01.06.2023

The woodlands sessions have finished for this academic year.

We hope all children involved enjoyed their sessions and benefited from the extra time and opportunity to explore our natural environment in all seasons and weathers. Next year we will start much earlier in the term; allowing more opportunity to engage in discussion about the changing of the seasons, more ownership over the space by developing it in collaboration with the school and local community and more time experiencing the wonder of outdoors.

Oak

11.05.23

Developing on the use of creative materials in the woodlands, today we used chalk paint on the trees and on card to create mixed media artworks inspired by the woodlands, and using natural resources found in the environment. The children were given chance to create art completely individual to them, sourcing their own materials and choosing where to put them on their card along with paint. Some children commented on making a pattern on their page, with some using their welly boots to create marks and patterns with mud, “its a footstep”.

After this children explored the logs by climbing, jumping and moving rocks/leaf piles to search for insects.

Oak

4.05.2023

Last week the children in both groups commented on the tarpaulin used for snack/creating patterns was “like a tent” or “you could make a den with that”. This week we collaboratively designed and built a shelter using tarpaulin, pegs and ropes within the tree climbing area. Within our tent we read a story and ate our snack, and then as requested the children had a lot of time to climb trees again. The children were building upon the skills developed last week, with increased confidence. Some were surprised at how high they could climb on the tree, and there were many positive comments cheering their peers on for their achievements. The children also loved to draw on the trees with chalk, blending the colours together and talking about the process of it washing off in the rain.

Oak

27.4.23 & 28.4.23

Both sessions for their first visit to the woodlands today spoke about staying safe in the woods, and self assessing risks in our space like what to do if we find something dangerous such as glass or litter. We used material found on the woodland floor such as sticks, leaves and flowers we had brought from the centre to create and continue patterns. We talked about what makes a pattern and the characteristics that the ones we created held.

We then climbed trees, developing our gross motor skills, balance and self-assessing risks through risky play. This was a hit with all the children and something that we can incorporate into every session to build upon this confidence.

Oak

13.4.23

This week the AM session made bird feeders after a comment about a raspberry found on the floor the week before, “the birdies will get it.. they’ll eat the fruit”. This activity developed their attention and listening as well as their fine motor skills. Then we created transient art with materials found on the woodland floor.

The PM children also created transient art, and completed a spring scavenger hunt checklist to note changes in our environment with the arrival of spring. There was difficulty finding any wildlife or insect items on our checklist, and we had to move logs to see undergrowth under the leaves on the floor. We found woodlice and worms which were of great interest to the children and sparked lots of conversations about insects and their habitats.

Oak

30.3.23

In both sessions today we took the time to explore our space. We used our senses to look for signs of spring and made marks to reflect our findings on what we could see, hear, smell and touch. We used chalk to mark make on the trees and developed our risky play skills – including self assessing risk, balance and problem solving, by climbing trees and logs found in our woodland.

Orange Tigers & Red Squirrels

2.3.23

Today’s woodlands visit focused on World Book Day celebrations. The Children read We’re Going On A Bear Hunt’ and brought the story to life by physically changing their movements to mimic the events in the book. The following sessions will centre around literacy outdoors.

9.3.23

Following from the physical story last week, children explored audio books today under cosy blankets in our woodland area. This developed several areas of their literacy skills including attention and listening and recalling information. Listening to an audio book rather than viewing a story with pictures also stimulates imagination and encourages mindfulness and presence.

The children voted for their favourite story afterward.

22.3.23

Due to adverse weather today, the visit was shortened to a walk through the woodland area to spot signs of spring in nature, such as flowers beginning to bloom and leaves and buds forming on trees.

Yellow Giraffes & Blue Peacocks

15.2.23

Today was experienced mindfulness in our woodland area. We laid down under cosy blankets and focused on each one of our senses one at a time. We talked about what we could hear, feel and see whilst taking big cleansing breaths in between each sense.

Yellow Giraffes & Blue Peacocks

1.2.23 & 8.2.23

We have started our new model of visiting the woodlands, with each group attending three outdoor sessions in a row. We have had two sessions so far.

The first session focused on the space available to us, and how we keep safe and assess risks during our visits to the woods. We also used magnifying glasses and binoculars to look for birds after our Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of January, and spoke about where they live and what other creatures we might find in our woodlands.

After both groups mentioning it in the first session, at the second visit we made dens to shelter ourselves from the weather, and had soup made by the children as our snack before creating art with the natural resources found around us.

ORANGE ORANGUTANS

7.10.22

The Orange Orangutans had a shorter walk to our woodlands due to the adverse weather. The wetter climate and leaves falling to the floor made for a perfect opportunity for looking for different bugs and animals in their habitats using the magnifying glasses and binoculars.

We also collected loose parts to be used around the nursery in different play, such as conkers, pine cones, leaves and sticks.

Woodland Term 1

Every child that starts before December will get an opportunity to visit the woodlands before the end of the term. Children with a later start date will have more opportunities in the New Year.

We are now able to welcome parent helpers along to the woodland visits, if this is something you would be interested in please speak to your child’s key worker at pick up or drop off times.

We have been unlucky with the weather and woodland visits haven’t been as regular as we would have hoped. We will play by ear the visits for the rest of the term.