A little share of another lovely week. We pride ourselves on giving lots of feedback to our parents about what their children have been up to. It’s such a privilege to educate and care for young children and we see communication and involvement with their carers as key to supporting each child. We always have so much to share – every week is an adventure!
Last week’s write up…
As weeks go, this one has been rather magic again!
The children have foraged for nettles, wearing leather gloves for protection and learning to keep safe and pick carefully. A small group of children lay and lit the fire – just look at those incredible sparks! – and the nettles were cooked up to make a delicious nettle syrup which the children ate drizzled over crumpets at the end of the day. Stinging nettles are such amazing plants and we love to teach the children that despite their sting, they have lots of uses for us humans and are so beneficial as a food source for other creatures like butterflies. Hurrah for nettles!
Building on their interest in threading beads last week, we invited the children to have a go at making wooden beads from Elder. They used secateurs or a hacksaw – again learning to manage risk, to listen, keep trying and develop control over their motor skills – to cut little cylinders, pushing out the soft pith before painting and threading. There was such a sense of pride as they wore their beautiful creations.
We have danced, sung and played games – Lu led a lovely Spring yoga / movement exercise, we listened to the Willow song, visited the blue bells and sang In and Out the Dusky Blue Bells. As we have 2 new members our OT family, we played funny name games, Keeyaw Hide and Seek and and the lots of the children started their own games of hide and seek (such a motivating game for saying number names).
Many of our children just LOVE a fully sensory experience, so this week’s gloop was relished – it was drizzled, poured, explored, swirled, dripped, marks made in it, and with it.
Our book of the week was Jack in the Beanstalk – more of this to come soon as we just didn’t have any time left to plant our own beans this week!
More Spring excitement as we have some of our tadpoles in a tank to study – the children are fascinated by them – it’s wonderful to see them huddled around and all the talk it is inspiring. Science is alive and exciting at Outside Tribe – rooted in real life experiences, as it should be.
There has been fabulous play all week – with water play, clay making, ‘houses’ being made, shops, trucks getting stuck in the sand and rescued, space vehicles being built, mountain tigers on the prowl – your children’s imaginations know no boundaries and it’s wonderful!
To finish this all off we had a wonderful visit to the beach. Our walk there is SO magical. Today the children’s effort to walk across humpy bumpy field, helping each other with bags, hands held and encouraging words, was rewarded by a beautiful deer crossing our path. She stopped to look at us before dashing away – what a magical moment.
Our picnic field was full of flowers and dandelion clocks – with seeds being released on the wind by the children – and the grass was just right for rolling and romping in, or sitting in quietly with a friend.
At the beach we had to find our biscuits (can you believe those pesky pirates had hidden them AGAIN!) – luckily the children found the ‘X marks the spot’ and dug them up. We had lots of time for beach play – climbing, mark making, imaginative play and stories before finishing with a warm drink and a biscuit.
We are so grateful for these golden days with these golden children.
