​Forest Families,

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What an adventure every year is.

It is incredible to look back each year and appreciate what a beautiful experience it has been, not only for the children, but for the teachers, also.  The growth and development of the group, as well as each individual child, are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were at the beginning of the school year. The teachers and I cannot thank you enough for trusting us to guide your children in a way that is different than traditional programs.

With our focus on being on life skills, we’ve seen the children thrive in bravery, emotional regulation and  emotional resilience, physical strength and physical resilience, social skills and communication, expressing their feelings/wants/needs/dislikes/likes through words and feeling confident to do so, getting along with others, problem solving, using their imagination, developing respect and love for themselves and all living things, teamwork mentality, and so much more. I’ve had multiple parents approach me, sharing stories of how they feel this program has quickly improved behaviors and habits at home, especially where emotional meltdowns are concerned.

Many other improvements have been seen at home with sibling relations, following directions, eating well at meal times, sleep patterns, using their imagination, and choosing to “try again” when they are working on something or when they want to express themselves more accurately. It is wonderful to see what just one school year can do in development and growth.

One of the most fascinating things to see develop was watching the children create their own traditions and games with each other. Whether that was leaving acorns at the same base of a tree to feed the squirrels on a regular basis, or gathering together to play the same game picking right back up where they left off.

Their memory and imagination is continually impressive! The familiarity and love they develop for an area was also very significant. They chose to take care of it, picking up trash, and following the rules and regulations of the area. The children loved repeating sayings such as “pack it in, pack it out” and “leave an area better than you found it”. The care and consideration the children developed for each other was inspiring. When disagreements would arise, their willingness to talk about it, try again, and to repair the situation was wonderful to see. We often observe the joy experienced after an issue was resolved, and they could resume playing and having fun together. I could go on and on about the beautiful experiences

 

Highlights from Fall:

Forest School during the Fall was magical! We watched the leaves change from green to orange and red and yellow. The kids and teachers LOVED gathering up the leaves together and throwing them up in the air together. One of the children’s favorite places to play and hike to, was the “big dirty hill”. About 10 feet high, this semi-steep hill would get slippery and muddy. The children had to use their strong bodies to climb up a long root sticking out of the ground to get to the top. Often, the children would help each other and reach down for the others once they reached the top. Sometimes the children would slide down in “train-form” and giggle all the way to the bottom.

During the Fall we had an amazing opportunity to be visited often by a female red-tailed hawk almost daily for a couple weeks. She would sit low in the trees, and she’d soar from tree to tree. The children and teachers would slowly and quietly follow her through the trees to get a good look at her.

 

Highlights from Winter:

WOW! What a Winter we experienced this year!

Not only did the children develop physical strength and grit, but the teachers did, also. As a society, we are used to feeling warm and comfortable all the time with indoor temperature regulations. How cool it was to see the children become more comfortable with discomfort, and to create joyful experiences that helped warm our bodies, grow in family vibes, and have fun nonetheless! Sledding, snow angels, snowmen, snow-slides on their bums, and nature walks all became almost daily routines.

One of their favorite activities was making bird feeders, where we spread sunflower butter on pine cones and rolled them with local wild bird seed. The children hiked around and used twine to hang them in the trees. Hours later we would check on the feeders to see if they had been eaten and/or carried away by squirrels. This encouraged the children to see the cause and effect of how we can help other living beings. 

 

Highlights from Spring:

This spring we experienced many rainy days!  We learned that wet-cold feels much colder than dry-cold and the children continued to persevere in their skills to find their peace/calm through discomfort, and that fun can be had no matter the weather! 

Once the weather warmed up a bit more, we were able to venture out more fully in nature where we experienced new flowers, green leaves, so many worms, bugs, and witnessing the animals busy with their Spring time tasks. The children especially loved lifting up rocks and fallen logs to see what was underneath. So many slugs, worms, spiders, and potato bugs!​

 

Common Activities and Games

• Paper Airplanes

• Pet Rocks (that often become "babies")

• Discussing the difference between Wild and Man Made and how we can take care of our wild

• Mud cakes/Mud Pies/Mud Kitchen

• Sensory play with mud, pumpkin insides, sirt, comparing the feel of nature items: leaves, dirt, tree bark, sticks, rocks, etc

• Leaf Crowns and Leaf Necklaces

• Measuring

• Playing Super Heroes

• Playing Firemen

• Playing "Family"

• Coloring with paper and Crayons

• Climbing

• Playing Chase/Tag

• Handprints and Footprints

• Nature Chalk

• Group Parachute Activity

• Stacking rocks and logs

• Group Hugs

• Tracing Nature Items on paper

• Counting and Categorizing collected nature items

• Making Windchimes

• Playing Hide-and-seek, and counting up to 10 in English and Spanish

• Climbing up and down hills

• Building Squirrel Homes/Delivering Acorns

• Building Fairy Houses and collecting Fairy Gems (that the fairies leave for us the next day)

• Obstacle courses

• Discovering new areas to explore

• Dance Parties

• Animal Yoga and Animal Breathes

• Songs and singing

• and more! (the list could go on) 

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A Special Moment

We were visited by a female Red Tailed Hawk who stayed nearby flying from branch to branch. We took a little break from our snack time to slowly and quietly follow it a bit through the trees. Each time the Hawk spread its wings and flew, everyone “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed”. What a wonderful experience that was!!

