Autumn

This term is flying by in Forest School in a whirlwind of autumn leaves. We have explored colour, shape and texture and experimented with autumn seeds. Can you find a conker or a prickly sweet chestnut? What about an acorn? The children have been delighted by their seasonal finds and have continued to develop their listening skills and curiosity to explore this fantastic season. As the weather gets colder we have talked about how we will keep ourselves warm as winter approaches so you may get requests for Forest School kit - any questions do let us know.

As the weather continues to chill, this month we have turned our attention to our animal friends and the ways they keep themselves warm in the woods. First up were our hibernators. The children learnt this new word and explored what it meant and who could possibly dislike the cold so much that they would go to sleep until spring. We built hedgehog houses and minibeast hotels for frogs and other amphibians. The following week we talked about a different approach to the cold weather - migration. We imagined disliking the cold so much that you will fly for thousands of miles to find some sunshine. We made welcome geese and goodbye swallows to celebrate these amazing creatures and their holiday habits. Finally we thought about the creatures that stay, the ones with big bushy tails to snuggle under, the ones with nests to line and the ones who live in big families for warmth. The children’s curiosity has been so impressive on this scientific journey, it’s been a pleasure to watch.