The class started their afternoon by playing game of ‘keeper of the keys’. They took turns to have a blindfold and had to creep up silently to retrieve some keys from a metal bowl. It took care and stealth to do it successfully!
The children then had a go at printing with the plants and flowers to deepen their learning of different spring plants. They all smelled ground ivy and garlic mustard which are growing on the site. They made some leaf prints by folding plants in fabric and hitting them with a hammer onto wood to create prints from the juices inside the plants.
The children extended their ideas by decorating the wood further and making signs for the bug hotel. They want to continue this next time, so will hopefully use tools to construct small boxes with their decorated wood to add to the bug hotel.
The Impact of Forest School for the children is the knowledge the children have gained from the Forest School experience. The impact can be seen through the skills gained, tools used, art and craft activities, observations and knowledge of the fruit, plants and trees in relation to the seasons and the skills involved in learn-ing how to play Forest School games.
The rest of the afternoon saw Maples following their own ideas and interests.
Some of the children went off to explore what evidence of animals they could find. There were different footprints in the mud by the pond. They thought they might be a squirrel, badger, duck and other bird prints. Hopefully next time we can use plaster of paris to take casts of the prints to keep.
There was of lots of tree climbing as well as swinging on the tyre swing and hammock.
Some of the children continued to dig in their giant hole using sticks and trowels! They worked out how to add water to their mud and mix it to make clay.
Dormouse brought in a tree to plant, so with spades and extra compost they planted it together by the shelter area.
Some children made bows with string and freshly cut willow from the pond area. They tried to learn how to tie knots.
It is great to see the confidence in self-chosen activities at Forest School developing in all of the children.
The class were asked what their favourite Forest School experience was:
“I like making dens and different bases with my friends”
“I liked making paint from berries the best”
“I like being in nature”
“I like the mud kitchen “
“I like making things with clay, models and animals”
“I really liked making the bug hotel and making it bigger and drawing signs for it”
“ I like all of it!”
