We had the best week exploring in the forest! We observed acorns floating and sinking in water, and learned why some sink and some float (ask your student!), created rooms and a “friendship house” using fabric and strips of material, found fascinating fungi, heard an interactive story told by Anna, observed all the new plants springing up around us, and finished the avocado pit dye for fabric dyeing! Thank you all for all that you do for our community, we appreciate you, and hope you all have the most wonderful spring break!
WEEK 31: Winter -> Summer
Week 30 - prisms and campfires
What a wonderful week with our forest friends! This week was full of exploration and togetherness. We explored the field and garden, prisms and light, black walnut ink and quills, mushrooms and worms, built a fire, and shared stories.
We’re wishing you all a beautiful weekend, and can’t wait to see you Tuesday!
Week 29 - Spring flowers and a birthday
We began the week by spending the whole day at the ravine, a favorite play site we’ve walked to many times. The ravine is full of mossy rocks, lots of logs to climb on, and a sand pit! We found snails, spring blossoms and plants, and earthworms! The forest seems to be waking up after a winter’s sleep!
On Wednesday, we returned to the ravine for more play. We celebrated Bea’s fourth birthday, and several friends teamed up to make her a beautiful mud cake, complete with a stick candle for her to blow out. The students are so busy at the ravine! They spend the morning climbing up and down the logs and rocks, gathering onion grass and moss, and carrying bowls of water to create everything from mud kitchen soup to popcorn.
Thursday we braced for cooler, drizzly weather, but were surprised to have really lovely weather instead! After the wind and rain last Friday, we discovered the stump that had been propping up the namesake Fallen Oak from the Fallen Oak Site had been damaged. Sadly, the Fallen Oak wasn’t safe to play on anymore. Although we had been happily spending time in other places in the forest, Sandy Creek Park staff kindly helped us move the Fallen Oak so we could return to play. The students were very open and receptive to the Fallen Oak’s new position on the ground, and quickly made a “playground” from the limbs and pieces. We’re grateful for all the climbing, bravery, and imaginative play the Fallen Oak gave us while it was propped in its former position, but we’re also thankful to witness these natural shifts and new opportunities.
We closed out our week together with a day at the Visitor Center. The weather was much more mild than expected, and we were able to spend a lot of time in the field and garden. Indoors, we baked banana bread for snack (we have some pro banana mashers in the group!), made collages with mixed materials, and played! Thank you all for a wonderful week with your amazing children!
Week 28: fairies + sun + seeds
Week 27 - spring energy and whittling
Spring is in the air, and there has been such a spring-like quality to the students this week! The students’ play has been rich and varied as they’ve been able to shed some winter layers this week!
Much like the children, we are noticing the forest wake up from the winter months. Tiny leaves are beginning to emerge, and forest creatures from snails to birds have become active again. We spent lots of time this week bird watching and listening to the birds around us. Field guides and binoculars have been welcome tools, as well as just a quiet spot to sit and observe.
Another big interest this week has been building and creating new structures! Two pirate ships have been built, as well as a communal house, complete with a door fashioned from a play silk. The students have been so collaborative while creating these structures, and it’s been wonderful to observe their problem solving skills.
We introduced beginning whittling to a few interested students this week, and plan to incorporate extra tools next week, as interest expands. We use simple vegetable peelers for peeling bark off of twigs, which is such a big experience for this age!
We’ve been dreaming up a spring garden, and look forward to a garden day next week, as we prepare for spring planting!
As always, we wish you all a wonderful weekend of togetherness, and we’ll see you next week!
Week 26 - Birds and Valentine’s Day
We had such an exciting week together! Valentine’s Day celebrations, bird studies, interesting weather, and so many wonderful moments of community. It’s wonderful to have Theo back with us after his tonsillectomy, and Caroline back after her travels to San Diego to see the seal pups! You may have met our new part time educator, Mia on Thursday and Friday this week. Mia will join us regularly as a substitute teacher, and we are so happy to have her enthusiastic nature in the community! On a similar note, thank you for warmly welcoming our future student, Kai and his family at pickup on Friday! Kai will join us beginning Tuesday, 2/28. We’re wishing you all a lovely (perhaps long) weekend, and will see you next week!
