After warming up our bodies during morning circle with songs, movement, and gratitude, we played a game of Fire in the Forest, where animals have to run from one side of the forest to another without getting tagged by the fire. The children were able to choose what animals they wanted to be, and also had to follow the guidance of our counselors—an important balance between self-identification and flexibility in order to play together. At this age, games with a couple of rules are wonderful ways to build cooperation, listening skills, and gross motor development.
One of our overarching intentions for holding nature-connection mentoring programs like the Woolly Bears Forest K is to provide safe and activated learning spaces for children to ask questions and to also becoming confident problem solvers. “We are really good at making fires now!” “Let’s try tying the rope this way to make the trap!” “Can you show me how to bend the arrow the right way?” These are some of the comments and questions that we overhear at our village camp scene.
Today’s activities were focused on the bow-and-arrow project that we started a couple of weeks ago. The children continued scraping bark off the arrows, and this time were able to try out heating them over the fire, which allows them to be bent into a straight shaft. We talked about the parts of the arrow and how to make sure not to burn the wood.
Further into the woods, we set up an archery range with a target to practice using bows and arrows. This is a very challenging activity, especially for our youngest Woolly Bears. It is no easy task to hold both the bow and the arrow, balance them, draw, and let go in quick succession. Everyone did so well and all felt encouraged to keep trying over and over again. A few got in some really good shots! They will take home their bows and arrows at the end of the semester.