AFC BIRCH: Outside the forest

Friday, September 13, 2019

Outside the forest

Today I spent most of my time outside the forest. At first it was lonely as all the children ran into the forest as they do everytime we visit. I sat and heard lots of laughter and friends asking friends to follow them or "come this way. " There was lots of joy happening.

Gradually one or two children ventured back out searching for a friend, going down another path or waving sticks as they walked. Eventually a few peers came and sat down next to me to rest. One began to build a bunny home.

"They are my pets. Here's the bunny food. I'm keeping the bunny's nice and soft so they like their house. I have to make it for them. No one else is making them a house. When we leave the bunny's will day "We love our house!""

More friends came out of the forest and up to where the small group was sitting. Many friends had some type of nature item in their hands. As you know we have been exploring deconstruction and construction of nature. The children were questioning what they had found and what could be inside.

"I think its a coconut."
"No, coconuts are brown."
"But this one's green."
"We can't make juice with it."
"Let's put this in our collection and we can crack it open."

Another friend brought another 'thing' up from the forest. "It fell out of a tree. Maybe its what Ms. Katie found."

We also found a beautiful red mushroom. A few friends began talking about how there are mushrooms that are safe to touch and ones that are not. We brought it back in a plastic glove to ask Ms. Katie, our nature expert. After some research we decided that it was safe to touch but not to eat.

It is always fun to be in the forest, but lots can happen too when you take the time to sit outside and observe your surrounds. You never know what you might find!

Then while in the forest friends worked together to dig out a very large stick. They were super proud of themselves!