Week 25 - Sunshine + Rain showers
We had a wonderful day in the forest on Tuesday! The weather was so beautiful, and the children were all able to get into some great play at the fallen oak site.
A group of students spent over an hour focusing on building fairy houses, complete with gardens, spy cameras, and tiny furniture!
Another group of students spent the morning putting on parties! Building parties, dance parties, singing parties, climbing parties! We noticed how collaborative the children were, really enjoying bringing other into their games!
Another theme we took note of was problem-solving, both in the environment and emotionally. The children take such good care of each other!
Wednesday themes:
• Play silks became cat fur • Building with sticks • Binoculars and bird field guides • Freeze dance • Mud cake and mud cupcakes • Compromise • Paper bowl umbrellas • Paper bowl lamps • Sharing • “House” • Spiderman •
Thursday was an adventurous day! We dodged heavier rain and we’re able to take a walk to the ravine the students have loved playing in lately! Unlike last week, we didn’t find a stream running through the ravine, but did find lots of moss, snails, and sandy soil…not to mention a juvenile Red Bellied Watersnake on the trail! Thank you to Marc for your wonderful help as our Forest Helper, and to Graham for bringing a nourishing lunch!
Friday began with a very exciting visit from a landscaping truck near the drop off area! We watched as our park friend, Berto, dumped a load of mulch into the parking lot!
Once we arrived at the Crow’s Nest, some friends made a pretend campfire with firewood and playsilks. They gathered sticks to roast pretend marshmallows. We took a walk to the ravine again, in search of a stream left by the rain. We didn’t find a stream, but we did find slugs, sand, and lots of moss again! We hiked back up the big hill just in time for Sarah to bring lunch.
Notes from Eva!:
Students enjoyed making volcanoes and caves in the sand pit; Jamie found a giant worm and was brave enough to pick it up and show her friends! The day finished off with a fun game of finding dinosaur bones and fossils in the sticks and rocks around the pick-up area. Though students’ bodies may get tired after a long morning of playing in the forest, their imaginations never do.
We’re wishing you all a fantastic weekend, and can’t wait to see you next week!
Week 24- giant puddles and slugs
We had a smaller group on Tuesday and missed our friends who weren’t with us! The group stayed cozy at the crow’s nest, playing nearby, until we took a hike to a nearby ravine! We found a temporary stream made by all the recent rain, and enjoyed some very good water play before drying off for lunch! Leo discovered deer tracks in the sand by the stream, and Caroline and Jaime found snail shells, crystals, and jelly fungus! Thank you to Jessie for being such a wonderful Forest Helper!
Wednesday, we returned to play at the Fallen Oak! Our good friend Eva, and our practicum students, Anna and Kylee joined us for a wonderful day of play in the warmer temperatures.
Students found lots of jelly fungus, snails and slugs, and lichen. They’re becoming so familiar with this forest and are quick to identify the plants and creatures they play beside day after day.
Thursday was a building day in response to the combination of rainy weather and cooler temperatures. We find when we’re able to balance challenging weather with comfort, the children are much happier and able to settle into their play.
During our time indoors, we explored homemade playdoh with various utensils, chopped apples to make baked apples for snack, worked on floor puzzles, and had a freeze dance party!
After snack, we put on rain gear, ventured outdoors for a walk and discovered the most giant puddles! The students had so much fun splashing and playing until it was time to head inside, dry off, and have lunch together!
Many thanks to Hala for joining us as Forest Helper on Thursday!
Friday was another muddy, fun day! The students enjoyed playing in and experimenting with the water that was streaming down the trail from the rain early that morning.
The sunshine was a very welcome addition to the day, and seemed to bring a more relaxed feel to the morning. We enjoyed having Eva and her playful spirit back with us in the forest!
The children had some really wonderful, imaginative games going in the forest. We overheard a few students playing “office”, dragons, and as always superheroes with capes!
The students explored with binoculars and magnifying glasses, and we’re looking forward to introducing additional bird field guides next week!
Week 23: shadows + ice + puddles + soup
Words of the day on Tuesday:
Ice flowers. Curiosity. Melt. Mud. Tea. Weave. Shadows.
Words of the day on Wednesday:
Puddles. Blocks. Quinoa. Mud. Splash. Wind. Bones. Fur. Puzzles.
Words of the day on Thursday:
Cold. Wind. Caring. Friends. Blankets.
