My Scilly Trip - Thursday

Thursday means the 'older' children, 8+, which always alters the pace. The smaller children are definitely doers but they flit around trying out everything and love exploring the space. The ferns form walls and every path is unknown. From their perspective the clearings are huge, the bushes dense, the trees tower, and Forest School is vast! 

The older children are not as focused on the area as an entity in itself. They appreciate what it supplies; spaces for dens, trees to support hammocks, ropes to swing from, places to hide...

They are mostly interested in what activities they can do.

Some of these are the same as the younger group investigated. Role play, story telling, swinging, climbing, balancing, crafts, and tool work. 

There were subtle changes in challenge and the potential product. Additionally, they also got to try fire starting, and making pop corn.

These children had a little more freedom in the woods, they knew the boundaries and were able to explore it a little more independently.

Some amazing 'swords' were whittled and sanded to a smooth finished that almost became the tactile focus of the finished 'weapon'. Some thoughful art was painted on pieces of slate, and a little happa zome creating was enthusiastically undertaken!

At any given point the children were ALL engaged in a self chosen task, either solo and determined or with a friend or two socially. It almost fell silent now and then as 28 children took up the opportunity to do Forest School activities.

The biggest difference between Chartham Forest School and here is the ratios. In school we usually have 30 children outside with 1 adult, engaging in these kind of activities come in short bursts. Here, thanks to volunteers and the organisational skills of Scilly Forest School, we have 7 adults with a ratio of 1 to 3.

This allows many more adult led activities to take place. 

Whilst I will always fight for Forest School to be child led, that includes the option to join in with something an adult is demonstrating, the opportunity to learn more skills, and try things that may never be an option elsewhere.

Friday the little ones are back. The wind has blown in and the waves on the shore have been lulling me to sleep! We will explore a different part of the forest, away from trees and the open edge onto the beach

Let's see what a different environment brings!