School never closed

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 going off alone!

 We then tasked the children with designing, drawing and labelling their own Bog Baby.




They were all really focused! Their imaginations ran free! Bog Babies with assorted skills and traits bloomed on paper all around us, and their ideas were amazing!

 After lunch we colour copied their designs and laminated them to create stick puppets. The children then collected a dozen or so sticks each and used elastic bands to create a 3D home for their own Bog Baby. We have some amazing architects of the future amongst us, and some truly skilful budding engineers!


 We displayed all their hard work in a 'Bog Baby Village' on the cupboard in the dining hall.

 The children were very proud of themselves. They shared ideas, helped each other build, introduced their own Bog Baby to the group and explained all about it to each other. All great Forest School aims: communication, cooperation, exploration, problem solving, and a greater awareness of the wider world around them!

 It was a great day! And if anyone wants to create their own Bog Baby on the garden, this is a great way to start....

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