Words of the day on Friday:
Exciting. Community. Sharing. Chopping. Warm. Fire. Revitalizing. Grateful. Sunshine!
Week 22: clouds + rain + mud
We started this week together in an unusual and very special way…on a Monday! Thank you to all who came to volunteer with us at Sweet Olive Farm, a local animal sanctuary on Monday to honor Dr. King’s idea of a “day on” for the community! We were tasked with picking up sticks in an animal enclosure and taking them near a bonfire to be burned and cleared away. We shared space with several pigs and hogs, alpaca, and donkeys! Sweet Olive Farm is a fantastic place to visit if your family ever needs a local adventure!
Tuesday was a very rainy day and we are so thankful for Jessie being with us as a forest helper and Eva as a substitute.
Due to the rain, we played at the crow’s nest and used mud kitchen bowls to collect water. Students were so excited about the different pitches of “pings” as the water hit the bowls.
For students who wanted to stay warm and dry, we made a cost tent nest for reading and art set up on crow’s nest.
Wednesday was another rainy and overcast day at the fallen oak. After being out for over a week, Juniper was back in the forest!
All the rain has brought out even more slugs and worms than we are used to seeing on a daily basis. Caroline pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil to document two slugs that were on a large stump.
After over a year and a half of having Hamlin as a part-time educator, we are saddened to see him move on to bigger and better things. He has been such an amazing educator for our students!
Thank you to Hala for all your help in the forest and Sarah for bringing our lunch.
It was a wet and muddy Thursday this week! Mud pies, mud slides, mud painting, mud face paint…we did it all!
Trees became wolves, and could only be warded off by pizza, which could thankfully be made in the mud kitchen!
Many students spent time under the shelter of the crow’s nest, drawing, looking at books, and playing dress up with silks. We read a special book about the Lunar New Year and how millions of people will celebrate this holiday on January 22 this year!
Thank you to Hala and to Graham for your fantastic help in the forest and at lunchtime!
Friday brought us some much appreciated sunshine, and back to the fallen oak to play. It was wonderful to have Christina back in the forest, so many of our friends are really enjoying spending time with her!
On our way to the play site, we found coyote scat on the trail. It was packed with fur and what the students initially believed were sticks. Upon further observation, they realized it was packed with bones rather than sticks!
We have been observing lots of lichen in then winter woods lately. Caroline wondered if lichen is a parasite to trees, which was such an interesting question!
We enjoyed a hearty and warm oatmeal snack Friday with the options of applesauce, almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, cinnamon, and honey as toppings.
Nate spent a large part of the morning building a structure with imaginary drills, hammers, screws, and nails.
Several friends asked to explore one of the camping shelters near the play site, where they invented a game of find-the-stick, and made “sand castles” in the sandier terrain.
Week 21-wind and teamwork
Tuesday brought us a sunny, warm afternoon after a chilly morning! We welcomed Jessie, Leo’s mom, for her first Forest Helper session, and Kylie’s children, Matilda and Silas, joined us to play!
A coffee shop (complete with mochas and dark roast!) popped up at the play site, mud kitchen play turned into building elaborate fairy houses, and human-sized structures were built from sticks.
Kylie read Yoga Bear and Yoga Whale by Sarah Jane Hinder and several friends jumped into forest yoga!
At snack time, we enjoyed reading Plants that Never Ever Bloom by Ruth Heller. We learned about some of the earliest plants on earth, and the way fungi use spores to reproduce instead of seeds!
Eva and Hamlin joined us on Wednesday, and although we had a smaller class and missed the friends who were away, we had a very fun and explorative day! Lots of friends have been enjoying experimenting with finding safe distances to jump from various stumps and logs.
A few friends worked together to create paintbrushes from bundles of pine needles and painted their “treehouse” with a mixture of water and mud!
We enjoyed a lunch together of quinoa, great northern beans, baby spinach, and sauerkraut. The students have really been enjoying a new staple of circle time, “sharing the news”! Each child has a turn to share their news, or something on their mind. It’s so wonderful to hear what they have to share, and they’re doing such a wonderful job of giving each other their attention and practicing patience while their friends share!
On Thursday, the wind made for an exciting day to play with silk kites! Students took turns waving silks around on sticks and catching the wind in the cloth. Before long, the silks were taken off of the sticks and became capes. Climbing trees as super heros became a common theme among friends.
