October 2022 - Ithaca Forest Preschool

Shelters

by Lyla White | Oct 25, 2022 | Stories

Last week we started working on shelter building. First we made mini shelters for animals, then made nests out of pine needles. The children loved building them and imagining about the animals that would live in them. Next we started building a shelter big enough for us. They are learning how to construct a debris lean-to structure. We gathered logs and put them in place. Then added branches with twigs still attached. This week we will be adding leaves.

Above we see the preschoolers with their animal shelters. Next we sarted collecting large logs and building the structure of the shelter.

Dance Parties and more

by Lyla White | Oct 19, 2022 | Stories

When we are not working on a bigger project like making jelly, sometimes we have a dance party. This day we sang at least seven different songs and danced while playing instruments.

Sometimes your instruments turn into a friction fire kit. This preschooler diligently worked at making a fire while the rest of us sang danced around him.

Here the children are practicing their aim while throwing rocks to knock over the wood structure.

The climbing hill is always a favorite activity.

Who doesn’t like to get a tarp ride?

We found a mystery object. Nobody knew what it was.

Beautiful Weather

by Lyla White | Oct 12, 2022 | Stories

The past two days have been beautiful and the Preschoolers have been enjoying every minute of it. We have been practicing our awareness skills while observing the world around us, playing games, and wandering in the woods.

We found a stick bug!

Playing in the leaves under a red maple tree.

Season’s Change song

Oh the seasons change and the leaves they fall, and I will change myself

I will give my body to the cold, the spring thaw will do me well

Yes I know, I will grow

With the Earth, between my toes

A shelf fungus mystery we fould on our wander.

The horsey log is always a favorite.

Everyone was very engaged listening to Nora tell the story of how the porcupine got it’s quills.

Wild Grapes

by Lyla White | Oct 3, 2022 | Stories

Over the fisrt few weeks of Forest Preschool this Fall we learned to identify wild grapes. We then harvested grapes, smashed and pressed them for juice. Then we turned the juice into jelly. Fianlly we made pakcakes to enjoy our jelly on. It was a really fun project that the children really enjoyed being part of all of the steps. I’ll take you through a visual journey of the process.