I hope 2018 is a peaceful one where you feel truely connected to nature, and your local woods in particular! We are just getting ready to start our preschool sessions and then we shall start calling out for our After-school Wolf-club. In the meantime, here is a pretty picture to welcome you to the new year!
Enjoy!
So far, the summer holidays have been incredibly busy! As well as all the antics of family life, after attending the Cabrera Trust annual general meeting, I have been on a mission. I knew our woods, like many areas in the UK, suffered from an invaisive species called Himalayan Balsam, but I had no idea how bad the problem was, and how lack of resources meant that is was spreading at an alarming rate. From my studying for my Forest School Leader qualification, I knew intellectually this stuff was a problem, but to witness its invasion was a whole different experience. But, after talking to friends and family, I have been very humbled by the number of people who have helped me attack various patches of it, and it has been very satisfying to know we have made a difference. An extra treat was witnessing a family of frogs passing by in the freshly cleared area.
So if you want to come and join us, or just want your child to come and play in the woods, Derek and Mrs P are running some Forest School sessions during the summer holidays. There will be the usual rope swings, shelter building, marshmallow toasting, bug hunting, making and craft work, digging and mud painting, bog jumping, exploring, eco-warrior stuff going on, and any other adventures you want to create and follow! And if it is raining, there is even more fun to be had!
Dates and times are:
Pick a day and time you’d like to join them and let us know to book your place! (There is a form to fill in below). It is £18 per session with discounts available for siblings and/or booking more than one session. Pack lots of snacks and drinks, and come prepared to get muddy! (Wellies and waterproofs essential!).
If you don’t come on adventures with us this time, take care and have fun in the woods!
As the Spring term finishes I find myself reflecting on the adventures I have experienced as we emerged from the depths of winter to this magical time of buds and blossoms bursting through … and a little less mud! Sat here at my desk, searching for the words to type, I have an overwhelming need to say thank you. Thank you to you, right now, reading my blog, for those who comment, “like” and respond to these ramblings and to my Facebook page. Thank you to everyone who has shared what I do, passed on my details, advised a friend “your son/daughter would really enjoy it” and those who have encouraged me, and maybe teased me as I’ve wandered into the woods to set up in horizontal rain. Thank you to those who volunteer, and venture into the woods to drop off or collect (and sometimes help with walking the equipment out!), to the Sunday stay-and-play adults who joined in with such enthusiasm despite the rain, and for every single parent who has to cope with the muddy state I send your child back in, I am so sorry but thank you so much! But ultimately, thank you to the children that lose themselves in their adventures each week, whether that is bug hunting, exploring “new lands”, defending their friends against mud-monsters, leaving treasure hunt trails to share their special finds with their friends, painting with mud, jumping in mud, building bridges over mud, climbing trees, rigging drain pipe runs, building shelters, rope swings, zip wires, or creating homes for real as well as imaginary animals … and of course, toasting marshmallows. Thank you for being awesome and teaching me so much as you explore, discover and ask your questions. Same time, same place next term?
Have a lovely Easter! :o)
Last week was our first after school session, which was brilliant fun. A fantastic group of children and a real adventure as we packed up in the pitch-black and made our way out of the woods by torch light!
This week is another first – our first stay and play session for families, so the children get to show you around and explore with you, and you adults get to either natter by the fire, or come and join in with the tree climbing, rope swings, den building or bug hunting. We will be toasting marshmallows and having hot chocolate or hot blackcurrant juice. If that doesn’t suit you, feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy round the fire! The woods are very muddy, so wellies are crucial, and I always recommend waterproof trousers – even for adults – so you don’t have to worry about where to sit. Bring a coat even if it is sunny (just incase) and only bring or wear things you don’t mind getting dirty!
Come along at 10am, and we will be packing up by 12midday, just fill in the contact form below so I know how many to expect and how many cups etc to bring! At 10am there will be a group walking down from the car park by Virginia Water Community Hall (Beechmont Avenue, Virginia Water, GU25 4EY) but if you arrive a little late, just follow the trail of strips of material that we shall leave along the right hand side of the path.
