This term Willows have a new learning journey- ‘Splash- What do you know about water?’ So we started our session by going to explore the two ponds at school.
The children each had a magnifying pot to look closely and had a go with a net to catch some of the pond life they found. With an identification chart the children managed to catch and identify damsel fly larvae, dragonfly larvae and some pond skaters.
They were very curious and engaged with observing the pond life and discussing what they had found, enriching and developing their vocabulary. The children found that there was a lot more wildlife in the pond at the forest school area and quietly approached it as there were three ducks who look very at home there.
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.
Lots of the children spent time playing in the den which is evolving in the wild area of our site. They moved lots of wood and enjoyed the physical challenge of climbing on the fallen tree. They then went on to create a ‘circus’ under a tarpaulin, moved logs for the audience to sit on and gave out dock leaf tickets. They performed a story they had made up about a sheep being rescued by a doctor! Very entertaining!
There was lots of digging in the big hole at the back of the site and playing in the mud kitchen with saucepans and water.
Some of the children had a go at the 3 in a row, ladybird noughts and crosses game. They ended up making their own rules and patterns and then went off to hide some other painted stones for Chestnuts class to find next time.
Well done Willows class for such a busy and engaged afternoon.
