Welcome to TreeFrog's Forest Preschool Page
We are pleased to welcome you to our exciting new nature preschool program run by Early Childhood Educator Seairra Courtemanche. Please check back frequently for updates on the program, photos and videos of what the children are doing, details about ways you can help enhance this program and more!
(please note: newer entries will appear at the top, we encourage you to scroll down for more!)
May 29, 2014
Update from Seairra
The Forest Preschool is happy to welcome new families and a couple of the children who have been with Tami and Lisa in the Toddler program and are now able to be with the Forest Preschool. We also have a couple of children who are moving on. One family is moving onto the Mainland and the other is going to be with their family in the summer and then into kindergarten. It was such a gift to be with both families and we wish them abounding joy and inspiration being close to Mother Earth in all they do.
HIGHLIGHTED SPECIAL EVENT SATURDAY MAY 30TH AT SALTSPRING LIBRARY:
THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR OF THE BOOK “Owl’s Dream” LIVE SHARING
STORYTELLING AND FACEPAINTING
A Story Told in Poems for the Young and the Young at Heart
Written By Valentina Atton Illustrated by Sophia Johnson
Children’s have been enjoying hearing the story outside and linking it to their experience.
Ever so kindly reminding families about basic needs for children’s sunny days:
- A snug closed toe shoe with Velcro supports the independence of the child (sandals are dangerous in forest landscapes as sticks and other things can puncture a child)
- Water bottle
- Long sleeve light cotton shirt
- Light pants stop unnecessary skinned knees (skirts get caught when climbing)
- Extra socks
- Hat
- Be prepared for the varying cool weather too (Sweater/light jacket, boots, muddy buddies)
Mornings where there is 5/6 children maximum I am able to bring the children into focused activities and free play in the forest, wetlands and permaculture garden. If the numbers are over 8 children and we have 2 staff then I am able to bring them in groups.
As numbers have fluctuated bringing more children into the center on certain days the forest preschool went through change adapting to the needs of the children and staffing. There was a couple of months when we did not have the opportunity to go to the wetlands, forest outside the fence and permaculture garden. This was a challenge for myself and we have moved through this challenge. The days vary that I am able to bring them into the forest, wetland and garden.
HIGHLIGHTED SPECIAL EVENT SATURDAY MAY 30TH AT SALTSPRING LIBRARY:
THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR OF THE BOOK “Owl’s Dream” LIVE SHARING
STORYTELLING AND FACEPAINTING
A Story Told in Poems for the Young and the Young at Heart
Written By Valentina Atton Illustrated by Sophia Johnson
Children’s have been enjoying hearing the story outside and linking it to their experience.
Ever so kindly reminding families about basic needs for children’s sunny days:
- A snug closed toe shoe with Velcro supports the independence of the child (sandals are dangerous in forest landscapes as sticks and other things can puncture a child)
- Water bottle
- Long sleeve light cotton shirt
- Light pants stop unnecessary skinned knees (skirts get caught when climbing)
- Extra socks
- Hat
- Be prepared for the varying cool weather too (Sweater/light jacket, boots, muddy buddies)
Mornings where there is 5/6 children maximum I am able to bring the children into focused activities and free play in the forest, wetlands and permaculture garden. If the numbers are over 8 children and we have 2 staff then I am able to bring them in groups.
As numbers have fluctuated bringing more children into the center on certain days the forest preschool went through change adapting to the needs of the children and staffing. There was a couple of months when we did not have the opportunity to go to the wetlands, forest outside the fence and permaculture garden. This was a challenge for myself and we have moved through this challenge. The days vary that I am able to bring them into the forest, wetland and garden.
Special Focused Activities in Forest Preschool:
o Starting Trees from seed watching the saplings rise.
o Witnessing the transformation and emergence of the fauna and flora of the forest: composting leaves, winds, sun, clouds, bird calls, fresh air, inter-connected plants each with purpose.
o Children learning gentleness and empathy for life learning to ask an adult before gathering a living plant.
o Witnessing experiencing crystals in the frozen soils, budding, blooming of leaves buds and flowers on the trees and flowers and understanding with respect the work of the bees
o Witnessing the transformation of the wetlands from summer dryness to autumn and winter rains creating a natural pond and the evaporation of the water revealing the emergence of the new life being skunk cabbage, mushrooms and other plants within the wetlands.
o The children are learning and experiencing that the function of the wetland is to clean the waters and is essential for many species including the human species.
