As soon as the children in Willow Class arrived in the classroom this morning, there was a real buzz of excitement about going to Forest School. They were full of questions about what they would be doing and what activities were waiting for them. We channelled all that enthusiasm and set off for the woods, ready for another day of exploring, creating and learning outdoors.
Just like Lilac Class did the previous week, our first challenge was to look carefully at the environment and see whether we could spot any signs of autumn. We thought about how the landscape, plants and trees had changed since their last visit during the summer term. The children certainly made good use of the walk, travelling very speedily, with many choosing to run and use up some of their energy along the way! We spotted a few blackberries that were now shrivelled and some red ones that weren’t ready. Willow were great at spotting conker husks and we talked about some of the yellowing leaves that were beginning to show. There were more signs of autumn this week, giving us lots to talk about as we made our way to the woods.
Once we arrived, we gathered around the fire to talk through the activities available. As our supply of blackberries had run out, we adapted our tie-dyeing activity and experimented with turmeric instead. We learned from last week how to tie the rope in wider chunks around the fabric in order to get the best tie-dye effect. The children were fascinated to see how the turmeric created such a rich, striking yellow colour similar to that of the fallen leaves.
There was a thirst for making and creating in today’s session. The children carefully drilled holes into conkers, added sticks and used egg boxes to make toadstools inspired by the fungi we had spotted around the forest. Their designs were wonderfully imaginative, and they experimented with lots of autumnal yellows, oranges and reds. It was lovely to see how closely they had observed the natural world and then used those observations to inspire their own creations.
We also took some time to think about how we could give something back to the forest. We talked about how much we enjoy spending time in nature and all the ways that being outdoors benefits us. The children considered how small jobs can help us to care for the woodland and the creatures that live there. Today for example, some children choose to help cut back dead and overgrown brambles that were covering footpaths and log piles. This helped to create more space for people to move around thus protecting areas of the forest and also gave previously planted trees more room to grow.
Meanwhile, other children explored the different opportunities for play. A swing had been created using a slackline, ropes and a log, and the children had great fun taking turns to swing. Others played tag through the woods, while a group collected large pieces of wood and worked together to build a huge sculpture.
The sculpture sparked some wonderful imaginative thinking. The children began spotting different shapes within the wood, including a horse eating hay, strange eyes and all sorts of unusual creatures. Their ideas developed into stories as they shared what they could see with one another. Some children thought the sculpture looked like a totem pole, which led us to think about how it could continue to develop over time. We imagined future groups of children adding their own pieces to it, allowing it to evolve as more people visit and enjoy the woods.
Nature also provided inspiration for some beautiful temporary artwork. Using autumnal finds such as conker husks and acorn shells, the children created natural art inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. They arranged blackberries in the centre and surrounded them with sticks and leaves to create a striking piece of artwork. We talked about how natural art is temporary and may eventually be moved, blown away or destroyed, but that this is part of its beauty and its connection to the natural world.
While exploring the woods, we also made an exciting discovery: a pheasant wing. We looked at it carefully, noticing the intricate colours and patterns in the feathers. It was another wonderful opportunity to slow down, observe closely and appreciate the fascinating details we can find in nature.
It was a fantastic Forest School session, made even more special by the warm sunshine. Willow Class embraced every opportunity to explore, create, imagine, play and care for the woodland. We are very grateful for the opportunity to walk to the woods and spend such valuable time learning and playing in this wonderful environment.