Fun in the woods

Every Wednesday I meet with some Waldorf  inspired home schooling families and parents from Greenwich Steiner school and lead a outdoor session in the woods.

This is Oxleas Woods, in Shooters hill road.

The morning session starts at 10, our meeting point is the great Oak Tree by the bench, between the car park and the cafe ( late comers know where we go, and it is tricky with little ones and buses, so I am guilty of being late too!)

We go through a little path and follow the path passing the 'Incy Wincy Spider's Tree'

then we carry on and turn left and up towards the 'Crocodile', a fallen tree trunk which is hollow and looked like the mouth of a croc, but don't worry, he is friendly!

Then we turn right through the bluebells through' the tunnel' down the ditch to the other side to meet the Chestnut Tree, or 'The Squirrel's Tree'

we carry on towards a clearing and you are most likely to see the 'den' we built; there was one further up but then destroyed, not built by our group, we built a brand new one right near where we gather...that has been taken down too and then rebuilt by some of us and reinforced by me and some other parent helpers...

Where we gather there are logs and tree trunks where we can sit on and a space in between for picnic rugs, if the children are thirsty or hungry we have tea and food...the idea is that we all bring something and we share.

Now I have a double buggy I can borrow fro a very kind family, I can bring mats and rugs and craft materials and food and drink!

We gather sticks and leaves and make simple crafts , sometimes I bring, paper, or wool for a more crafty craft! We made bird feeders, lanterns, crowns, mobiles, 'spiders on cob webs', musical shakers. The idea is to use as little material, and try to use what we find in the woods, at least as the basic, main material.

I have fun and it is so nice to watch the children either playing or helping making things...

Then we sing songs in a circle, always the usual morning greetings and songs of reverence towards Mother earth, seasonal songs, playful songs...then we have games, like 'What's the time Mr Wolf' 

but pretty much children after they relax they start playing...free to explore...

x 
Susannah