Week 3 Nuthatch Recap

Week 3 Nuthatch Recap

Hello Nuthatch Families!

The fire in the sun
Makes the fire in the trees
Makes the fire that we light tonight!

The fire in the sun
Makes the fire in the trees
Makes the fire that we light tonight!

Fire, fire burning brightly
Shield us with your light.

The fire in the sun
Makes the fire in the trees
Makes the fire that we light tonight!

The fire in the sun
Makes the fire in the trees
Makes the fire that we light tonight!

In our third week, the Nuthatches spent a lot of time thinking about changes and fire! The crisp air and our first (much needed) rainy day, made us think of the warmth cozy fires bring us. Here are some highlights so you can connect with all the joy we’re finding in our new forest home together!

During our second full week at preschool, the busy-building Nuthatches spent time “getting ready” for the colder weather. We transformed the shelter in our Ash Grove home to a place we can retreat to when we want to be cozy. Our special guest, Sean, helped us get the roof ready by dragging huge logs over to where the roof would go, and the Nuthatches got to use a real saw to cut off one of the logs that was too long. That was exciting!

After we made the shelter ready, the next day we installed the roof. Now we have a place to keep fire-making supplies and ourselves dry on wet days!

Now that our roof was finished, it was time to get the fire ready. We collected lots of materials from our bountiful Ash Grove. Special Guest, Sean, helped us learn about “wispies” and “tinder” small, dry fire-making supplies for the bottom of our fire. Since the branches were wet from the delicious rain, Sean shaved off the “raincoat bark” and the pine shavings underneath were nice and dry to help our fire grow. Once those were in place, we were ready to add “pencil sticks” and “marker sticks” to help feed our fire. Now that the fire was built and ready, we needed the “spark” that would bring the fire. 

Sean told the Nuthatches a story about how fire came to humans. The animals wanted to help humans survive as the world became colder. So the Raven flew up to the sun and took a small coal. We played the “Fire in the Sun” game to “catch” the coal from “The Raven” so we finally had a spark for our fire. 

We talked about all the wonderful things fire brings to our lives: warmth, light, cooking food, drying, and even signally, like with all the smoke our fire created. We had fun being able to notice the wind’s direction change by watching the smoke move back and forth. 

Once our fire was burning, Sean used a “fire pencil” to start to “write” ASH GROVE on a sign to welcome friends into our special nest. We will add more letters to our sign as we build fires on the days to come. 

This week, two Nuthatches brought in Mysteries for the Mystery Box. It took us lots of guessing and questions, but we finally discovered one was a beautiful piece of blue sea glass found in Cayuga Lake, and one was a gorgeous yellow, white & gray Northern Flicker feather found at Monkey Run. We can’t wait to see what new Mysteries we’ll find in the Mystery Box next week!

Last but not least, the Nuthatches had a new adventure on the last day of the week… We set off to “Meet the Creek.” We made some predictions about what we might find at the Creek: A fish? Fossils?  An alligator? Would there be water? 

We found lots of fossils, we collected “wispies” from the honeysuckle bush for future fires, we saw a snake, and we made a group sculpture… but no water. So, we need to wish for more rainy days! The Nuthatches are ready!

Thank you so much for reading, and for your patience awaiting the last several recaps!

Sparks, flames, and rainy wishes for warmth and welcoming chilly days,

Elisabeth and Mira

Week 2 Nuthatch Recap!

Week 2 Nuthatch Recap!

Hello Nuthatch Families!

This past week, the Nuthatches spent a lot of time thinking about changes, in ourselves and in our surroundings… and the change of seasons! We celebrated and welcomed Fall, finding signs of its presence all around us in the changing leaves, the crisp morning air, and in finding our rhythm in our new Ash Grove nest. Here are some highlights so you can connect with all the joy we’re finding in our new forest home together!

During our first full week at preschool, the Nuthatches really settled into our routine and rhythm. We’ve spent time together each day making our new nest – the Ash Grove – our home. We learned how to spot ash trees in our nest by noticing their compound leaves, and opposite branching patterns – like stretching your arms out to both sides! In our opening circle on Tuesday, the official Equinox, we practiced standing on one foot. Then we tried extending our arms on either side, like the ash tree’s branches, and found we were able to balance more easily. We paused to think about how the day and night are the same length now, like two branches level with each other, or a balanced scale. The Nuthatches also celebrated this special time of year by learning a new song and singing it every day this week (there’s the third R: repetition!). Here are the lyrics so you can sing it with your child (there are motions too!):

Turning, turning, the Earth is turning.

Turning always round to morning.

And from morning, round to night.

On our way to Ash Grove one day, we gathered signs of Fall and then placed them in our fire circle (yet to hold fire!). 

The Nuthatches are a busy brood of builders. We’ve made a playground in our Ash Grove! Every day, this playground looks different. Often we find that all we need is a sturdy ash limb (left over from the construction of our lean-to) and we can go on top of, under, over, or even hang from it! One day, an ash limb became a door and we took turns giving clues for fellow Nuthatches to guess passwords like “goldenrod” and “charcoal” and our birth months.

