24th January 2019 – Paddington’s Forest School Blog
Jack Frost had kissed the ground this morning and the scky was alight with Alleyn Court’s pink and blue. Paddington Class were wrapped up warm, as they arrived at Forest School today. We sang our song, counted our group and looked at tree bark identification charts. Then, as quietly as we could, we tip-toed to camp. So that we didn’t disturb the birds. On the way there we checked each tree on our chart to see what it’s ‘name’ might be.
At camp we sat in our talking circle and used the ‘talking stick’ to help us take turns to speak. We went round the circle and discussed our rules and gave ourselves Forest School names like Mrs Woodcock Worm, Mrs Crannidge Cuckoo and Mrs Williams Woodpecker. Then it was time to explorer camp and decide what to do!
We explored bird calls, used binoculars, make bird feeders and bird nests, dug for worms, and bounced on the bouncy rope bridge. I was given in-depth descriptions of the learning taking place like, “I am helping the birds to make a nest and getting the food ready for the cold winter”. At this point it also started to snow and we also used the magnifying glasses to examine the snowflakes on our sleeves. The children told me, “It tastes like ice” and “it melts in your mouth”
After a while some of us started to get a little chilly, so we had snack, including hot chocolate and hot juice to warm us up. During snack we used the talking stick to go round our circle again and told Mrs Woodcock what our favourite parts were about Forest School today. Many children liked the hot chocolate and bird activities in particular. While we chatted, a blackbird came to see us. He was so close and we watched him throw leaves high in the air with his beak looking for something to eat underneath.
Finally it was time to head back to class and we helped Mrs Woodcock tidy up before we went. On the way back we stopped to watch the mallard duck and his female counterpart shaking their feathers before they got into the pond for a morning dip.
