We’ve had such a fun-filled week in the forest, packed with creativity, learning and adventure. The children have amazed us with their imagination, curiosity and teamwork, from pretending to be wild animals to exploring the wonderful world of bees.
We also celebrated World Bee Day, a special opportunity to learn about the vital role bees play in our environment. Through hands-on activities, stories and pretend play, the children became real bee champions, buzzing with excitement and new knowledge. And of course, puddles, paint and pond life brought even more joy to our week. Here’s a little look at what we’ve been up to!
Animal Adventures
The children kicked off the week with brilliant role play using animal masks and models. Lions, gorillas and other wild creatures filled the forest as the children ran, chased and laughed together. It was such a joy to see their confidence and creativity come alive through imaginative play.
Caterpillar Counting
Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the children took part in a lovely number activity. They prepared pretend food and carefully counted out the pieces to feed the hungry caterpillar. Many were able to confidently say the correct numbers, showing fantastic number recognition and communication skills.
Buzzing with Bee Learning
In celebration of World Bee Day, we enjoyed a range of bee-themed activities. The children explored numbers using our buzzing bag of numbers. Each child picked a number from the bag, said it aloud, showed it, then drew it on paper before posting it into our busy beehive. It was a fun and interactive way to develop number recognition and fine motor skills.
We also dressed up as beekeepers and read one of our favourite bee books. Our Little Forest Folk-ers learned about the different roles bees have in the hive, how they help plants grow and why they are so important to nature. They especially enjoyed pretending to care for their own hives, buzzing around with great enthusiasm.
Later in the week, the children used clay to sculpt their very own queen and worker bees. As they created their insects, we counted wings and legs together, encouraging careful observation and creativity. The attention to detail was wonderful to see.
Handprint Painting and Counting
The children explored colour and number recognition as they painted red and yellow handprints for our tree wall. As they pressed their hands onto the paper, we counted fingers together. This was a lovely opportunity to build early maths skills through creative, sensory play.
Pond Life Exploration
A group of eager explorers headed down to the lake to investigate what was living beneath the surface. Armed with nets and trays, they carefully collected and examined dragonfly larvae, pond snails, water worms and pond weed. We talked about the creatures’ habitats, how they move and what they need to survive. The children showed great curiosity and care during their investigations, making it a truly meaningful outdoor learning experience.
Dinosaur Tales
Using masks and figures, the children created their own dinosaur stories filled with stomping, roaring and adventure. They shared ideas, acted out scenes and brought their stories to life with lots of energy and imagination.
Thank you for another fantastic week, it’s been a joyful few days filled with discovery, nature and creative play. We’re so proud of everything the children have achieved and can’t wait for more adventures next week!
Little Forest Folk
Chiswick