o With the children’s experience throughout the seasons within the wetlands they are then told through humorous stories about how humans from other lands saw the rich soil and destroyed the life of the wetlands so they could utilize it for growing plant crops for livestock and human consumption and building structures; but, now the humans realize the importance to leave the wetlands as they are.
o In the garden children have been planting vegetables and flowers from seed (composting, scooping, filling pots, sifting soil, watering, gathering)
o Children are presently making “compost stew”!
o The Garlic we planted in the autumn of 2014 is well on its way for harvesting
o Out of the hazelnuts, edible chestnuts, maple, oak, apple and pear seeds planted in autumn many oaks for community land rehabilitation survived, maples, 2 apple trees and 1 pear tree thriving into this world. We learned that the chestnuts and edible walnuts needed more sandy soil base.
o The children’s spring vegetable and flower seeding have risen up. Calendula, chard, spinach, sunflowers have been planted in the shared garden bed with Elf. Beans and squash are growing up a teepee nest play spot we created for the children in the Fulford Elementary garden.
WATERING VOLUNTEERS FOR FULFORD ELEMENTARY GARDEN ARE NEEDED and WELCOMED throughout the summer months.
Climbing and expanding physical abilities through child initiated risk taking continues to be supported through the nurse logs, rocks and varied surfaces of the lands.
Connecting opportunities with Elementary Students, older siblings and younger siblings has happened organically through being present in neutral shared areas outside like the permaculture garden and outside classroom area while the elementary students are on their recess and lunch breaks. This is often an exciting opportunity for younger and older siblings to reunite, share a hug, a comment of encouragement and sometimes join in play uniting different generations.
· Clip board drawing documentations
· Natural Art : clay, water, dirt, rocks, brick paint
· Group discussions
· Group Singing: ( We have been practicing singing tones Low – high, whisper voices, loud voices and singing voices)
· Group Storytelling
· Observational skills of wildlife, flora and fauna understanding
· Experiencing interconnectedness of the diversity of life existing in harmony and the role of being gentle within this life.
· Practicing problem solving ( interpersonal skills, transforming personal attitudes, practicing courage, healthy risk taking walking amidst the organic landscapes)
· Creative imaginative play learning how to play with respect and awareness with natural organic matter and respecting the place as the home of wildlife.
· Sit Spots practice of meditation, awareness, joy in silence and expressing their experience with the group through a talking circle
· Creating Boundaries, Group cooperation in changing the boundaries
The child led play in the forest is full of child play processing their daily influences and life experiences. After the holidays they came back with the theme of playing a TV show called “Paw Patrol” and left the ‘family’ games. We have come up with a collective request from children that they leave tv characters at the place where they watch them. They happily understand this and then choose to play family characters.
As the child is experiencing their days they are learning about their self and their peers boundaries and abilities. This extends into understanding the wild ecosystem, the unique parts of the watershed where one is at. When children are given the opportunity to be close to these wild spaces with an earth loving adult. Each child in whatever imaginary world they are in have the opportunity to deepen their understanding and connection with the life of the greater community through becoming aware of the wild fauna and flora while playing. For example the worms, slugs, green plants like fern, Salal, moss, Indian plum, ocean spray, mushrooms, trees, birds, snakes, frogs etc.… are present and when the children play amongst them they will exclaim with enthusiasm to another “look what I see!”. The presence of the adult is essential in this moment to join in communion with the child in their new found awareness and realization of their interconnected community and offer excitement in their finding. This simple acknowledgement can be seen as a bridge for the child or rather an introduction to one of their extended relatives.
In this moment the adult explains we are in the animal’s home, what the species is doing and how to walk gently and carefully amidst their presence. Rather than taking from the living tree that is busy doing work the children learn to only gather the brown leaves and sticks that have completed their job on the plant/tree.
The message: “We take only what we need” is confirmed over and over in their outside play. We also leave the flowers for the bees and if one is taken then we either compost or bring it into the center for the sharing and remembrance of the ones who have the flower as food.
The children experience a range of emotions as they engage with the life being introduced to the species, functions and importance. Whether that is through taking off a green leaf in unawareness of its function; which, then leads to sharing the leaf’s purpose and function or whether through playing in repetitive locations for play. One example is when a child walked on the earthen soils and noticed roots showing and stated it being a sensitive area so they designated the area a no play zone. The child is deepening their empathetic self through experiencing and understanding sustainable land management.
This experience revealed to me, the adult, how important it is to establish a soil building component to the year. The awareness is realized within the child that fallen leaves, fallen branches and logs stay upon the lands to support the natural composting and building of the forest floor. The nurse logs are an essential key to this experiential learning. The children also witness the woodpeckers drumming utilizing the dead standing trees for food and bird nesting.