One of the many evolutions of our forest playground! 

On Tuesday, Elisabeth finally revealed what was inside the Mystery Box! A sinking stone, used by Native peoples to fish, and used by Tunbar in the final installment of our first ongoing story. We asked for volunteers to bring our next mystery and were met with enthusiasm; one preschooler kept a secret for two days, giving us hints and fielding our questions about the object. It was bigger than the sinking stone, round but bumpy, different on the outside than on the inside, and it had been cracked open using not one but two hammers. At the end of Thursday, our volunteer opened the box to show us… a geode!

A preschooler holds onto Mira’s arm to take a big jump — and a moment after this picture does it independently!

The Nuthatches played games this week to learn each other’s names and to get to know each other. One the preschoolers asked for again and again was Seasons Are Changing, a rendition of a Primitive Pursuits favorite, Forest Fire, which Mira adapted for our themes this week. We started our “project time” – the South part of the day in the 8 Shields model – with a conversation about animals and how they change throughout their life cycles and adapt to the changing seasons. Shedding fur/scales/skin! Growing bigger and more independent! Hibernation! Migration! Caching! Then we invited everyone to choose an animal but keep it to themselves until the end of the game, like their own little Mystery. For the first round, Mira started off in the middle of a field, playing the role of The Seasons. Preschoolers then ran from one side to the other when Mira called out an attribute or behavior of their animal, dodging bandana balls – or “banana balls” as we accidentally, and now jokingly, call them – on the way. Upon getting tagged, preschoolers became “Seasons” too and collectively came up with more traits to call out: “If your animal _________”… And when nobody ran, we shouted “Seasons are changing!” signaling all the animals to run to the other side, because seasonal changes affect every living being. 

The Seasons huddle while the animals wait to hear if they need to run. 

Last but not least, the Nuthatches took our first adventure far from the nest on Wednesday. We gathered colorful leaves that called out to us as we walked to the camp up the hill from the Chickadee nest. We then practiced “fox walking” down the path into Trillium Camp, which we had heard would be empty when we got there. Still, we wanted to be as quiet and mysterious as we could while sneaking in, placing the basket in the Chickadees’ fire circle, and going right back out the way we came. Despite the excitement of this task, we stayed quiet until we were all the way up the hill again! When we got back to our camp, we found a basket of beautiful leaves in our fire circle… how did it get there, we asked? One preschooler thought the Chickadees may have read our minds (we’ve been having a lot of “mindreading” moments lately). Another preschooler suggested that a snake ate the basket, carried it in her stomach to Ash Grove, and then pooped it out for us to find. One of the numerous mysteries this week, and there are many more to come!

Equinox wishes for balance and welcoming changes,

Elisabeth and Mira 

Week 2 Chickadee Recap!

Week 2 Chickadee Recap!

Hi Chickadee Banditry!

The forest is constantly changing around us and we feel so grateful to have the opportunity to observe these changes with your children, who see so much! They’ve noticed the abundance of leaves on the ground in Trillium Camp, they’ve spotted some leaves starting to change color and they’ve been taking time to stop and pick up rocks to see what might be hiding underneath. This time of year, the harvest season, can be so busy but your children remind us to slow down, look at the world with wonder and walk with curiosity.

The Chickadees on a wander in the Meadow in search of colorful leaves.

This week we welcomed Fall and all of the colors, smells and gifts it brings! Maddy wrote and taught us this Equinox Song, which you can listen to by clicking on the link below. And here are the lyrics so you can sing along too!

Equinox Song

by Maddy

 The seasons are changing, I feel it every day 

Leaves have been falling every which way

I think it must be close to a very special day

The days are getting shorter

The nights are getting longer

We’re now in the third quarter of what we call a year

Let’s celebrate together, the Equinox is here

We have been finding toads everywhere! The children have been practicing gentle ways to hold and care for them.

We not only celebrated the Equinox but also two Chickadee birthdays! Together we sang, ate some delicious cupcakes, and honored these two children as they entered a new year of life. And as we entered into a new season, we celebrated all of the changes and signs of Fall around us. The children noticed, while stopped at the top of the bridge leading to Trillium Camp (one of our core routines), there were colorful leaves covering the Earth in our camp — red ones, yellow, orange, leaves that were half green half yellow. Together we filled a basket with the most lovely leaves we could find and decided to gift these colorful treasures to the Nuthatches! We walked quickly and quietly to the Ash Grove, hoping they were away from their camp so we could leave the basket there without them seeing us. The Ash Grove was empty of Nuthatches! The children picked a spot for the basket and helped Maddy make an arrow pointing to the gift. The Chickadees flew back to their nest just as the Nuthatches were beginning to return to theirs! Once we were back in Trillium Camp, the children noticed something strange — a basket sitting in the fire circle! We went to investigate and found the basket filled with colorful leaves — a gift from our friends the Nuthatches! 