We also spent time in the garden, harvesting tiny carrots and radishes that made it through the cold snap.
We moved inside after snack time when it became a little windier outside. We borrowed a Mammal discovery box from Sandy Creek Nature Center for students to explore during our indoor time. The box is filled with information and learning opportunities about mammals, from furs and pelts, skulls and skeletons, and books and puzzles! So far we’ve explored bear fur, a beaver pelt and skull, leopard fur, a mammal puzzle, and a preserved field mouse!
An extra special invitation to bake bread was offered on our indoor day. We read Good Bread by Anne Moller and Brigitte Weninger, which took us through the process of bread making from the planting and harvesting of the grain to enjoying the bread with loved ones. Ask your child more about how we made it!
Students worked on fine motor skills by creating their own board game using pegs from a battleship board game and placing them the game board in their own inventive ways.
Friday’s cold, residual wind brought us to the Crow’s Nest for extra shelter. We enjoyed a warm snack of oatmeal and the bread we baked the during our indoor day, which was a huge hit! Several students banded together as forest superheroes and chanted, “Save our city!” together. We’ve noticed so much caring and cooperation between the students lately. Their connections are very strong at this point in the school year, it’s just so very special!
Here is the recipe we used for the yummy bread this week, if you’d like to try it at home! This is such a simple, low-mess way to make quick bread with kiddos! Happy baking!
We’re wishing everyone a cozy weekend! Stay tuned for an updated location for the optional MLK day of service on Monday! An email and update on the Trailhead are to follow.
Week 20-jelly fungus and friendships
We are so happy to be back together in the forest after a long winter break! We had a short week, but a very sweet one.
Thursday brought us back to the Fallen Oak play site. The students enjoyed exploring the water left on the trail from the storms earlier in the week. Dams were built, puddles were splashed in, and many mud pies were made.
We began a new flow to lunchtime, which the children were so receptive to! We’re truly loving our new family-style meal time, where we are able to sit together at tables, and share a quieter moment as we fill our bellies with good food!
On Friday, we welcomed a new Forest Helper and Teaching Fellow, Christina! The students helped Christina find their favorite places in the forest, and loved listening to her read My Self, Your Self at snack and storytime.
We explored lots of jelly fungus, new friendships, and balancing in the forest. The children used their incredible imaginations to create structures and ships from sticks, and worked together to reach common goals.
This is such a special group of curious and kind kids. We’re so inspired by watching them grow and blossom in this natural space!
We wish you all a fantastic weekend, and can’t wait to see you next week!
Week 19-The last week of fall!
What a fantastic last week before break!
Tuesday brought us to the fallen oak site with Eva! We noticed lots of deep imaginative play in the group…who knew this group had so many superpowers?!
On Wednesday, we had a very special day celebrating Huck’s birthday!! Happy 4th birthday to Huck, and thank you to Christine for bringing warm cinnamon apples to share!
Thursday’s wet weather brought the opportunity for experimentation with water along the trail. The students worked together to move rocks to create dams, pools, and to change the direction of the water. Some of our friends invented “mud mittens” by painting their hands with red mud!
Friday was a fantastic wrap up to a great semester. In circle time, we talked about the break, how we’ll be away from school for a bit, and wished each other safe travels and fun adventures!
We are so grateful for all of you and this vibrant community! We can’t wait to see you all in the new year!
Week 18-Mud and fog
Photo blog!!
Please enjoy a whole slew of photos from a very muddy week of forest kindergarten!
Mud slides were created, trees and root balls were climbed, bands were formed with pots and pans (Kitty Trouble if you want to find them on Spotify), fairies and their abodes were searched for, a first tooth was lost (congratulations, Caroline!), and community and friendships were nurtured.
We’re wishing you all a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
Week 17-Music and numbers
How happy we all were to reunite in the forest after the thanksgiving break! The students got right back to their play and the energy was wonderful!
On Tuesday, we began a student-led photography project, which we can’t wait to share with you more soon! We have some talented and thoughtful photographers in the group!
Wednesday’s early morning storm brought us to the visitor center for a field and garden day. We worked in the garden, planting potatoes and pulling weeds. Several students took advantage of the good climbing trees around the garden, and encouraged their smaller friends as well. Sarah made an extra yummy lunch using roasted sweet potatoes, barley, a salad, and black eyed peas, which the kids really loved!