As this is our first session I am only asking for a contribution from each family, so come along, see if you like it, and only pay what you can.
The sun is out, the air smells fresh, the birds are chattering in the trees … my door into the garden is flung open and I can see the snowdrops bursting into flower. How exciting is this time of year? Happy “Spring is arriving” everyone!!
I know the phrase should be about cake, but this week I had this mud version ringing in my mind. As I am reflecting on my week I have 3 groups I want to share with you.
The first – wild and daring. A girl triumphantly looks down on a group of boys – I catch her eye and we both know she has challenged their received preconceptions of what girls can do. Another boy, consumed by his ideas, seizes ropes I have hidden and creates a daring swing that I had to be taught when I was training. He is proud when his friends swarm round wanting to have a go on his creation. At times I worry “how is this looking? I’ll never be invited back” then I flinch as I falter by worrying about me, not them. I notice the strength it takes me to stay true to assessing the different types of play, validating what they were exploring and dynamically assessing the risk/benefits, almost second by second. Then I see the look on the TA’s face as her stomach twists in fear as children swarm over trees and others test their strength by pulling to release a rope they hadn’t realised had been tied off. The moment when that wildness spills over, I catch them just in time with a story that relies on their participation. I am relieved. I know I made the right decisions this time but I worry if I will catch a similar group who are equally wild … then I flinch again as I have faltered again and return my attention back to the group.
The second – compliant, listening, responsive to adult direction. Seemingly a perfect group. But there’s no dynamism here. No leaders pushing the boundaries and through this making great inventions. I see the TA’s face bewildered and sad as she realises this happens to be a cohort who aren’t used to mud, who haven’t climbed trees. They need huge encouragement to even sit on a tree let alone attempt to reach their arms up and slide their way up a little. But the few that trust her eventually dare to climb. It is their Mount Everest, and in the moment of reaching their summit, their joy floods over us all. A mini miracle and maybe a moment that ripples with future repercussions that we can only guess at.
The third – a much younger group of pre-school age, free in a wide selection of trees. It’s raining hard, they are fascinated by the mini-lake that is getting bigger throughout the session. They get stuck, they rescue each other, they fall over they scoop their friends up, and they collect endless sticks and branches to throw into the deepening water. They delight with the splashes, the ripples and the sensations of swooshing through the water, running, jumping and yes, more splashing. When one child removes his socks to wring some of the water out of it, we admire how steam rises from his toes on this chilly day. They ebb and flow as different children lead different ideas and investigations with no planning, just curiosity, and our adult plans are quietly put back on the shelf as we follow their lead.
So 3 very different groups that have caused me to ponder disparate thoughts, but I wonder if they are connected somehow:
These groups have given me food for thought … and maybe ACTUALLY eating mud is not always brilliant … but it is enough for me to plea …
Please, let there BE mud! Please let them BE muddy!
We are looking for Mighty Adventurers to come and join our Wolf Club on Thursdays after school from February Half term – do you know anyone who might be interested?
Mighty Adventurers Forest School is all about child led adventures that encourage children to explore, connect and engage … and we are recruiting for our after-school group: our Wolf Club. After a (sometimes stressful) day at school, children can come and join us in the woods to either de-compress and relax, or simply engross themselves in nature. Leaving the screens and assessments behind they can take time to experience – to discover how the woods transform from winter into spring, work out how to rig rope swings, build dens and then enjoy having a packed tea by the camp fire … along with toasting marshmallows of course!
The sessions this term start after February half term. There is an introductory offer of £55 for these dates:
23 Feb, 2 March, (no session on 9 March), 16 March, 23 March and 30 March.
- Group 1: meet at 3.30pm in the car park at the entrance into the woods by Virginia Water Community Centre from where we start the adventure. Please collect from base camp at 5.30pm
- Group 2: arrive at 4.30pm and come and meet us at base camp. We all walk back out of the woods at the end of the session so please collect from the car park at 6.30pm
Of course, there is an option to come for the whole 3 hours.
Just so you know:
If you are interested then please contact me using the form below as spaces are limited.
