Week 4 Hazel bird feeders

 This morning, Hazel Class braved a very squelchy and wet journey down to Forest School, but as we arrived, the skies cleared, and we were treated to beautiful weather! The children had a fantastic time splashing in puddles along the way and collecting spaghetti- and pencil-sized firewood for our session.

Once at the site, we sorted and graded our wood before gathering around the fire circle to play “Pass the Pulse,” where the children showed excellent listening skills. We then took part in a multisensory activity called “Rain Dance,” similar to a Mexican wave, before learning about bird feeders. The children were shown how to use a vegetable peeler and practiced whittling by first using a carrot before moving on to a stick. Safety was a priority, and everyone carefully followed the “blood bubble” rule to ensure they had enough space to work safely.

After that, we got busy making bird feeders, building an impressive pulley system in the den area, and playing in the sandpit, where giant puddles had formed! There was also a lively game of tug of war, and the children had great fun playing “Dragons, Dwarfs, and Giants.” Some children chose to craft delicate little clay birds, showing their creativity.

Back at the fire, Maddie got the flames going, while some of the girls helped chop firewood using a tool called a froe. We made our own hot chocolate (we’re getting really good at this now!) and toasted brioche over the fire—a real treat! One of the girls even said, “We’re being treated like VIPs!”

Some played a noisy game called the “Robot Game,” where one blindfolded child had to follow sound clues from teammates to find a hidden object in the woodland.

Hazel Class, you showed brilliant listening, teamwork, and communication skills today—not to mention plenty of giggles! What a great morning in the forest!