Forest Preschool nurtures, creativity, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual parts of the child. Each child’s unique social self is nurtured, their spirituality, their natural tendency to rough and tumble play and connection with the earth. These aspects build empathy. Through experiencing touch with each other and the earth one learns to practice and express healthy boundaries of self and the other. It is important that when a child finds themselves on their own they will have internal experience how to create safe boundaries and have learned the skills of diplomatic decision making, listening and initiating.
Books Highlighted January - June:
· Wangara Trees of Peace:
· Planting Seeds
· The Moon By Gail Gibbons: Children often use this as a reference
· All the Water in the World
· Raven, A Trickster Tale From the Pacific Northwest By Gerald McDermot
· Compost Stew, An A to Z Recipe for the Earth
· Owl’s Dream, A Story Told in Poems for the Young and the Young at Heart: Written By Valentina Atton Illustrated by Sophia Johnson
Children’s comments:
In the wetlands looking at the floor of the cedar grove:
Child: “look at the hole!”
Adult: “I wonder who lives in there.”
Child: “A polar bear, cat, dog!”
Another child: “a baby princess is stuck in there!’
Child: “Look another hole! “
A child tending to a nest built by the children in the forest and another child wanted a turn. I reminded them how the Eagle dad and mom share and take turns doing different jobs. One sits on the nest the other protects the nest and gathers food. The children started doing this taking turns sitting on the nest and gathering. This was really precious to watch.
Child looking at the waters in the wetland: “When the raindrop touches the water it gets bigger”
Returning to the wetlands end of spring after one month being away from it:
Child: “there is no water!”
Child: “there is wet soil, mud!”
Child: “Plants are growing where there used to be water by the tree were I play “
Child: “What do birds eat? “
Child talking to another child: “can you teach me how to climb a tree?”
Child answered: “Step your feet here then place your foot on that knob”
Another child answered: “You will have to come to my house and climb the trees!”
After a lightning and thunder storm:
Child: “Why is there lightening in the sky?”
Child walking on forest paths: “I see brown maple leaves!”
Some of the language in context to experiential play in their ecosystems:
Eagle
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Raven
Crow
Hummingbird
Frog
Cedar Tree
Yew Tree
Maple Tree
Maple Sapling
Garry Oak Tree
Alder Tree
Roots, Branches, Trunk,
Redstart
Slug
Moss
Mushrooms
Ocean Spray
Worms
Pileated Woodpecker
Sensorial Experiential learning:
Wet, dry, smooth, rough, slimy, sticky, cool, warm, hot, thin, thick, wide, tall, and short is experienced with the trees, plants, waters and natural environment around.
Physical Experiential Learning:
Large muscle climbing and walking amongst varied natural ground, fine motor picking up life like tiny cones, sticks and pebbles, worms etc... The children are pouring, hammering, digging, watering, carrying water jugs, picking up heavy and light rocks and logs, drawing and painting holding a pencil, pen and brush. The children are also participating in singing experiencing rhythm, toning high and low, sharing familiar songs and experiencing space where their own songs are honoured, shared and celebrated.
Creative/social Experiential Learning:
The base of creativity is utilizing natural found items and children turning them into objects that are part of the children’s home and community living experience.
· We focus ALWAYS IN THE JOYFULL PROCESS of creating with zero waste and respectful awareness of the interconnected environment one is in as the goal with reduce, reuse and recycle concept alive.
· The children have found charcoal in the forest. They utilize this for rock drawings and paint making.
· Brick is crushed to make a red earthen colour to paint with.
· Water is used as paint and is especially fun in the warm weather linking evaporation and the miraculous concept of invisible into the experience.
· The children are creating creative dynamic play scenarios with each other where they are utilizing listening and their vocal skills. Through play the children are sharing their unique awareness with each other and processing their previous and new experiences.
Emotional Experiential Learning:
Nurturing Empathy through building relationship with self, other and environment. This relationship is based on understanding oneself, boundaries of self and other and the differences and understanding the functions of diverse life in the environment. Their emotional experiential learning is nurtured through adults who are aware and able to communicate compassionate communication acknowledging one’s own emotions and the emotions of the children. The work is also giving the children language to express their feelings and needs respectfully and clearly. This practice of expressing emotions also nurtures creating space and patience for oneself and another. Tools to deal with overwhelming emotions through deep breathing and creating one’s own space are shared through sharing the story “Tucker the Turtle Takes time to Tuck and Think” and the meditative forest sit spots.
