A Very Special Day

We had a very special day at forest school. We returned to the Wissahickon but to a new location on the property of our gracious hosts Rachel and Nick, where we had the opportunity to make fire for the first time. It was the coldest day of the year so far, and that added to the magic. The day started with gathering firewood and an introduction to the art of fire starting and fire safety. After that the kids explored the area, enjoying some hammock chairs, an old well, and tree climbing. For the first time, we brought with us all the ingredients and utensils to prepare a meal together on site. The kids did the chopping and assembling for a vegetable soup which they all ate, a triumph in itself! We also made an apple cobbler. We cooked the food in some big cast iron dutch ovens that we placed in the fire with coals covering the lids and sides. The meal was a huge success, but the fun did not end there. Nick, a potter, did a wheel throwing demonstration in his studio, showing the kids how to throw a bowl on the wheel and how he pugs his own clay. On the whole, I think the kids got an interesting and valuable taste of a lifestyle that differs from the average urban experience. Thank you to everyone who helped make it all possible. It was a day I think the kids will remember for quite some time.

An old well is quickly discovered upon arrival.

Showing the boundaries for the day

Identifying safety hazards

Gathering wood for the fire

A hill begs to be rolled down.

Nick engages the kids in a discussion about fire starting and fire safety.

The kids share some of their own insights into the science of fire.

Lighting the fire

The fire grows.

The kids take turns adding wood to the fire.

Preparation begins for the vegetable soup.

Into the woods

The hammock chairs prove to be great fun.

Tree climbing at last

Some of the kids probe the depths of the well.

The coals cook the soup and cobbler inside the dutch ovens.

The youngsters brave the cold.

The soup starts to look pretty tasty.

Nick uses the wheel to make a bowl.

The kids get a chance to touch the clay.

The soup and cobbler are served.

A Frosty Morning

Our first forest school experience of the new year presented us with our first frosty temperatures. Decked out in our finest cold-weather layers, complete with hats and mittens, we traveled back to our familiar Cliveden location. With the sun shining bright in the winter sky, everybody managed to stay warm while they explored the changes brought by the new season.

As always, there were plenty of new experiences to be had. The kids started by searching for the most interesting frost-covered leaves and soon moved on to erecting a new and more tent-like tarp shelter among the trees. Some highlights from the rest of the morning included the discovery of a dead squirrel that was frozen solid, the creation of a map of the area complete with names of the various locations provided by the children, and our second round of learning how to use the hand saw and hand drill. After our noon-time sharing circle we headed back to school for lunch, though several children were still so enraptured with the place and their activities that they would have stayed all day if they could have.

The kids investigate patches of frost on the ground.

Setting up a new form of tarp shelter

Hot tea from the thermos

Changing layers

The kids find a dead, frozen squirrel.

Making our first map of Cliveden

The kids add new locations, names, imagery, and color to the map.

Skye and Joan use the saw.

Gil getting the hang of using the saw.

Izzy and Joan use the hand drill on a newly sawed wooden disc so that it can be strung on a necklace.

Nyasiah could saw discs all day.

Zion has a turn.

Dontrelle kicking up "sawdust" as he learned to call it.

Sylvie and Skye map out "Middle Tree," one of the new locations to be included on our map.

Turtles all the way down?