Fall Term Wrap Up & Winter Outlook

Kristjanne Vosper
1 day ago
3 min read

Updated: 8 hours ago

Fall Wrap up:

Morning Sessions

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings this fall, Nanaimo Forest School hosted morning programs for groups of learners ranging in age from 3—11 years old at Colliery Dam, Linley Valley, and Hemer Provincial Park, where they used hammers, saws, clippers, nails and string to tie things up, join pieces together, and take apart branches, twigs, and leaves. Children used buckets, shovels, sand, sticks and water and created intricate rivers, bridges and dams, engaging in enthusiastic conversations and problem-solving around stopping or changing water flow. Warm wet weather this fall coupled with effective rainsuits to allow children to stamp and splash, fish with sticks, wire hooks and strings, and stomp, run and play in burbling streambeds transformed by autumn rain. These and other activities encourage their developing perception of the world. Through construction, deconstruction, and sensory play, children make sense of the world around them, building theories and confidence around connections and transformation. We also explored insects, rough and tumble play, climbing and obstacle courses.

Where this term really stood out, though, was in the connections we observed children making with each other. In our morning classes this fall we saw children really playing together, making worlds, problem-solving over sharing tools and other supplies, offering help, inviting others into their play, using each other’s names, showing empathy when their friends were emotional or injured, and noticing when their new friends were absent. New friendships contributed to a joyful, adventurous atmosphere where children saw each other as resources and displayed their learning by sharing with others. We look forward to seeing your kids again after the holidays, and seeing them see each other ! Thanks so much to all our forest school families for your faith and support. It’s beautiful to be a part of your little one’s learning journey.

Running shouting laughing playing

Pulling teachers into jail

Rough and tumble howling braying

See the helicopters sail

Water water everywhere

Boots full to the top

Tongues out catching raindrops there

Red light party light Stop!

Winter Outlook:

There is no bad weather with the right clothes.

Nanaimo Forest School winter term starts Tuesday January 6 at Colliery Dam, with programs running at most of our usual locations. In the last few years, January has been very cold, with temperatures dipping below zero. We recommend warm woolen socks, with enough wiggle room for blood flow to the toes, as well as thick rubber rain gear, snow pants, toques, dickies, mitts and spare mitts, fleece and wool. Children who attend in single layer jersey long-sleeves or hoodies without a wooly base layer can get quite cold at this time of year, and when their bodies are cold and uncomfortable, so much of their energy and attention is eaten up by that discomfort that they can be left out of play or find it really difficult to move, explore and let go.

NEW: A hand-me-down Clothing Library

We know winter clothing can be expensive, especially when your child is growing quickly and needs bigger boots, coats, and muddy buddies frequently. In the spirit of cooperation and mutual aid, Nanaimo Forest School hopes to help mitigate this expense for families by organizing a hand-me-down clothing library. If you have functional rain or winter gear your child has grown out of, and that you’d like to donate to this initiative, please shoot the office an email with “clothing library” in the subject line and your phone contact and Kristjanne will get back to you. Similarly, if your child is in need of warm clothes, please reach out to any of our forest school teachers, or, email the office, and we will absolutely see what we can do to help your child thrive in the winter weather this year.