After a little time outside the farm shop, gathered around fungi, tree and plant guides, tracking guides and of course our beloved bird book; this time working on identifying birds by just their individual calls. Soon after we set off on a stroll past the farm, collected some straight sections of Elder and thanked the tree with a gift, then down into the woods for a day of learning and sharing with nature and the Plaw Hatch woods really did just keep giving! Having just passed the chickens, one of the children spotted some tracks in the mud. Thinking it was a fox track, we huddled around checking for the clear cross between paw pads, then...out of nowhere we spotted a magnificent Grey Heron!! Leaving us all totally jaw dropped as it swooped gracefully over the fields not too far away. Down past the pond where the Heron was most likely feeding, we caught sight of more tracks, which through the children's closer inspection turned out to be Badger prints. Down deep into the woods and around our new base camp we decided on as a group last week. After a gentle discussion about respect, sharing and safety, practising our trademark woodpecker coming together call, we moved onto all manner of woodland crafts! From Elder pipes - decorated with Anna’s acorn ink, to Hedgehog homes sculpted with teasels and moulded clay or even sawing through fallen conifers to make personal logs for base fire circle! Working as a team, sawing 20 seconds a shift, play clapping games and hyping each other through, we managed to saw down 7 stumps together! We counted the rings, and worked out it’s age, see if you can to...clue is in the fingers...) As the flute sounded on the way in from our crafts gathered wood to start a fire for lunch. Though not just any fire, a fire that started by all bow drill and using only natural materials! Whilst the acorn veggie burgers sizzled on the fire, another story of Rascally Rabbit was told, this time about his cunning dispute with Fox’s peas. The afternoon was filled with more crafts: miniature clay people homes, drawing on Elder pipes, guided team tree stump sawing, sat around the fire roasting fresh chestnuts and proudly, removing bark, carving, decorating and personalising stumps. A quick squirrel game to collect some acorns for next week (might just be for making acorn chocolate brownies over our fire...shhh!!). To finish a fun little circle of charades to share what we found most joy in during our Wild Woodpecker Wednesday and a walk back up through the dappled forest sunlight to pick up.
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Yet another beautiful morning of blue skies and beaming sunshine we went straight into a quick predator game when we spotted a bush that Daniel and children had always thought to be a Rhododendron (top), was in fact a Laurel (bottom). A very close look-a-like, but we established different characteristics of the plant structure and leaves. Across over to the Ashdown Forest for a very energetic game of Eagle Eye - hiding from the Eagle in their nest, but the hiders must still be able to see part of the Eagle through a sneaky little hole in the ferns or trees. Then it was down through the big old bog and down into the woods to sit by the waterfall for snack and a story. After snack, some children wrote letters filled with sketches, questions and ideas for Daniel to share and give to the children over in America where he is going to teach, learn and explore until Christmas. Other children worked together on unblocking dams, getting the stream flowing and making bridges to stop leaves blocking the stream. Others made dens together, mossy hotels and homes and some went off with Vicky to identify some of the many many lovely mushrooms in the woods this time of year! Starting with another top quality game of Eagle Eye with some very….adventurous hiding spots, including literally in the Eagle’s nest - pretending to be a bag and actually didn’t even get spotted!! Across the bog and down to a fallen Beech tree for some mushroom identification and a snack. Then, a high quality and intense game of Storm the Castle using the stream as the border and the steep sided banks as territory, very tiring territory! Whilst packing up there was much excitement around the discovery of a lizard!
It felt great to see all the children after the summer and to be back among the earthy smells and fresh carpet of golden leaves.
Highlights from our morning group included: Sharing stories from our summers, creating a slug hotel, weaving rush, whittling, watching life at the pond, lighting their own fires and setting quests for Daniel on his upcoming adventure to America! It was great how many things the children asked Daniel to find out about on his travels, about the juncos, coyotes, arachnids, what edible plants there are over there and so much more. Home ed 26 sep from Victoria on Vimeo.
In the afternoon after an epic game of storm the castle in the sunny field, we went into the woods and practiced our core routine of owl eyes and fox walking. We moved silently through the woods in this way down to a string line that had been set up among the trees and let the string lead us blindfolded. After this we had a very peaceful sit spot noticing the patterns in the bird songs and alarms, the falling leaves and autumnal colours. We shared stories whilst eating our snacks and similarly, the children were invited to suggest quests for Daniel's adventures, including finding out about buffalo and other bovines, wolves, sea life and many more.
Then we had a great scavenger hunt and incorporated our findings into a beautiful autumn mandala. Home Ed pm sep 2017 from Victoria on Vimeo. |
AuthorsVictoria Mew, Founder of Cultivating Curiosity Archives
November 2017
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