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Sycamore Week 5

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Today at Forest School we gathered together in our fire circle and talked about having a healthy brain as well as a healthy body. We discussed well-being and how important it is to look after ourselves – not just by eating well and being active, but also by taking quiet moments for ourselves. We talked about how children have very busy lives with lots of demands from school and home, and how sometimes it’s good to slow down. With this in mind, we went to our favourite spots around the Forest School site for a short mindfulness activity. We remembered our 3 S’s – Sit still, be silent, be seated – and spent two minutes listening to the birds, watching the trees and looking at the clouds. When Mrs. Sunderland played the drum, we returned to the fire circle and shared how it felt. Some children found it relaxing, others found it tricky at first, but many noticed they felt calmer afterwards. Jessica, who chose a spot in the woodland, even had two robins come and sit near her during the acti...
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Sycamore Class Week 4

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Today we talked about the weather and how different it felt from last Wednesday’s session – today we were treated to blue skies! This led to a discussion about January, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and how people can sometimes find this time of year tricky for their mental wellbeing. Our theme for the session was colour. Using colour charts, the children searched for natural and man-made items on our walk down to the Forest School site, matching them to different shades. This sparked lots of thoughtful discussion and careful observation. At the site, we explored natural food sources for dyeing fabric, including avocado, cherries, blueberries and onion skins. In our practical activity, the children chopped turmeric, spinach and red cabbage, added boiling water and created their own natural dyes. They then experimented with tie-dye techniques using elastic bands and string on white fabric, exploring how different strengths and quantities changed the colour.  Other children work...
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Sycamore Class week 3

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This morning’s Forest School session looked a little different for our Year 5 children, as heavy rain and strong winds meant we started the morning indoors. Although it wasn’t our usual outdoor Forest School setting, the library became a cosy and creative space. The children built fantastic LEGO houses and bird tables, created beautiful watercolour artwork, and used clay to make a variety of models and projects. We began the session by decorating stones with drawings and sharing stories, before getting creative making bird feeders. The group also worked hard learning the God’s Eye weaving technique using the square lashing knot – a great challenge that required focus, patience and resilience. Later in the afternoon, when the weather gave us a brief clear window, we wrapped up in waterproofs and headed outside to explore the field. The trench and sandpit had been transformed by the heavy rainfall, creating deep pools of water that led to lots of laughter, teamwork and adventurous play. ...
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Sycamore Class week 2

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This morning, Sycamore Class took part in their second Forest School session, enjoying a beautiful frosty start with clear blue skies. We met by the welly sheds and talked about firewood, challenging the children to find a spaghetti-sized piece and a pencil-sized piece from the ground. We then walked around the outside of the field on our journey down to the Forest School site, discovering lots of ice and frost along the way – perfect for exploring, investigating and playing. At the site, the children played a matching game, learning about animals such as beavers and otters, different types of fungi, and trees, while also practising the fire circle rules. There were lots of thoughtful discussions before Mrs. Sunderland introduced new tools, including a peeler and a palm drill. We talked about how to safely use these tool and what we might make with them.  Activities included whittling hazel sticks, lots of enthusiastic den building, clay faces and tinkering with nails, corks and pi...
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