Our week in the forest
This week has been full of outdoor adventures, creative discoveries and imaginative play, giving the children countless opportunities to explore, learn and have fun together.
We began the week with our new planning theme, exploring Putney Heath. The children went on adventure walks, collected sticks and discovered natural treasures along the cricket pitch. They used these sticks to build pretend fires and, later, to make their own journey sticks. Carefully measuring, wrapping them with colourful wool and adding leaves and flowers, the children brought their creations to life. Alongside this, they spent time with our feelings books, discussing strategies for managing emotions and exploring scenarios that helped them connect stories to their own experiences.
The week continued with a festive celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The children ventured through the forest to the library, racing along the paths and climbing moss-covered trees before exploring books based on various traditions like Easter, Eid and Passover, alongside favourites like Elmer and Julia Donaldson stories. They returned to camp with a collection of twelve books, eager to enjoy them together. In the afternoon, the garden became a hub of creative play, with racing cars down hills, messy mud kitchens and flower printing through Hapa Zome, blending nature and art in a sensory-rich experience.
Sunny skies brought more outdoor energy as children played classic playground games, such as “Duck, Duck, Goose,” “What’s the Time Mr Wolf?” and “Grandma’s Footsteps.” Older children led new friends, ensuring everyone could join in and enjoy the games, while running, hopping and rolling provided plenty of fun exercise. Indoors, creativity continued with a magic potion shop where fizzy salt and vinegar mixtures turned into colourful experiments, encouraging curiosity and imaginative thinking. The garden also became a muddy playground with a car dirt rally, letting children explore sensory play and problem-solving.
The week wrapped up with hands-on art and imaginative play. Children created nature faces in clay using pine wood, explored colour mixing by combining red, blue and white to make purple and dabbed sticks into paint to make unique patterns. In the calm corner, they enjoyed sensory balls and markers, using these materials to pretend to go on different train journeys - with one child even reciting real Transport for London announcements, delighting everyone with their creativity and attention to detail. These activities supported imaginative play, fine motor skills and collaborative storytelling.
It has been a week of exploration, invention and connection - with children building friendships, honing new skills and creating wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing your children’s energy and curiosity with us. We can’t wait for the adventures that next week will bring!
Little Forest Folk
Putney Heath