time of year, this is always consistent. Directions and gardening are both beautiful examples of helping children to understand their sense of place in the world. These, as well as developing sense of place through revisiting consistent play sites in the forest, nurture a sense of connectedness, which helps build a strong social and emotional connection on which children thrive.


Entomology, picture day, black walnut dye, and resilience: Week 9

Head

On Thursday, which was a rainy day, some of the children chose to sit under a tarp with Hamlin and listen to him read a book about bugs. They loved discussing the insects in the book, and sharing their love for bugs! We also identified some new fungi in the forest this week, one of the most notable was an Elm Oyster Mushroom! Following their interests in learning more about biology will bring us lots of new experiences in the coming weeks.

Heart

Picture Day! Our friend, Caroline Singletary kindly visited us on a beautiful morning to take photos. The children loved following her around with her camera, and we can’t wait to see the beautiful photos she captured! At the end of our second month, a strong sense of community is forming. Children recognize each others’ parents and siblings at drop off and pickup. A couple of our students love to announce to their friends when their grownups arrive at pickup!  

Hands

Black walnut dye! Two weeks ago, children gathered black walnuts. Utilizing Ashley’s expertise and passions, the children learned to made a dye over two days. Then they took turns carefully adding their bandana to dye pot and stirring . They took their bandanas home Friday; if your child was absent Friday, we have a bandana reserved for them when they return! As always, rain brought lots of mud play! The mud kitchen was a big hit, and we observed lots of house play developing from that. Nat and Reed took muffin pans to the house they created, and built an oven under a log. It’s so sweet to watch them bring their sense of home life to the forest! 

Holism

The students are really gaining resilience on these wet, chilly days. So many children these days simply don’t have the opportunity to navigate challenging weather for hours on end, it’s a real gift to not only learn to feel comfortable, but to find joy in the rain and chilly days! Learning what their body needs (dry clothing? a rest and snack?) is a wonderful skill to build while feeling secure with their educators near to help.  We are not visitors to nature, we are PART of nature!

Fungus, perspective-taking, discovering dyes, and creature compassion - Week 8

Head

The children explored abundant fungi after the wet weather. We’ve been working on identifying fungus, and observing the variety and colors they bring! We identified Joro spiders at our new spot on Friday, since there were so many due to less foot traffic. We talked about the strength and color of their webs, and how there are usually a smaller male and a larger female in the web. We talked about how they arrived here from Asia and that they’re not native to our region. We also explored animal signs in the forest such as deer scat, and a pile of old feathers. The children’s curiosity has gotten more cognitively advanced as they have gotten more at-home in our forest!

Heart

We are happy to see the children strengthening and developing friendships old and new. This week we noticed children checking in with friends without prompts from adults after accidentally hitting them with a stick or when someone falls down. While this may seem simple from our adult vantage point, the reality is that perspective-taking is very difficult for children, even up to the middle elementary ages. So when we see signs of it in early childhood, it’s something to notice and appreciate (—for ourselves, that is! The children don’t need effusive praise for their prosocial behaviors, and in fact it may cheapen their experience of the richness of it.)

Hands

We saw expanding play themes in our mud kitchen play. Nat worked diligently to gather more items such as moss and acorns to mix and layer into his muffins. Students experimented with changing the color of water by adding different items. Maisie found that pine needles change the water yellow! Ashley has decided to expand upon their interest in dyeing by bringing a fabric dyeing project for the children on Tuesday!

Holism

The children are developing such compassion for the creatures in who live in the forest. They are connecting the dots that we have a duty to respect animals and their forest home. Unlike children who visit natural spaces once in a while, and may think of the frogs, bugs, birds, and other visitors as entertainment, our forest kindergarteners are beginning to know who to expect, when to back off from an encounter, and ultimately, how to recognize the interdependence of our human-animals friendships.

Puddles, goodbyes, sewing, and deepening connections with place - Week 6

Head:

This week the children engaged fully with water - including all the cognitive mysteries that emerge from water play! Children conducted their own experiments on whether things sink or float in puddles!

Heart:

This was Yunus’s last week before moving internationally and the week concluded sweetly with hugs and well wishes to him. Our hearts have grown from knowing this sweet boy, his baby brother, and mom and dad. We wish the best to the whole family on their adventure in Germany and can’t wait to hear if they find a “waldkindergarten” there!

