Our Week in the Forest
September has arrived, bringing with it the first golden hints of autumn. As the leaves begin to change colour, we’ve said fond farewells to many of our older children, sending them off with hugs and promises to see them again at our Holiday Camps. At the same time, we’ve welcomed our new explorers, who are already beginning to settle in and discover the wonders of the forest.
This week, our focus has been on bats - both the flying kind and the ones we use in sports! The mud kitchen has been busier than ever, with the children whipping up a wild menu for our bat friends: fly biscuits, mosquito muffins, beetle pies, moth milkshakes, fruit smoothies and even a cheeky Cardiff fly coffee! Measuring, pouring, mixing and sprinkling gave everyone the chance to practise early maths and fine motor skills while having so much fun.
At the craft table, creativity was in full swing. With paints, glue, toilet roll tubes, paper plates, leaves and sticks, the children made their very own bats while learning all about how they are nocturnal and what they like to eat. Their excitement didn’t stop there - soon, the forest was alive with bats swooping and squeaking as the children ran through the trees, proudly flying their creations.
The obstacle course took on a batty twist too! Crates, planks, and tyres were set up in a semi-circle, with a rope strung with paper bats at the finish line. As one child wiggled the rope, the others leapt, hopped and jumped to avoid the bats - a fantastic way to practise balance and coordination.
For our younger children, we introduced a sand tray to support sensory play. It was a huge hit! From tiny sandcastles and stomping dinosaurs, to cars and trucks zooming through tracks and water being mixed in to transform textures - it provided endless opportunities for exploration and imagination.
And of course, no day in the forest is complete without the joy of stories and music. Singing new songs and listening to wonderful tales brought everyone together and ended our days with smiles.
It’s been a magical start to September - thank you for joining us in the forest and here’s to many more autumn adventures ahead! 🍂🦇
Little Forest Folk
Twickenham