Intellectual Experiential Learning:
Highlights include understanding seasons, weather, botany, intentionally practicing kindness, understanding the interconnected ecosystem with species and their functions, language through songs, books, sharing through play and circles, meditation through sit spots, leadership based on cooperation through watching out for the whole group on the paths and outdoor spaces
Spiritual Experiential Learning:
(Practicing virtues nurturing Empathy and Awareness of life within and around):
Kindness, gentleness, empathy, determination, healthy risk taking (self-initiated) builds self-concept creating strengthened self-confidence, practicing of listening to self and other, experiencing belonging through understanding ones environment and ones role within it.
Lighting a snack and lunch candle nurtures calm, contemplation and sharing gratitude.
Circle sharing kind actions of others where everyone adds leaves to the kindness tree inside. One action of kindness supports the growth of the whole tree that we are all part of.
o Starting Trees from seed watching the saplings rise.
o Witnessing the transformation and emergence of the fauna and flora of the forest: composting leaves, winds, sun, clouds, bird calls, fresh air, inter-connected plants each with purpose.
o Children learning gentleness and empathy for life learning to ask an adult before gathering a living plant.
o Witnessing experiencing crystals in the frozen soils, budding, blooming of leaves buds and flowers on the trees and flowers and understanding with respect the work of the bees
o Witnessing the transformation of the wetlands from summer dryness to autumn and winter rains creating a natural pond and the evaporation of the water revealing the emergence of the new life being skunk cabbage, mushrooms and other plants within the wetlands.
o The children are learning and experiencing that the function of the wetland is to clean the waters and is essential for many species including the human species.
o With the children’s experience throughout the seasons within the wetlands they are then told through humorous stories about how humans from other lands saw the rich soil and destroyed the life of the wetlands so they could utilize it for growing plant crops for livestock and human consumption and building structures; but, now the humans realize the importance to leave the wetlands as they are.
o In the garden children have been planting vegetables and flowers from seed (composting, scooping, filling pots, sifting soil, watering, gathering)
o Children are presently making “compost stew”!
o The Garlic we planted in the autumn of 2014 is well on its way for harvesting
o Out of the hazelnuts, edible chestnuts, maple, oak, apple and pear seeds planted in autumn many oaks for community land rehabilitation survived, maples, 2 apple trees and 1 pear tree thriving into this world. We learned that the chestnuts and edible walnuts needed more sandy soil base.
o The children’s spring vegetable and flower seeding have risen up. Calendula, chard, spinach, sunflowers have been planted in the shared garden bed with Elf. Beans and squash are growing up a teepee nest play spot we created for the children in the Fulford Elementary garden.
WATERING VOLUNTEERS FOR FULFORD ELEMENTARY GARDEN ARE NEEDED and WELCOMED throughout the summer months.
Climbing and expanding physical abilities through child initiated risk taking continues to be supported through the nurse logs, rocks and varied surfaces of the lands.
Connecting opportunities with Elementary Students, older siblings and younger siblings has happened organically through being present in neutral shared areas outside like the permaculture garden and outside classroom area while the elementary students are on their recess and lunch breaks. This is often an exciting opportunity for younger and older siblings to reunite, share a hug, a comment of encouragement and sometimes join in play uniting different generations.
· Clip board drawing documentations
· Natural Art : clay, water, dirt, rocks, brick paint
· Group discussions
· Group Singing: ( We have been practicing singing tones Low – high, whisper voices, loud voices and singing voices)
· Group Storytelling
· Observational skills of wildlife, flora and fauna understanding
· Experiencing interconnectedness of the diversity of life existing in harmony and the role of being gentle within this life.
· Practicing problem solving ( interpersonal skills, transforming personal attitudes, practicing courage, healthy risk taking walking amidst the organic landscapes)
· Creative imaginative play learning how to play with respect and awareness with natural organic matter and respecting the place as the home of wildlife.
· Sit Spots practice of meditation, awareness, joy in silence and expressing their experience with the group through a talking circle
· Creating Boundaries, Group cooperation in changing the boundaries
The child led play in the forest is full of child play processing their daily influences and life experiences. After the holidays they came back with the theme of playing a TV show called “Paw Patrol” and left the ‘family’ games. We have come up with a collective request from children that they leave tv characters at the place where they watch them. They happily understand this and then choose to play family characters.