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Overall Development

 

• Holding and using crayons and pencils to color on paper

• Sensory play activities learning rough, soft, grainy, sticky, squishy, crunchy, slimy, etc.

• Understanding that when the mornings feel cold, we can move our bodies to stay warmer, to eat the warm oatmeal, and celebrate the sun when it rises!

• Student friendships have continued to develop, and the care for each other is seen often. Groups hugs are a common daily activity. All the children invite anyone in who would like a hug. We also continue the awareness that we each own our bodies and each can choose if they want to be hugged or touched, and to respect when another child needs some space. If a child rejects a hug, we suggest maybe the other child ask for a high five or hand hold.

• Awareness of how to take care of our planet and outdoor learning area. Putting trash in the trash bag, leaving our place better than we found it, and leaving no trace.

• Unity- our Child's Element students continues to grow stronger in unity. The children are also becoming comfortably more aware of when another child might need to be invited in to a game so as to not leave them out.

• The children are continuing to feel comfortable with the idea that it’s okay to make mistakes, and there are ways to repair; for each party to feel better. (Saying sorry, inviting a child back to play, expressing how one is feeling to another child, etc)

• Socializing, conversing, problem solving, cooperating (These skills are almost always on this list!) The children are given more time to problem solve on their own, and adults will step in if we see that they need a bit of support. Grown ups ask questions so everyone feels heard, and then offers suggestions of what might help (in addition to asking “what do you want to happen here?”

• The children who have been attending Forest School for a while now, either automatically keep their things together, or they do so after one reminder. Children who are younger or new, may need more support, but have easily gotten the hang of this ritual after snack and throughout the day.

• Hand eye coordination - tossing a ball, stick, or acorn toward a specified object, or kicking a ball to another child.

• Balance on rocky and uneven terrain of nature

• Balancing on logs or rocks

• Emotional regulation and resilience - children are always supported and validated through their emotions. This validation and support helps them confidently move through the process of feelings, expressing their feeling to a teacher or other child, and to move forward.

• Physical Resilience - the children each wear their own backpack. Sometimes when a child find themselves off balance and they fall to the ground, they immediately cry out for help to get up. Teachers typically will use their words to help first “I’ll help with my words at first, try rolling onto your tummy and pushing up with your hands and feet”. This almost always works! And the children are encouraged to recognize that they did it, even though it felt hard at first.

• Checking on each other and helping each other out instead of always going to a teacher

 

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Books

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Student Faves: Story Books For Children

 

Jump Frog Jump by Robert Kalan

Happy Dreamer by Peter Reynolds

Going Places by Peter and Paul Reynolds

Finding Wild by Megan Wagner Lloyd

Where is My Dragon by Steve Light

One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root

It’s Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis

The Bear Who Shared by Catherine Rayner

Happiest Book Ever by Bob Shae

I am Enough by Grace Byers

Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater

 

 

Teacher Faves: Books For Parents:

 

How to Raise a Wild Child – Scott D. Sampson

No- Drama Discipline – Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne, M.Ed.Lisa M. Ross

Balanced and Barefoot by Angela Hanscom

Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv

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Family Friendly Hikes in the area:

Cecret Lake, Little Cottonwood Canyon

Donut Falls, Big Cottonwood

Silver Lake, Big Cottonwood Canyon

Lower Bells Reservoir, Little Cottonwood Canyon

The Living Room, Red Butte (Up behind the U)

Ensign Peak, above the Capitol Building (a bit steep, but only .5 miles)

Bonneville Shoreline Trail, above the Avenues

 

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Thank you!

 

Children are some of the most magical beings on this earth. The Forest Preschool teachers and I feel honored to spend each day with your children, watching their eyes light up with new discoveries or when they laugh with their friends. Those special moments when they finally accomplish something they’ve been trying over and over, and shouting “I did it!”, then to have their peers acknowledge and celebrate with them. It is amazing to see how quickly they develop connections, care, love, and respect for each other and other living things when these actions are modeled and supported with gentleness.  

 

The teachers and I want to express much gratitude for the involvement you have as parents, and for allowing your child to play and learn in a different and meaningful way at Forest Preschool.

 

By Supporting The Child’s Element, You Are Supporting a Bigger Movement to Change The World, and You Are Appreciated!!

 

Love,

Our Creator/Director, Sara Jones

&

Our Wonderful Teachers

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