To start the afternoon, Willows shared their knowledge about autumn and how the leaves fall from the trees. Each child had a stick and went and collected lots of different types of leaves and put them onto the stick to make a leaf kebab. We talked about looking closely at the shapes of the leaves as a way of identifying them. We found many different colours— curvy oak leaves, yellow birch leaves, red cherry leaves and some heart shaped leaves.
The children played a game of ‘beetle tag’ on the field. They took turns in being beetles and birds and had to try not being tagged, by showing agility and being able to run, turn, stop and dodge. When they got tagged the children had to lie on their backs like beetles with their arms and legs in the air! It was great to see teamwork and turn taking during the game. Well done Willows.
The children listened to the story of ‘Leaf Man’ who goes where the wind blows.
They then had a go at using palm drills to try to drill holes in conkers and acorns. The children showed good perseverance with drilling and then threading them onto pipe cleaners. Willows were good at counting how many they had drilled and threaded. They then hung them up in the Forest School shelter. The children were then inspired to put their drilled conkers on sticks which they put into a pumpkin. They found feathers and their leaf kebabs which they decorated the pumpkin with also.
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, tools used, art and craft activities, observations and knowledge of the fruit, plants trees in relation to the seasons and the skills involved in learning how to play Forest School games.
Then the children had the chance to choose their own exploration and play. They spent a long time playing in the mud kitchen with acorns. Lots of them enjoyed exploring the bug hotel and in the fallen tree area.
Willows ended their session by passing ‘Stick Man’ round the circle and sharing what they had enjoyed about the afternoon.
“I liked swinging on the hammock”
“I liked playing the beetle game”
“I liked playing in the mud kitchen”
“I liked drilling the conkers and making them to hang on the tree”
“I liked collecting leaves”