Hello Parents & Carers,
Welcome back to the Forest School Blog …
Last week at Oxford Road we took some of the preschoolers to Moseley Park. The weather was warm and the children had snacks before venturing out to embark on their many activities. The children did some litter picking and we had conversations about the importance of keeping our environments clean and tidy to ensure that we protect natural habitats. They also got excited to feed the ducks, geese and even fish in the lake. We counted how many ducks there were and identified the different coloured feathers. The children made a mini role play campfire out of sticks and stones as well as mark making with chalk. In the afternoon the remaining preschoolers learnt about our compost box and got involved adding potato peel, banana skins, apples and pears for the worms to eat. We also made little plant pots out of upcycled milk bottles which we zip tied to the fence and sowed cosmos seeds in.
At Norfolk Road the preschool had fun making their compost bin and looking for worms to put in there. They were really engaged in feeling the fresh compost in their hands and rubbing it between their fingers to break down the clumps. The children were excited to learn a few weeks ago that we have frogs and spawn , some of which have survived to the tadpole stage. The toddlers had the opportunity to see one of the frogs and feed the frog spawn some boiled spinach. Some of them helped me upcycle milk bottles into planters which we attached to the fencing around the pond and sowed wildflower seeds in.
At Harborne Road the children had the opportunity to plant potato chits and sunflower seeds in Forest School. The children enjoyed crumbling the compost and transferring it from the bag to the plant pots. We spoke about the process of sowing seeds and looking after plants. They have been enjoying checking the growth of their tulips and strawberry plants and have been independently taking initiative to water them. We also spent some time practising our fine motor skills by hammering nails into pallets and using the hand drill to make holes in stumps.
Spring has arrived and the weather has warmed significantly. It is imperative that all children have loose breathable clothing (full coverage), sunhats, wellies (for waterplay) and suncream to ensure that they are safe and can enjoy their sessions outdoors.
Oxford Road: trip to the park, litter picking, feeding the ducks, role play campfire, mark making, sowing seeds, compost bin and tool use.
Harborne Road: sowing seeds, watering plants, tool use, swinging in the hammock, role play campfire and mud kitchen.
Norfolk Road: compost bin, feeding tadpoles, making planters and sowing seeds.