Thursday was spent at the Crow’s Nest. We lit a fire to stay warm and explored the surrounding area. There was an impromptu band practice after gathering sticks and pots and pans from the mud kitchen! Leo and Huck built an elaborate fire truck complete with dozens of controls on a fallen log. At snacktime, the children began a discussion with each other about counting and numbers, which led to exploring addition! When their curiosity grew to larger numbers, we gathered acorn caps to use as a manipulative to help really visualize the numbers. Their true joy of learning is so wonderful to see!
Friday, we returned to the fallen oak forest site for a beautiful day of play. The interest in music and song continued as we taught each other new songs and sang to friends! Another common theme we’ve noticed is art! We’ve noticed the children gaining new perspective in their art and making more and more elaborate drawings. They really love to share with their teachers the details of their drawings, whether from their amazing imagination or something they have observed in the forest!
We’re wishing you all a wonderful weekend full of rest, togetherness, and small adventures!
Week 16 - Friendship and Cold Weather
Tuesday’s cold and rain brought a wonderful opportunity for resilience-building among the students. We cozied up at picnic shelter three for the first time this year with a fire, chamomile tea, and a warm snack of oatmeal. The students took advantage of rainy puddles and rain dripping from the roof to make mud kitchen creations. Thank you for layering your children so well on Tuesday, it really makes a difference in their comfort and ability to play on challenging weather days!
Wednesday we had Hamlin with us while Ashley was off for a personal day. Hamlin played a game of chase that the children really loved and recreated in the forest and brought back at the end of the day. There was a big release of energy and happy moods today after the challenging weather day yesterday!
At lunch Wednesday we had sautéed broccoli, including the stalk which was a hit for many of the kids. They noticed that the stalk (cut into large discs) had shapes like stars, hearts, etc. based on their natural variation in shapes.
Thursday brought lots of large motor practice and play. Following Kylie’s lead, several children climbed the fallen White Oak tree to a place just a bit higher than they have before. We noticed the students thoughtfully navigating the more challenging climb, trying new skills, and asking for support when needed!
Friday was such a full and fun day! The children had SO much fun at the Friendship Feast, and the teachers love to see what they bring as their favorite foods! What a wide, varied pallet these kiddos have! Aside from the feast, we ventured out on a hike, which led to more picking up of litter. While on our hike, the students found a forest slide on the side of a ravine. They loved sliding down and landing in the piles of leaves below!
We are so very grateful for all of our Forest Kindergarten families, and we hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving break! Remember we are not meeting next week, and return to school on 11/29!
Week 15 - Photography, wind, and a big leaf pile!
Despite being a shortened week due to wind conditions, we had a wonderful three days together!
On Tuesday, we observed such peaceful resolution of conflict between students. We have noticed the children asking for needs rather than immediately getting upset about an interaction or way that a friend is playing. This communication between the students shows such social-emotional growth in the group!
The teachers have also noticed that “everyone plays with everyone”. Groups of students who weren’t playing with others at the beginning of the year seem to be opening up to playing with other students.
A photography invitation has been offered to students this week! Students will be given a camera to take photos of things and people around the forested playsite. We’ll print the photos and offer different mediums (needle and thread, clay, paint, etc…) to recreate a photo of the student’s choice to further tell the story of a day in the forest at AFK.
Spotlight on morning circle!
We’d love to give you a glimpse into what is discussed during a typical morning circle. After gathering together and sitting in a circle, we may discuss:
What is the weather?
What are you wearing to prepare for the weather?
Who are your grownups at AFK today?
Does anyone have any news to share today?
This Tuesday, Orora shared about seeing the moon. Other kids shared and expanded on the topic, talking about Jupiter, and other space themes.
Lunch on Tuesday was quinoa, red kidney beans, Collective Harvest salad greens with poppyseed dressing, kraut, roasted butternut squash, yogurt, and “sprinkles”!
Thank you to Eva and Jung Ho for helping us in the forest!
On Wednesday, the students began rebuilding the shelter that was deconstructed on Tuesday. This is quite a task, as many of the sticks are heavy and the construction requires lots of teamwork and communication!
