AFC BIRCH: forest joy

So much fun was had in the forest today. Children were truly immersed in nature and in their play with one another. Everywhere I looked I could see groups of friends together. And everywhere I listened, I heard stories, laughter, and joy.

Come along and visit the forest with us today. I bet you will find joy here as well.

ESE, and HW you came up to me an roared a mighty roar! You told me you were "friendly little green dinosaurs" and invited me to join you on your adventure. How could I turn down an invitation like that?!

We climbed up SO many trees, we stomped up and down each and every path, we stopped and "roared" with friends, and we had an amazing time together! We even discovered some surprises along the way. "I didn't know sticks could be a LETTER!!!!!" "Hey! This leaf looks like a 'circle-heart" ESE

You were indeed a friendly dinosaur, ESE, because you took care to make sure I was safe as we walked along! You frequently called out for me to "watch out" for a low branch, or "be careful" if there was an obstacle ahead. You even waited and gallantly held the branches aside for me to pass through. You are the BEST dinosaur I've ever met!

No matter what the play contains, we always notice the beauty and wonder of nature around us. The leaves are creating an amazing show of color and we couldn't help but be drawn to them today. While many are gone from the tree tops and are scattered beneath our feet, there are still SO many still hanging on tight. This gives us the feeling of being completely surrounded by their beauty.

"Hey Ms L, look at this cool leaf I found!" JA

I wonder which one of these trees it came from?

"Not this one!" JA

"Look at this cool thing I found!" JI

Your face says it all! Nature is overflowing with cool things!

With the recent rain our logs have given us a new and different discovery. It is soft and velvety, and almost translucent. It is an amazing wonder.

"It looks like a brain! I think it's a brain from a giant bug." ESE

"Ms L Look at this GIANT leaf! It's so big!" DM

It is so big it almost covers your entire head!

One of the neatest discoveries in the forest are these "air potatoes". As we tell the children when we find anything growing, these aren't "people potatoes, they are animal potatoes". Their resemblance to the potatoes we eat is incredible, and makes them a perfect natural loose part for creating forest stories!

LB, you are some friends were so excited to pick these. You wanted to bring them back to the classroom to use as a nature material

When you brought the to show me, your friend MT came over. She had just discovered something fun and different on the forest floor. Your discovery, and her discovery were made for one another!

"Nature soup!"

You both began collecting bits of this and that to add to your recipe and then you would come back and show me.

AP, you noticed the excitement and came and got my hand climbing up on the log next to me. As your friends continued to make their soup I began singing one of our "sticks" songs...but I changed the words just a tiny bit.

"stir, stir,stir the soup. Stir, stir, stir the soup. Stir, stir, stir the soup. Stir the soup my darlin."

Your whole face lit up and you eagerly requested "my turn!"

Stir the soup my darlin'!

ET, you went on a great adventure today with Ms N ALL throughout the forest!

These friends were hanging out in the tree.

Tell me the story that is happening here? I asked

"I'm a monkey!" MT

"I'm a monkey!" RM

"I'm a kitten." CF

"Can you be the alligator?!" MT

I knew exactly what you wanted! Five Little Monkeys is one of your favorite songs to act out in the forest.

Five little monkeys swingin' in the tree. Teasing Mr. Alligator "Can't catch me!" Along came Mr Alligator hungry as can be. And he SNATCHED that monkey right out of that tree!