Adults talk about “teaching empathy” but the only way that people really learning true empathy is by absorbing it. That’s why it’s so powerful to see children decide THEMSELVES that taking turns (while jumping into puddles!) is the friendliest solution that tends to the most needs. Watching the empathetic solutions that arise in a social setting with this group is powerful!

Hands:

Ashley brought some handiwork for the children and offered beginning sewing lessons on burlap this week! It was a great rainy day activity on the pavilion and will return as a quiet activity for those who need a break from wild forest play in the future. This week Juniper made a pinch pot like her mom taught her! We love seeing families’ home cultures show up in our forest classroom.

Holism:

We are starting to see the magic of the forest kindergarten pedagogy with the shifting weather and seasons. Being at our regular play site during the rain allowed the children to experience it in a new way. We saw lots of really immersing themselves in the environment (quite literally!) and that builds the kind of environmental intimacy that is characteristic of place-based education.




Transformation schema, zombies, music, and skill building -- Week 5

Head 

Our Educators noticed a beautiful theme of “transformation schema” moments this week, so this is a great moment to link to an overview of schema theory here if you’re interested! Briefly, this is a theory of cognitive development that children’s play exhibits certain “urges”. The knowledge gained from this experimental form of play is a building block for understanding how the world works, and it is only accessible when they are developmentally ready to grasp these big new concepts. There has been a recent interest in play that involves transformation and we can see how fully some of the children are exploring this schema because they incorporate it both physically and cognitively. Mixing up pretend healing herb concoctions as a good witch, a child is able to see the physical disintegration and alteration of the plants they smash and pinecones they bash. On another day, during a discussion of what she wants to be when she grows up, Juniper shared earnestly that she wanted to be “a lion or a kitty or something that is a pet”. Our preschool children are hard at work figuring out what kinds of changes are possible, impossible, likely, or unlikely!

Heart

We have seen some big growth in the children’s skills and commitments within their friendships. A notable moment occurred on Friday during a zombie game. Some children were “being zombies” while others had the role of “being scared” of them! As one can imagine, it’s complicated to be a good friend to someone who is sometimes pretending to be scared and sometimes actually BEING scared. There was so much intensity but so much commitment to getting it right. Rather than quitting the game, or doubling down to the roles they were playing, Sarah found that they were receptive to her offer of social coaching (“ideas for what you might say to each other”). They were so eager to communicate what to expect from one another once they had the tools or the reminder. The game carried on in such a way that each child felt they could continue the game safely or choose to leave confidently.

Hands

Some big physical skills seem to captivate a child fully when taught by peers. Sylvan and Luca engaged in a long impromptu coaching session this week. Luca’s goal is to be able to jump up onto a hanging vine like Sylvan. Sylvan showed him over and over how he did it, made suggestions, and congratulated him for getting close! They naturally took turns showing and attempting, and they displayed the kind of perseverance that adults dream of seeing in a learning environment.

We also saw some skillful risk assessment - Nat made a calculated decision to hold a stick with thorns on it, in discussion with Ashley. She asked him what he was planning and he pointed to the areas he would need to hold it, and successfully completed the task he had planned! Risk assessment and skill building - luca trying to learn how to hang on vine with sylvan. We also see children regularly sizing up the gulleys they want to jump across, deciding which portion to jump, what they would land on, whether it’s worth it for what’s on the other side, etc. It’s tempting to stop and talk to them about their risk assessment decisions because you can see the wheels turning but we like to let them get on with their plans and make our best guess from their expressive faces :)

A new favorite spot has emerged, just on the edge of our regular site. Early in the week Amora decided that one upright stump was the engine and all week children have been bringing forest tools (various shaped sticks) over to work on it! The log is also a boat that they take wild rides on, so it’s very important that the engine stays in ship-shape! Seeing their creativity, background knowledge, and problem solving when they’re doing this fine motor work with the engine is so beautiful!

Holism

One day this week when Hamlin brought his guitar he was quietly strumming and Tilly was moved to lay down in the grass and gaze at the sky for a long time. It was one of those spiritually uplifting moments that we felt so grateful to have a place like this for children to learn and grow, deepening their connection with self, others, nature, and the special gift that is music.

Photos: I’m still trying to figure out how to make photo sharing easier for me and more valuable to you! As before, you can still right click and save favorite pics of your child from a computer, not sure about on a mobile device. Thanks for being patient with me! —Sarah












Week 4 in photos!

Our first Rainy Play! - Week 3 recap

What a wonderful week we had in the forest! In keeping with our Head, Heart, Hands, and Holism approach to observation and documentation, here are a few special things we shared in the forest this week.