I work regularly with a local pre-school, and each year a different year group brings it’s new characters, a unique team forms and together they help each other make adventures that only that combination of children can create. Each year I watch fascinated, wondering what will emerge. One year the group pushes my knot tying skills to the limits as they create ever complex rope swings, the next created a story den where Goldilocks always returned, and this group this year are completely mesmerised by water, mud, and this week, the ice. Here is a very special moment that will always stay with me. An unusual couple play contentedly and with absolute kindness and generosity. Both are head strong, often charging ahead with what they want leaving the other children swirling in their wake. But in the woods they drift towards each other, completing each others sentences, enhancing each others’ ideas, welcoming their curious peers but almost not noticing when those children’s attention is caught else where. Completely immersed in their deep play they hardly notice the time pass and it is a joy to observe. It also reminds me not to assume which children will work well together as sometimes the most surprising matches create the most breathtaking partnerships. Kind of gives me hope!
I have a lot to learn. I know this, and am reminded of just how much every day! An example of this is the construction a couple of 7 year old boys created working together without any “adult-eration” (i.e. no adult intervention).
We were using tools which meant I needed to take time out of the group’s free play to gather everyone and make sure they knew how to make their “wood medals” safely. These two boys had struggled to listen to instructions but enjoyed the sense of accomplishment that their determination and concentration awarded them. They were the first pair to finish their medals, demonstrating superb team-work and a wonderful way of encouraging each other. It was near the end of the session, so whilst they waited for the rest of their class-mates they returned to their project of building a cosy shelter for themselves, and the log-dogs they had made earlier. Bursting with pride about their construction, they invited each pair of class-mates, as they finished their medals, to come and experience their shelter. The boys grinned as they enjoyed listening to their friends compliments and answering their questions.
I was curious, came over, and was enthusiastic. However, it wasn’t until the end of the session when I was dismantling everything (to leave no trace), that I came to appreciate the feat these two boys had achieved. I am fascinated by pictures I see of artists balancing natural objects to create seemingly impossible works of art. As I removed the tarp and undid the string, the structure remained in place. Branches I would have considered “upside down” were balanced within an interlocking system of sticks and their forks. The result was a structure with impressive stability.
The picture below doesn’t do justice to it’s complexity but as I stopped and looked at what those boys had created, I wondered if I would have been able to re-create it by following a plan. I doubt it. That moment reminded me to be better at looking and actually seeing, rather than just scanning and assuming I know what is there. Thank you for the reminder boys and can’t wait to see what you build next!
After a lifetime of running StopGAP Dance Company – an amazing company, well worth a look! http://stopgapdance.com/about – I decided to swop artificial lights and under-floor heated studios for the bracing reality of the outside world. I was searching for something where I could help my children learn about building their confidence, resilience, independence, managing their own risk/safety … and ultimately be able to connect with nature. I wanted to help them appreciate we are part of a bigger, more magical world than the screens they want to sit in front of and the facts they have to learn to be able to repeat. I wanted them to be able to have time to play, to think for themselves, and for them to direct the areas of interest they wanted to pursue, examine, discover and wonder about.
As soon as I found out about Forest Schools, I knew I had found what I was looking for. I retrained to become a Forest School leader, with the dream that I would be able to share with others what I wanted to share with my own children. The training was only the beginning and since I qualified I have spent time developing my own style and realising what is important to the way I work.
For a session to be a true “Forest School” it has to be underpinned by the 6 principles: http://www.forestschoolassociation.org/full-principles-and-criteria-for-good-practice/ . In summary these are:
In particular, I am interested in developing resilience and emotional literacy, giving the children the skills to lead their adventures, and I am learning how to weave storytelling in as much as I can! I am curious about how best to connect the children with the woods we play in and I think that is going to be a life-long odyssey! Ultimately I want the sessions to feel as if we have been in an adventure and it has been a mighty one … hence the name! So far, every time I have come out of the woods with a group it has felt as if we have been on an epic adventure, and I can’t see that ever changing!
So, if you are interested in finding out more about what I do and the sessions I lead, please comment and I will send you details. In the meantime, go outside and have some Mighty Adventures!
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Mighty Adventurers Forest School 