Yesterday was our first official Forest Four Day. Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten spent about two hours exploring our Northbound Trail. The undergrowth sprouted up beyond our knees over the summer, leading to a lovely, wild excursion.
We made collections:
Tried some problem solving and teamwork:
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Repaired forts:
Took on some challenges:
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And searched for wildlife:
The decorations from Applefest made a comeback this week. Our hard-working custodial staff gathered up all of the corn stalks from the festival and prepared them for final transportation to the dumpster or compost pile. (Un??)Fortunately, our class found the pile first.
One child knew right away what treasure lay buried within the stiff green layers. Once corn was officially discovered, husking (or “shucking” as Mrs. Forst says) became the activity of choice.
It wasn’t always easy.
Yet, they never gave up.
And the reward was worth it.
As always, persistence pays off.
Have you ever wondered why your young child couldn’t get enough of hanging upside down or why as toddlers they continually dropped their favorite toys from their high chair? As frustrating as it might be at the time, your little one is actually supplementing their urge to learn new information (AKA schemas in play). If you’d like to learn more about schemas in our children’s play, check out this fabulous article that discusses the variously types of schemas and how we can facilitate this natural love of exploration!