Friends and I have been dreaming of starting an adventure school and this week we began the first Tuesday of the Adventure School Group’s 2012-13 school year. Yay! Inspired by forest schools and nature kindergartens we are starting with a one-day-a-week morning adventure session rotating between various locations. (some families live by a creek. others on a farm. others in the forest.) Each week a different location but with a common theme: child-led adventure and discovery. Ages range from 8 months to 7 years. Here is the post-adventure write up from Miss Maggie, adventure leader extraordinaire, day one. And check out our blog. Fun stuff!
As the first adventurers showed up to play, so did a tiny, baby chipmunk!
The morning was chilly, but Nick had a bonfire going to welcome everyone.
We walked down to the creek, fished and climbed all over the rocks.
Then we took a nice, long walk up the creek and found more fallen trees to climb on.
Some of the folks scrambled through the woods back to the house,
while the others walked back down the creek.
We ended the morning with a picnic in the sun to dry us out!!
“JJ chased, and pet, and chased again the chipmunk we saw.”
Taryn, “I caught a fish”
Coulter, “I was fishing too!”
Alden, “I got a fish too. I just holded on and one bite-ed onto it!”
Nimah, “We got WET!”
“EmmyLou touched the fish in the bowl.”
Amani, “I was holding the fish.”
Alden, “I was holding the fish too!”
“JJ tasted lots of rocks and dipped his toes in the water. He also touched a fish.”
We all had a wonderful morning! Can’t wait for next Tuesday’s Adventure!!
Cool guys you look like you had loads of fun Totally Awesome
Cool guys you look like you had loads of fun Totally Awesome
Lovely to see, reminiscent of a time when I went to elementary school where we did have an “adventure playground” right outside the gate of our school. However, due to some safety concerns(?), it was shut down. So sad.
Lovely to see, reminiscent of a time when I went to elementary school where we did have an “adventure playground” right outside the gate of our school. However, due to some safety concerns(?), it was shut down. So sad.
Hi Linda. too bad it was shut down. What was it like when it was still open? where was it? what did kids do there?
Hi Linda. too bad it was shut down. What was it like when it was still open? where was it? what did kids do there?
I enjoy reading about others adventures. I moved to Hansville, WA 5 years ago and became the local coop preschool teacher and parent educator. Because of our location – a school room at the community center at Buck Lake County Park, complete with lake, native plant garden, trail entrance to the Greenway Trails, and beaches all very close by, I slowly changed the look and activities of the school to become a nature school. At this point we have closed the coop preschool and are now called Nature Adventure Class. I love our format of exploring and discovering and making entries in our notebooks. Our classroom is the great outdoors and we use the room (emptied of housekeeping center, block center, etc.) only on extremely cold and rainy days as a place to get warm or use the bathroom or work on a nature project. Our class is small, 4 children ages 5-8. but looking to grow into a few more classes next fall. Wish the county park would get on board with a natural playscape for the playground!
I enjoy reading about others adventures. I moved to Hansville, WA 5 years ago and became the local coop preschool teacher and parent educator. Because of our location – a school room at the community center at Buck Lake County Park, complete with lake, native plant garden, trail entrance to the Greenway Trails, and beaches all very close by, I slowly changed the look and activities of the school to become a nature school. At this point we have closed the coop preschool and are now called Nature Adventure Class. I love our format of exploring and discovering and making entries in our notebooks. Our classroom is the great outdoors and we use the room (emptied of housekeeping center, block center, etc.) only on extremely cold and rainy days as a place to get warm or use the bathroom or work on a nature project. Our class is small, 4 children ages 5-8. but looking to grow into a few more classes next fall. Wish the county park would get on board with a natural playscape for the playground!
Hi Mary – that sounds awesome!! I’d love to see pictures. what a wonderful opportunity for the children (and you!) what kinds of things are the kids up to these days? have you seen the nature kindergarden work of Claire Warden in Scotland? http://www.mindstretchers.co.uk/ how many days/week do you have class? what times? build any fires?
Hi Mary – that sounds awesome!! I’d love to see pictures. what a wonderful opportunity for the children (and you!) what kinds of things are the kids up to these days? have you seen the nature kindergarden work of Claire Warden in Scotland? http://www.mindstretchers.co.uk/ how many days/week do you have class? what times? build any fires?
thanks Rhonda!
thanks Rhonda!