We spotted a shiny birthday balloon in the forest, which prompted a talk about litter, caring for our environment, and a “litter walk” to be sure no other pieces of trash were floating around the forest!
Have your children ever wondered what happens to all that compost we collect? Oftentimes, it ends up feeding chickens! Here’s is a photo of Kylie’s chickens enjoying all our yummy leftovers!
Thank you Joni for being our forest helper Wednesday!
A sneak-peak of Kylie’s chickens turning students’ leftovers into eggs!
On Thursday, we had a day at the visitor center due to a wind advisory. We were able to spend most of the morning outside, tending the fall garden and playing with silks in the windy field. The park staff were so kind to make a huge leaf pile for us as they were leaf blowing this morning! We harvested a handful of radishes which we shared at lunchtime! Once indoors, the children enjoyed visiting “stations” of activities. Puzzles, games, art supplies, and dress up clothes are all brought out during rare days we need to be indoors. Thank you to Graham for being a fantastic lunch helper on Thursday!
We’re wishing you all a cozy weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
Week 14 - falling leaves and lots of mud!
The group had a wonderful return to the forest after an exciting Halloween weekend! We gathered at the Crow’s Nest for mud play, lots of art at the picnic tables, and to rinse the walnut dyed fabric and yarn in the dye pot. Thank you to Jung Ho for being a fabulous Forest Helper!
We returned to our play site at the fallen White Oak on Wednesday. A very light drizzle visited us for a minute or two, but under the canopy of the trees everyone stayed dry! We decided to have lunch under the Crow’s Nest in case of more drizzle, and Sarah delivered our most colorful lunch to date! We went through the colors of the rainbow, noticing which colors we could find in our lunch (every color but blue!). Thank you, Joni, for being a wonderful forest helper!
Thursday was spent at the fallen oak; climbing, running, building a house, and finding lots of acorns. Jessie jumped in to be forest helper at the last minute (THANK YOU!) since Ashley’s son wasn’t feeling his best. In the forest, many friends laid in the leaves and waited for a freshly fallen leaf to fall on them. It was a peaceful, warm day!
It was another cool morning in the forest at the fallen oak on Friday. Eva, A.B., and Kylie were in the forest with the students. A.B. and many other students created a game called “Race Mountain.” The logs were no longer slick from Monday’s rain, so there was a lot of climbing and balancing on the fallen oak and other large logs in the play area.
We were proud of the children for managing small conflicts this week. On Friday in particular Eva noted some instances where children were disagreeing. She stood back and watched and waited and they either resolved the conflict or agreed-to-disagree. Great emotion regulation!
Week 13 - Black walnut dye and Forest festivities
The first step of our walnut dye project this week was collecting the black walnuts on Tuesday morning! Here Liddy, Jamie, and Leo play a game they invented called “Leaf Head”!
On Wednesday we read “Our Skin”, which is part of our First Conversations curriculum. You can read more about that wonderful book series on our website.
On Wednesday, we found gigantic leaves after Tuesday night’s rainstorm. Kylie shared with us the ways leaves may grow much larger than normal to absorb the most sunlight possible from a shady location.
A handful of students took turns snapping photos with Kylie’s phone. Enjoy this brilliant “kid photography”’!
We had a magical day of making on Thursday! The group worked together to prepare for and build a fire to both keep us cozy and to heat the black walnuts to make dye. We continued our fire safety discussion, raked the leaves away from the fire ring, and gathered various sizes of twigs and limbs. Kylie demonstrated “catching a spark” with flint and steel, and we ended up with a beautiful pot of rich, brown dye.
We had the most festive Friday! Forest dress up was a hit, and the students took turns dressing up in various costumes! On the way to the forest site, we stopped at the crows nest to check on the black walnut dye. We talked about the hypotheses given yesterday about what color dye the black walnuts (which are green!) might produce. Yellow, pink, brown, and black were among the guesses, and they students were thrilled when the dye pot lid was removed to reveal the answer! We removed the black walnuts, and the children took turns gently pressing wool yarn and cotton fabric into the dye. When we come back together on Tuesday, we’ll rinse the fibers in the pot. The yarn will be used for handwork projects and the fabric will be used for the Autumn piece of the phenology wheel.
We’re wishing you all a safe and very fun Halloween weekend!