As the child is experiencing their days they are learning about their self and their peers boundaries and abilities. This extends into understanding the wild ecosystem, the unique parts of the watershed where one is at. When children are given the opportunity to be close to these wild spaces with an earth loving adult. Each child in whatever imaginary world they are in have the opportunity to deepen their understanding and connection with the life of the greater community through becoming aware of the wild fauna and flora while playing. For example the worms, slugs, green plants like fern, Salal, moss, Indian plum, ocean spray, mushrooms, trees, birds, snakes, frogs etc.… are present and when the children play amongst them they will exclaim with enthusiasm to another “look what I see!”. The presence of the adult is essential in this moment to join in communion with the child in their new found awareness and realization of their interconnected community and offer excitement in their finding. This simple acknowledgement can be seen as a bridge for the child or rather an introduction to one of their extended relatives.
In this moment the adult explains we are in the animal’s home, what the species is doing and how to walk gently and carefully amidst their presence. Rather than taking from the living tree that is busy doing work the children learn to only gather the brown leaves and sticks that have completed their job on the plant/tree.
The message: “We take only what we need” is confirmed over and over in their outside play. We also leave the flowers for the bees and if one is taken then we either compost or bring it into the center for the sharing and remembrance of the ones who have the flower as food.
The children experience a range of emotions as they engage with the life being introduced to the species, functions and importance. Whether that is through taking off a green leaf in unawareness of its function; which, then leads to sharing the leaf’s purpose and function or whether through playing in repetitive locations for play. One example is when a child walked on the earthen soils and noticed roots showing and stated it being a sensitive area so they designated the area a no play zone. The child is deepening their empathetic self through experiencing and understanding sustainable land management.
This experience revealed to me, the adult, how important it is to establish a soil building component to the year. The awareness is realized within the child that fallen leaves, fallen branches and logs stay upon the lands to support the natural composting and building of the forest floor. The nurse logs are an essential key to this experiential learning. The children also witness the woodpeckers drumming utilizing the dead standing trees for food and bird nesting.
Forest Preschool nurtures, creativity, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual parts of the child. Each child’s unique social self is nurtured, their spirituality, their natural tendency to rough and tumble play and connection with the earth. These aspects build empathy. Through experiencing touch with each other and the earth one learns to practice and express healthy boundaries of self and the other. It is important that when a child finds themselves on their own they will have internal experience how to create safe boundaries and have learned the skills of diplomatic decision making, listening and initiating.
Books Highlighted January - June:
· Wangara Trees of Peace:
· Planting Seeds
· The Moon By Gail Gibbons: Children often use this as a reference
· All the Water in the World
· Raven, A Trickster Tale From the Pacific Northwest By Gerald McDermot
· Compost Stew, An A to Z Recipe for the Earth
· Owl’s Dream, A Story Told in Poems for the Young and the Young at Heart: Written By Valentina Atton Illustrated by Sophia Johnson
Children’s comments:
In the wetlands looking at the floor of the cedar grove:
Child: “look at the hole!”
Adult: “I wonder who lives in there.”
Child: “A polar bear, cat, dog!”
Another child: “a baby princess is stuck in there!’
Child: “Look another hole! “
A child tending to a nest built by the children in the forest and another child wanted a turn. I reminded them how the Eagle dad and mom share and take turns doing different jobs. One sits on the nest the other protects the nest and gathers food. The children started doing this taking turns sitting on the nest and gathering. This was really precious to watch.
Child looking at the waters in the wetland: “When the raindrop touches the water it gets bigger”
Returning to the wetlands end of spring after one month being away from it:
Child: “there is no water!”
Child: “there is wet soil, mud!”
Child: “Plants are growing where there used to be water by the tree were I play “
Child: “What do birds eat? “
Child talking to another child: “can you teach me how to climb a tree?”
Child answered: “Step your feet here then place your foot on that knob”
Another child answered: “You will have to come to my house and climb the trees!”
After a lightning and thunder storm:
Child: “Why is there lightening in the sky?”
Child walking on forest paths: “I see brown maple leaves!”
Some of the language in context to experiential play in their ecosystems:
Eagle
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Raven
Crow
Hummingbird
Frog
Cedar Tree
Yew Tree
Maple Tree
Maple Sapling
Garry Oak Tree
Alder Tree
Roots, Branches, Trunk,
Redstart
Slug
Moss
Mushrooms
Ocean Spray
Worms
Pileated Woodpecker
Sensorial Experiential learning:
Wet, dry, smooth, rough, slimy, sticky, cool, warm, hot, thin, thick, wide, tall, and short is experienced with the trees, plants, waters and natural environment around.
Physical Experiential Learning:
Large muscle climbing and walking amongst varied natural ground, fine motor picking up life like tiny cones, sticks and pebbles, worms etc... The children are pouring, hammering, digging, watering, carrying water jugs, picking up heavy and light rocks and logs, drawing and painting holding a pencil, pen and brush. The children are also participating in singing experiencing rhythm, toning high and low, sharing familiar songs and experiencing space where their own songs are honoured, shared and celebrated.
Creative/social Experiential Learning:
The base of creativity is utilizing natural found items and children turning them into objects that are part of the children’s home and community living experience.
· We focus ALWAYS IN THE JOYFULL PROCESS of creating with zero waste and respectful awareness of the interconnected environment one is in as the goal with reduce, reuse and recycle concept alive.
· The children have found charcoal in the forest. They utilize this for rock drawings and paint making.
· Brick is crushed to make a red earthen colour to paint with.
· Water is used as paint and is especially fun in the warm weather linking evaporation and the miraculous concept of invisible into the experience.
· The children are creating creative dynamic play scenarios with each other where they are utilizing listening and their vocal skills. Through play the children are sharing their unique awareness with each other and processing their previous and new experiences.
Emotional Experiential Learning:
Nurturing Empathy through building relationship with self, other and environment. This relationship is based on understanding oneself, boundaries of self and other and the differences and understanding the functions of diverse life in the environment. Their emotional experiential learning is nurtured through adults who are aware and able to communicate compassionate communication acknowledging one’s own emotions and the emotions of the children. The work is also giving the children language to express their feelings and needs respectfully and clearly. This practice of expressing emotions also nurtures creating space and patience for oneself and another. Tools to deal with overwhelming emotions through deep breathing and creating one’s own space are shared through sharing the story “Tucker the Turtle Takes time to Tuck and Think” and the meditative forest sit spots.
Intellectual Experiential Learning:
Highlights include understanding seasons, weather, botany, intentionally practicing kindness, understanding the interconnected ecosystem with species and their functions, language through songs, books, sharing through play and circles, meditation through sit spots, leadership based on cooperation through watching out for the whole group on the paths and outdoor spaces
Spiritual Experiential Learning:
(Practicing virtues nurturing Empathy and Awareness of life within and around):
Kindness, gentleness, empathy, determination, healthy risk taking (self-initiated) builds self-concept creating strengthened self-confidence, practicing of listening to self and other, experiencing belonging through understanding ones environment and ones role within it.
Lighting a snack and lunch candle nurtures calm, contemplation and sharing gratitude.
Circle sharing kind actions of others where everyone adds leaves to the kindness tree inside. One action of kindness supports the growth of the whole tree that we are all part of.
Thank you to staff and families for a wonderful year full of learning and love of self and other with Mother Earth.
This is a completion for my offering here in the program; but, the beginning of sharing with the larger community in different ways.
May our footsteps all ways be one of gentleness and kindness with self and all our relations
&
May your summer be a present for each other in the simplicity of being together.
In deep gratitude,
Seairra Courtemanche.
This is a completion for my offering here in the program; but, the beginning of sharing with the larger community in different ways.
May our footsteps all ways be one of gentleness and kindness with self and all our relations
&
May your summer be a present for each other in the simplicity of being together.
In deep gratitude,
Seairra Courtemanche.
November 27, 2014
Update from Seairra
Update from Seairra
First Month Forest Preschool Overview by Seairra
(October 16/2014)
Please browse through the document below to see the details of the first month of this program and what we have been doing at the daycare.
Tree Frog’s Forest School Morning Program First 2 Weeks Journal Sept 2014- by Seairra
(October 7/14)
These last couple of week’s introduction at Tree Frog center with the staff, children and forest was full of great inspiration and learning. I look forward to meeting and getting to know all the children, staff and families.
Items for Children to be comfortable so they can enjoy the outside experience:
· weather appropriate gear and sharing a positive attitude in this goal of being/learning outside all year round:
· Muddy buddies ( rain jacket and rain pants is suggested for children to be independent in toileting; though, all in one raingear can work)
· Pants, long sleeves ( plain colored shirts especially during warmer weather ) and closed shoes/boots is required year round in the forest
· Rain boots with insulated soles
· Hat, rainproof mittens (knit mittens are fine ; but, require a rainproof shell in the cold and the rainy weather)
· Extra pants, Sweater, Socks, plastic bags to put over dry socks if boots get wet.
Sept 2nd & 3rd 2014 Tree Frog Morning Forest School Program
Tuesday morning in the forest:
Before entering the forest we started in circle and I introduced my helper “Tucker the Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think”. If you hear your child mention the name ‘tucker’ this is a handmade turtle prop that nurtures the children in being gentle and dealing with anger by thinking like a turtle (Stop, tuck, take 3 deep breathes and think of solutions). Tucker comes out to watch the children when tucker feels safe and dramatically goes away when unsafe behaviour happens and will return upon positive cooperation and kindness.
In the forest the children created themes such as creating a castle and to protect themselves from the ‘bad’ wolf. They found a large banana slug which sparked this song:
Slugs make slime
Slime makes lime
Lime makes the soil fine!
This led to making a protective home for the slug. The children noticed the time of the slug’s movement through marking its pathway.
The children started risk management of their forest site by moving rocks where they wanted to climb and using them as building material in other areas.
Wednesday morning in the forest:
Today I had a camera to document the day’s experience. This day the Children went to check on their creations in the forest that they had made.
· They noticed the slug shelter had fallen.
· They created their own cooperative teamwork through moving a large rock.
· They collectively decided where and how to build a home for Tucker and created a rock home for tucker.
· They decided to play in the “playground”. Through this they created a game where the plastic house became a jail and the forest their home.
· They prepared the forest stump as their table and served foods to everyone.
· A baby slug became an expensive sacrifice of learning for the children from a little child stepping on it. Here we learned every living creature is alive like us, has a family and a purpose.
So we begin our risk management living and learning with the forest life for the separation from nature is a cost no one can pay. See attached video and photos.
Sept 8th – 10th 2014 Tree Frog Morning Forest School Program
This last week the children defined more of the space of the forest for their unique uses and learned through play that their playground, the forest, has a life and purpose of its own.
· Fallen tree became their train and bus
· Children became aware of roots and realized their need for soil and their purpose of bringing water to the whole tree and/or plant
· A shelter space is becoming more defined
· The children found burnt wood charcoal in the forest and used it for drawing and painting
· They have defined a table
· On the 10th the children were introduced to Forest Meditation finding their own individual special quiet space in the forest. On this day we also collectively created silence and excitedly heard Tree Frog singing in the forest
· Children are becoming familiar and excited about being in the forest and creating safe spaces.
· The children participated in circle: listening to “Tuckers” social stories, problem solving, using tuckers tips: Stop, Tuck, Take 3 deep breaths and think of solutions, identifying and expressing their feelings and learning to identify and listen to others feelings.
· Children are identifying Oregon grape, Fern and Sala as a living family to be respected.
· Children are learning their peers names and forming new friendships and deepening old friendships
Upcoming Forest School Activities
Some upcoming activities in Tree Frog’s Forest Morning Program is offered by the seasonal gifts of the land and the emerging interests of the children:
· Planting winter Kale ( looking for Kale seeds children to be planting the latest by the coming new moon)
· Apple Story: The Red House with No Windows and A Star Inside
· Planting Trees: Native Hawthorn, Apple, Peach, Plum and Garry Oaks
· Using natural dyes for drawing & painting: Blackberry, Elderberry, Turmeric and Charcoal etc.
· Bringing Mulch/soil/woodchips/ around the Great Cedar and on the pathways into the forest
· Creating sandpaper letters ( creating letters like the ones of their favorite alphabet books) nurturing phonetic learning of the alphabet
· Learning working knots
· Bow sawing tree cookies, making and using sawhorses
Please feel free to contribute time and/or materials as you are able for the following needs:
1. Lots of: Naturally clean rich soil, woodchips, sawdust, mulch to protect the root system around the great cedar and along the pathways to the forest to keep it safe preventing unneeded tripping of children.
2. Children sized shovels
3. Creating outside working compost for Tree Frog Forest Programing
4. Creating children’s Native plant Garden: including Vegetables, Medicinal plant and Fruit Tree’s ( To raise plants to support: local ecological maintenance and rehabilitation work, the public and fundraising for the children’s programming)
5. Kale Seeds, Different Sized Pots
(October 7/14)
These last couple of week’s introduction at Tree Frog center with the staff, children and forest was full of great inspiration and learning. I look forward to meeting and getting to know all the children, staff and families.
Items for Children to be comfortable so they can enjoy the outside experience:
· weather appropriate gear and sharing a positive attitude in this goal of being/learning outside all year round:
· Muddy buddies ( rain jacket and rain pants is suggested for children to be independent in toileting; though, all in one raingear can work)
· Pants, long sleeves ( plain colored shirts especially during warmer weather ) and closed shoes/boots is required year round in the forest
· Rain boots with insulated soles
· Hat, rainproof mittens (knit mittens are fine ; but, require a rainproof shell in the cold and the rainy weather)
· Extra pants, Sweater, Socks, plastic bags to put over dry socks if boots get wet.
Sept 2nd & 3rd 2014 Tree Frog Morning Forest School Program
Tuesday morning in the forest:
Before entering the forest we started in circle and I introduced my helper “Tucker the Turtle Takes Time to Tuck and Think”. If you hear your child mention the name ‘tucker’ this is a handmade turtle prop that nurtures the children in being gentle and dealing with anger by thinking like a turtle (Stop, tuck, take 3 deep breathes and think of solutions). Tucker comes out to watch the children when tucker feels safe and dramatically goes away when unsafe behaviour happens and will return upon positive cooperation and kindness.
In the forest the children created themes such as creating a castle and to protect themselves from the ‘bad’ wolf. They found a large banana slug which sparked this song:
Slugs make slime
Slime makes lime
Lime makes the soil fine!
This led to making a protective home for the slug. The children noticed the time of the slug’s movement through marking its pathway.
The children started risk management of their forest site by moving rocks where they wanted to climb and using them as building material in other areas.
Wednesday morning in the forest:
Today I had a camera to document the day’s experience. This day the Children went to check on their creations in the forest that they had made.
· They noticed the slug shelter had fallen.
· They created their own cooperative teamwork through moving a large rock.
· They collectively decided where and how to build a home for Tucker and created a rock home for tucker.
· They decided to play in the “playground”. Through this they created a game where the plastic house became a jail and the forest their home.
· They prepared the forest stump as their table and served foods to everyone.
· A baby slug became an expensive sacrifice of learning for the children from a little child stepping on it. Here we learned every living creature is alive like us, has a family and a purpose.
So we begin our risk management living and learning with the forest life for the separation from nature is a cost no one can pay. See attached video and photos.
Sept 8th – 10th 2014 Tree Frog Morning Forest School Program
This last week the children defined more of the space of the forest for their unique uses and learned through play that their playground, the forest, has a life and purpose of its own.
· Fallen tree became their train and bus
· Children became aware of roots and realized their need for soil and their purpose of bringing water to the whole tree and/or plant
· A shelter space is becoming more defined
· The children found burnt wood charcoal in the forest and used it for drawing and painting
· They have defined a table
· On the 10th the children were introduced to Forest Meditation finding their own individual special quiet space in the forest. On this day we also collectively created silence and excitedly heard Tree Frog singing in the forest
· Children are becoming familiar and excited about being in the forest and creating safe spaces.
· The children participated in circle: listening to “Tuckers” social stories, problem solving, using tuckers tips: Stop, Tuck, Take 3 deep breaths and think of solutions, identifying and expressing their feelings and learning to identify and listen to others feelings.
· Children are identifying Oregon grape, Fern and Sala as a living family to be respected.
· Children are learning their peers names and forming new friendships and deepening old friendships
Upcoming Forest School Activities
Some upcoming activities in Tree Frog’s Forest Morning Program is offered by the seasonal gifts of the land and the emerging interests of the children:
· Planting winter Kale ( looking for Kale seeds children to be planting the latest by the coming new moon)
· Apple Story: The Red House with No Windows and A Star Inside
· Planting Trees: Native Hawthorn, Apple, Peach, Plum and Garry Oaks
· Using natural dyes for drawing & painting: Blackberry, Elderberry, Turmeric and Charcoal etc.
· Bringing Mulch/soil/woodchips/ around the Great Cedar and on the pathways into the forest
· Creating sandpaper letters ( creating letters like the ones of their favorite alphabet books) nurturing phonetic learning of the alphabet
· Learning working knots
· Bow sawing tree cookies, making and using sawhorses
Please feel free to contribute time and/or materials as you are able for the following needs:
1. Lots of: Naturally clean rich soil, woodchips, sawdust, mulch to protect the root system around the great cedar and along the pathways to the forest to keep it safe preventing unneeded tripping of children.
2. Children sized shovels
3. Creating outside working compost for Tree Frog Forest Programing
4. Creating children’s Native plant Garden: including Vegetables, Medicinal plant and Fruit Tree’s ( To raise plants to support: local ecological maintenance and rehabilitation work, the public and fundraising for the children’s programming)
5. Kale Seeds, Different Sized Pots
