Mama Beech

It's hard to think of dates the way we usually do. School years are broken in to chunks, separated by holidays, defined by school events, following themes and celebrations. Since the world went on hold time has no real meaning. I know the day and date, I am sometimes in work, I am often online, but all else has stopped too so what defines my week has also ceased! This would be the last day of school with either a final term or a final half term running up to summer full of events. Forest School and Outdoor Learning would be blooming right now... School has never been closed. It is meant to open up more in June and I know lots of people are not happy about that. Whether the schools open their doors and all the children return, or if at 9am on June 1st there is tumbleweed and children stay home, we have to start planning for return and we have to keep offering activities for children to enjoy at home. The planning and preparing will never be pointless because it will be needed ...

I have honestly given up counting the amount of days or weeks that Lockdown has commandeered. School is open, for some children, and when I am in I try to do as much outdoor learning as I can, and I know other staff use the outside as much as they can. This week I had the opportunity to have a long look around and it seems the great outdoors hasn't missed us at all! The trees are full and vivid and the grass id full of daisies. Despite the dry April everything seems lush and vibrant and enjoying it's human free world!   The wildlife garden is full of fifty shades of green, and the shrubs are aiming for head height! The Pond has allowed the willow to sprout and a few reeds have started to grow. The grass is growing long but isn't as patchy and the wildflowers are coming through. The birds have cleared out all the feeders of course and the winds have demolished the bird hide roof! So I need to do some shopping and some planning - there is wood for the hide to have a...

It's hard working from home PLUS running a home where everyone is IN and doing a bit of Home schooling too! Yet somehow leaving the kids to their own devises is not an easier option!!! If you are getting out each day - to exercise some peace of mind let alone muscles - good for you! Here are a few more activities to fill a bit of time if needed   Following on from Bog Baby last week, making a fairy door for the garden, or to hide on the street/in the woods can be easy. Any sticks, any colour, any detail. Glue or string or whatever you can find to bind it together - give a home to fairy folk! If you prefer something a little more... visible, how about a home for a bee! I know lots of people are scared of them, many are allergic to them, but if you, like me, love a bee, you can make a home with bamboo, or straws and on old tin washed out: And if you want to identify whoever takes up residence... Bees do love flowers and so do most of us, so if you have any emp...

This week we brought Forest School indoor at school for the children who still attend. It's always a challenge to keep children engaged when the age range runs from 5 - 11, but some things are too much fun not to engage in!  I have said before - I have a large IKEA bag full of activities for children to do inside. It is rarely needed, but if there is high wind or thunderstorms and I need to take the outdoor learning inside, I am prepared! So we started the day allowing the children to look through all the different things available, Insect life cycles, picturebooks with props, Bug Top Trumps, wildlife encyclopedias, photo books, playmobil wildlife, bird toys that tweet.... etc In the morning we read them all Bog Baby A great book about removing a creature from it's habitat. It caused great discussion about why this might not work, and children's own wanderings through bluebell woods and near rivers and ponds with family. It also sparked a discussion about NOT goin...