Head:

As the rain moved through our region this week, we were able to observe many changes in our familiar play areas. The sandy ravine, which is a favorite spot for kitchen play, lended itself to hours of muddy fun. The children took note of new mushrooms and fungi which emerged from the wet ground and logs. A favorite among many of our friends, the American Toad were in abundance in the damp forest, as well as snails, slugs, and earthworms.

Heart:

With so many new creatures to see this week, it is remarkable to observe the children’s care with these delicate animals. Earthworms are gently held, toads are carefully relocated to a safe place. There is a reverence for life the children innately hold.

Caring for living things certainly carries over into the children’s relationships. New friendships are forming, and when a child has a fall or a bump, it’s never long before a friend checks on them. Such empathy and care is being shown during our time together.

Hands:

The children continued to enjoy coconut kefir popsicles and apples for snack each day, and quinoa with colorful vegetables and kraut for lunch. It’s a joy to see exploration continuing with new foods! We have begun to introduce more involvement during clean up after snack and lunch time. Each child has been responsible for putting their own water bottle back in the basket, emptying their bowl, and adding their bowl to the stack so it may be washed. It’s wonderful to see this sense of rhythm and responsibility beginning to form.

Holism:

We’ve been fortunate to have Sarah join us a little more than usual this week! Sarah has led us in a half sun salutation during circle time each morning. This, along with our morning song, has become a beautiful way to begin our day with a quiet in-breath together before our big out-breath at play!

We also invited children to thank the forest when we exited the trail this week. It was noteworthy to hear how many of them said thanks for “letting me break sticks”, “letting me destroy the log on the ground”, etc. There seemed to be some implicit understanding that their acts of (minor!) destruction were a gift from the forest, only made possible interdependent, responsible relationships with nature!

⭐️Please help us keep track of water bottles, and extra rain gear and clothing by labeling your child’s belongings! ⭐️

Educating the whole child - Week 2 reflections

David Sobel, a prominent voice promoting nature education in the U.S., describes 4 components to holistic education: "head, heart, hands, and holism”. We know that the very nature of being outdoors, in community, with young and curious brains leads to holistic learning. but we also know that by reflecting intentionally with this framework, our Educators can translate their time with the children into a meaningful format for families to understand what holistic education looks like in the forest.

Head 

This week the children expanded upon their curiosity about insects and amphibians! The children looked at a lot of spiders, found cicadas, Naia found a very magical looking cicada wing, we discovered small frogs DAILY, William identified Joro spiders for the whole group, and we found crickets and grasshoppers live in the grass! We also made transparent with the children our decision to move to a new play site to avoid needle ants. Kylie brought butterfly wings to invite children to pretend to be butterflies. The children showed how they might collect nectar and spread pollen. Kylie also brought a terrarium on Friday and the children took a closer look at American Toads. Nat finds and catches them with great ease and great vigor :)

One of the most powerful moments of planning and effort that Sarah saw this week happened on Tuesday when a group of 5 children decided to try to dig up a rock that was peeking out of the dirt. They invited others to join them, made a plan, talked about whether it would be ok for the forest, and then worked for approximately 15 minutes straight digging with sticks to remove a rock buried in the dirt! It’s an honor to hold the space needed for them to create their own plans for the day.

Heart 

The most heart warming part of our first full week was to watch the children deepen their care of one another. If someone gets hurt there are always at least two or three other children who flock over to check on them and offer words of encouragement! As they become more comfortable being separated from their families for the half-day program, it seems that the familial relationships between children grows. Just like in any relationship, when ruptures happen we know it’s important to facilitate repair. Rather than requiring children to say “sorry” to one another, we typically facilitate conversation about feelings and specific requests for how to make things better and move forward!

 Hands 

The children’s love playing in the sand at our new site! The mud kitchen tools have become sand kitchen tools as well. They have been making ice cream, making birthday cakes for each other and delivering them, with song! They’ve been leaping across the “ravine” on the site too, strengthening their planning skills and their muscles. Lastly, the children have contributed real help to the arduous task of getting all supplies back to the pavilion at the end of the day! They are invited to carry their own backpack for that final hike before lunch, and many proudly accept the duty.

Holism (spiritual/.ecological/interdependence)

We see so much deepening compassion for each other and for our special piece of land. We have begun to incorporate these values into our morning circle by singing a traditional Waldorf morning song, greeting all the creatures and features of the land. We are part of nature, not just visitors. Learn the song here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfSmzx0LG8M