As snowy skies gave way to sunshine and snow melt, we were amazed to see all the different types of snow and ice that can form. We talked together about different languages and cultures where more than one word for snow exists and why that might be. We dubbed Tuesday’s snow to be tortilla chip snow and ate plenty of it too!
Now that winter session is in full swing, we’ve had time to get to know our newer students on a deeper level. Noticing the ways of play and work they gravitate towards, how they like to share and be heard, and all their unique qualities. We had a special ice ceremony for new friends to give them their first nature name. This is a longtime Flying Deer practice that encourages curiosity and deeper nature connection for each child.
This week we revisited our new friend black birch and brewed a delicious, naturally sweet tea over a roaring fire. Kids were also pretty excited to see that spilled tea = pink snow! On Thursday we had one of the most magical winter treats that may exist on this planet: maple syrup taffy! Now, if this is new to you like it was to me last year, you must try this! Children prepared a fresh snow tray as Julie boiled the syrup to perfection, when the syrup reached just the right temperature, she poured it over the snow and made little taffy lollipops using sticks. Yum! We look forward to tapping some birch and sugar maple trees later in March.
In colder months, we need to adapt our teaching style and lessons to the changing needs of children and staying warm. Instead of more focused circle time lessons, we take teaching on the move through nature walks, games, and other movement-based activities. We often get a lot of questions about free play: Why so much? Won’t kids lose out if they get too much free time vs. structured learning? This week was a true testament to the benefits of free play. At one moment, the instructors stepped back and each child was deeply engaged in some type of project or activity: building an insect habitat, digging tunnels, collecting firewood, resolving conflicts with friends. This self-directed play time is crucial for building social skills and emotional regulation, and nurturing curiosity and problem solving. Free play is so much more than just having fun.
Highlights of this week included building elaborate snow forts for a trio of stuffed animal friends who were lost in a big snow storm, watching the ice formations in the pond, a child-directed project to build a house for snow fleas, winter hikes, learning about animal tracks and tracking near our campsite, drinking black birch tea, and of course, sledding!
—JJ, Julie, Raei, and the counselors
February 6, 2021