… there are no toys!
Upon arriving back from our forest trip, I picked up one of the children’s backpacks to repack it with the dirty clothes … wow … it was REALLY heavy! The child had discreetly collected … collected what? … treasure … not a whimper or peep had she made the whole way back about how heavy her bag was. When we unpacked the bag, she stood alongside proudly as we emptied the bag of three small boulders and an array of sticks, nuts and leaves … and that was even before we started on her pockets!
No toys in the forest … are you sure? In the forest possibilities are endless. A stick can be a horse, a sword, or an important piece to building that house/shelter/castle. Mud becomes chocolate cake, or even camouflage (your washing machine loves you, really!!!). Our mascots suddenly come to life and the children build them a world of their own based on both fact and fiction. Our mascots suddenly come to life and the children build them a world of their own based on both fact and fiction. Children let their guard down when playing in the forest. There are no boundaries between themselves or what they are willing to try. So many squirrels (oops, I mean, children) swinging/hanging upside down in the trees – suddenly no fear😊!
In the forest anything and everything is possible. In the forest children have the freedom to let their imagination run wild and free. In the forest children learn about the wider world around them. We build the children’s lessons around the natural environment (anything from nature itself, new knowledge on an array of themes, maths, language and even engineering – through play), and give them the opportunity for free play. In the forest the children apply what they have learnt and already experienced. They learn to think outside the box, problem solve, overcome fear/danger and embrace the unknown. They start to really use their senses, work together, develop self-confidence and empathy. They develop their fine and gross motor skills.
This week’s forest day is about Winter and Christmas. It’s cold outside … yes, it’s very cold outside. I’m frozen despite two, ok four, five layers — but we teach the children the weather is nothing to be afraid of, and it should not stop them from going out. Never mind the rain filling our boots! Forest days offer the children the opportunity to be creative, yet also to make a difference in the world around them. And they embrace this! In the spirit of Christmas, in recent years, and again this year, we have a tradition: Animal Christmas. We build the animals a Christmas tree in the forest, decorated with raw vegetables. No strings attached, no packagings, just veg (so as to preserve nature and ensure animal safety). Animals also need food, especially in this season. To name a few; it’s about sharing, awareness of others as well as one’s self, cooperation and community. So often we shelter indoors, yet outside, young children can learn just as much!
Krystle, Montessori educator, Kindergarten Ennetbaden
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash
