Frost, worms, and mushrooms!

The polar vortex brought freezing temperatures to Forest School. At the morning meeting, the children predicted that there would be snow on the ground and that the forest creatures would be snuggled warmly in their forest homes. At the park we gathered around the beech tree and we noticed that although there was no snow on the ground, everything was coated with a sprinkling of frost. Leaves, stones, sticks and twigs had been transformed into magical objects that sparkled in the sunlight. Magnifiers revealed the frost's crystalline structure, showing more of nature's beauty. 

Over the weekend someone (or something) had been busy arranging fallen branches into shelters and other structures. Some children got started on their own versions while others enjoyed the challenge of climbing and exploring this new discovery.

In another part of the forest, children used leverage to roll over a nurse log to see what lay beneath. They were rewarded with a view into the beginnings of life for an earthworm family (see the video posted in "Mysteries"). A mushroom family, sprouting nearby, seemed to wave at their human guests.