“I never thought it could be so magical out here.” – Nyasiah

I couldn’t have put it better myself. Our second day of Forest School offered many new and unforeseen opportunities for exploration, learning, fun, and wonder. With an expansion into “the jungle” came a greater sense of freedom and possibility. New discoveries included a hidden place informally dubbed “the city,” a snake, larger downed branches worthy of fort building, a paper wasp nest, a stick turned into a baseball bat, the perfect site for a fairy house, and so many others. The kids also took on greater responsibility: carrying our supplies, preparing snacks, and packing up our “home base” after our picnic lunch. For literally hours, they moved in, around, and through the forest curiously and with thoughtfulness, sometimes running, sometimes tiptoeing, and sometimes taking a break to lie on their backs and watch the clouds drift past behind the tops of the trees. At 1:00pm we just had to go, but the nostalgia started to set in almost immediately, the collective sentiment, “When can we return?”

How big is this tree?

Skye about to venture into the unknown with all the requisite gear (spoon included.)

"Careful. There's thorns back there." - Sylvie

"It's a mystery! How will we find our way through to the other side?" - Gil

"It was like a jungle in that place." - Sylvie

The bushwhacking begins.

"I can pour the water?" - Aliyah

Izzy tying knots.

Was that spoon in Skye's mouth the whole morning?

The bows are becoming sturdier.

What is it?

"It might have been from a scientist!" - James

Building a fairy house.

Concluding with a sharing circle.