This week my little one and I attended the Mini Mudders session at Mill Hill Wood. It’s a little different from other toddler classes we've been to. Not only is it completely outdoors, but it's also held over 1.5 hours. At first I thought this might be too long for us, but it’s actually just perfect. The extra time allows you to literally take your time. Time to play, time to talk, even time to be late (because we all know leaving the house doesn’t take 5 minutes anymore). It made me feel less rushed, which made me feel less stressed. It’s safe to say that Forest School is not only benefiting my daughter, but it’s benefiting me too.
This week we celebrated Pancake Day with Vegan pancakes cooked on the fire. My little one has a dairy and egg intolerance so I was very pleased that she could join in with this one. Although she’s a bit too small yet to help with the preparation and cooking, she certainly enjoyed eating them. It was really nice to see the older children work together to make the pancakes, all taking it in turns to give the batter a stir. Some important life skills being fostered right there!
The mud kitchen was a big hit again, bashing more pots and pans, and making more leaf soup. My little one took a fondness to one very large rock that she enjoyed putting in each of the pans. The thing about Forest School is that there aren't any toys as such, but there are tools and props that promote open-ended play. This allows children to develop their own ideas and follow the pull of their own creativity.
I love this ethos. We’ve been putting it into practice this week by turning the TV on a little less and getting the pots and pans out a bit more. As a result I am seeing my daughter grow in confidence and autonomy. She is relying on her own intuition and abilities and she’s doing what children need to do - to play.
Until next time,
Forest Mum and Little Acorn x
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