This week we’ve been kidding around in the forest enjoying the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff, which we think is baaa-rilliant! Just like our Little Forest Folk-ers, we know goats love to climb, so our garden has featured an exciting bridge of pallets for the children to practice going over and under. It’s also been the perfect opportunity to use our big troll voices! The children have really enjoyed choosing their roles as Little, Middle or Big Billy Goat Gruff or even the big mean, green, scary troll. This has resulted in some lovely conversations about the littlest billy goat who was so brave and decided to go first across the bridge. As the week has progressed, it has been magical to see this roleplay blossom as the adventurers reenacted the story on the bridge, as well as when using the small world animals.

Our garden has also filled with unfurling bracken shoots which the children have been sensitively harvesting to make goat headbands. We took out our trusty secateurs and the little ones learned all about tool safety when using them. Then they carefully snipped the bracken and wove it together to make their headbands. After that, it was time to cut some soft, thin branches from the holly tree which was overhanging our gate. This cleared the way for visitors while also giving us some lovely wood to shape into horns! With a potato peeler, they whittled the sticks into the perfect horn shape before attaching them to their headbands.

The little goats have also been out and about in the Arboretum witnessing all the changes that the warm weather has brought, including some exciting insect characters. The children were so gentle as they interacted with the caterpillars, butterflies, shield bugs and spiders they came across. What a wonderful, kind community we have at Little Forest Folk Winkworth!

Little Forest Folk
Winkworth