Forest School Friday

We had a GREAT time out there today. The kiddos had a BLAST playing in the creek again. I had planned to teach them about trees (the different parts of the tree, different types, etc). We were also going to play a game of tree tag. But after I read "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, the kids jumped up and said, "NOW it's time for the creek!" They could hardly contain themselves. So I let go of my original plan and just let them romp around in the muddy creek. And BOY did they have FUN! :) The kids enjoy the freedom to get messy. Some of them were covered in mud, as they discovered a mudslide on their own. They explored what it's like to walk across slippery rocks in the creek. They made music with sticks on rocks. They found shells and discovered what was inside of them. They splashed and giggled as they played in the water. They got to be explorers, adventurers, scientists...KIDS! :) Here are some pics from our morning...

Thanks to everyone who was able to make it out today! I had actually made up a poem to share to help teach the kiddos the different parts of a tree. It has motions that go with it, and I've used it with my own kids. If you're interested here it is:

Trees
by Leslie Ober

Roots stretching far, beneath the ground.
The trunk covered in bark is thick and round.
Leaves blow in the wind, way up high...on branches reaching up to the sky.
Some trees shed seeds, and they fall, fall, fall to the ground below.
And maybe then another tree will begin to grow!