Peanut butter fingers, dragon tarp, a pineapple and a paper wasp nest. Another glorious fall day at Cliveden, the tree colors were spectacular and the weather balmy. We had a special guest with us today, Marley who came in late to school; tagged along with us to Forest school. The kids were thrilled of course! We had a very interesting conversation about the difference between playing games we know and do in the yard vs. being in Forest school. The kids had many interesting things to say about what if means to them and how both are different, and equally important. We talked about what it means to be aware and open to your surroundings in the outdoors and that sometimes it's important just to keep your eyes to the sky and to the ground-- you never know what you might discover.. a cricket, a paper wasp nest or a dragon within a blue tarp!

Nahiem, Anya and Koen wait to discuss what it means to explore an outdoor space vs. playing games like tag and hide and seek.

Beautiful fall colors!

Eric striking a pose

The saw dust from the large tree branch has become a packed surface great for drawing and making castles or boats.  

Ericka considering the stick she found and placed as a flag.

Digging and making!

Joan and Gil consider some drawings in the saw dust.

The tarp becomes a dragon!

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Marley, Izzy, Koen and James create a game together.

Anya with a smile in a tree!

James finds the letter T in stick form

Brilliant tree

A root we found and experienced it's textures and patterns

Nyasiah as dragon.

Joan always brings special snacks like this Pineapple

Izzy and Koen found a beautiful and empty--don't worry! Paper wasp nest. 

The kids help cut up the Pineapple for snack

Ericka wears the nest as a mask, doesn't it look like an animal?

Dontrelle finds a cricket.

cricket close up

Nahiem with the drum!

James finds a stick that looks so much like a real bone.

The spot where Izzy and Koen found the wasp nest in the leaves.

Dontrelle finds the letter c in stick form

Nyasiah practices sawing pieces of sticks.

Dontrelle has a hand at the tiny saw.

Sit spots, also known as thinking spots where we use our 4 senses while being still for 2 minutes.

Sit spots

Ericka considers the shape and patterns of the wasp nest

Joan shares a snack she used to make with her girls when they were little. Peanut butter fingers along with the pineapple and hot apple cider.