The Chickadees gifting a basket of leaves for the Nuthatches.

Leaves aren’t the only thing falling from the trees this time of year. Several Chickadees have found these strange circular “eggs” underneath our red oak tree! One of these “eggs” even made its way into our mystery bag, which was passed around in Opening Circle. Each child had a turn to feel the object, describe it and give their best guess as to what it could be. After a big drum roll, the mystery was revealed — an oak gall! We learned that oak galls are formed when a wasp lays eggs in the tree’s leaf buds. Over time the gall gets bigger, forming a protective shield around the growing wasp larva. When it’s ready, the wasp breaks through the gall and goes out into the world. How amazing is that?!

A rock covered in fossils! With the creekbed dry, the children have found lots of amazing rocks.

Who knew that a banditry of chickadees would love a game called Chickadee Tag! This week the children learned that chickadees (and nuthatches!) cache, or store, their food. To play Chickadee Tag, someone hides several bandana balls that represent seeds, berries, insects, and other things chickadees like to eat. Once all the food is hidden the chickadees have to fly from their nest in search of the food and bring it back without getting caught by the hawk. To keep the hawk away and to warn other chickadees about the predator, they must give a loud alarm call (“chickadee-dee-dee!”).

Maddy, Hannah and Sarah have begun introducing the Chickadees to the Peace Super Heroes — a group of five animals who each have a special gift, or superpower, that allows them to help other animals with their problems. This week the children met Fine Words Fox, who is good at using fine words like “please,” “thank you,” “I care about you.” They also learned about Feel Better Butterfly, who helps others feel better when they’re feeling sad or angry. And Shadowtail, a grey squirrel, whose kindness and support helps Fine Words Fox and Feel Better Butterfly travel through the forest. Next week we will get to meet the rest of the Peace Super Heroes!

Until then!

Falling leaves and joyful spirits,

Sarah, Maddy & Hannah 

Week One with the Nuthatches!

Week One with the Nuthatches!

Our Fall season has been off to a wonderful start and we are happy to share our first Chickadee recap with you! Following are a few stories and pictures from the Nuthatch flock. Enjoy! 

Dear Nuthatch Families,

We are so grateful to have begun this adventure of learning and growing alongside your children this fall! We want to share this journey with you, so here is a taste of what we’ve been up to, from our nest to yours…

Preschoolers spread out with their lunches after a morning of focused, hands-on activity. 

These first two days at preschool have found the Nuthatches stepping into a beautiful place that is new to many of us — the Ash Grove — and asking how we can make it a home. Part of this has been social; we’ve been learning each other’s names and what brings us joy and gratitude (trees, twirling, family, and dancing – to name a few!)… And then there is the natural space around us: at snack time on Thursday, we asked the preschoolers how they would like to care for and shape our nest. The first projects they got excited about were adding to the basic structure of a lean-to shelter in camp (thanks Jed and Sean for putting this up!) — tying limbs together with goldenrod, making deer fur pillows and other furniture — and working as a family of squirrels to add nuts and leaves to our “fall sensory pit” with the awareness that winter is gradually on its way. Several children began measuring everything they could find in the shelter using bark measuring tapes. A few others began a different building project: fairy homes! 

Children working on furnishing and beautifying the shelter. 

We also learned a new song called “Good Morning Dear Earth.” The lyrics are below so you can sing it too! Maybe your child can teach you the movements to this song. 
 
Good morning dear Earth, good morning dear sun 
Good morning to the animals and the flowers, everyone 
Good morning to the busy bees and birds in the trees 
Good morning to you and good morning to me 
A Nuthatch with the fairy houses she and others have begun building. 

Upside-down nuthatches (ask your children!),

Elisabeth and Mira

 

Preschool Spaces Now Available!

Preschool Spaces Now Available!

We have had an incredible outpouring of requests and in response we have expanded our preschool to offer two groups this Fall.

At the moment we have several spaces available all four days for 4-and 5-year-olds and two spots on Monday and Wednesday for three-year-olds. Interested parents can call our office for more information or fill out our registration form and we will be in touch.

We are available for in-person tours this week and orientation is Sunday, September 13th. This summer we confirmed that our added COVID-related safety precautions didn’t deter our campers from sinking deeply into the experience and having a great time, we expect preschool will be the same and can’t wait to get started.

The Fall semester begins September 16, 2020 

About Ithaca forest preschool

Welcome to Our Wooded World!

With some curiosity, exploration and guidance the seeds of connection can grow, rooting us to our natural surroundings and forming kinship with the Earth. The social-emotional skills that children learn here are among the most important skills they need for school and for life. Our curriculum prepares children for kindergarten and beyond!

Program Hours

Monday through Friday, 9am-12pm.
NEW! Friday single or add-on day, 9am-12pm.

Ithaca Forest Preschool is a community of learners. The group bonds through shared challenges and experiences, and from getting to know each other for a whole school year or more. At this age, consistency is important. For these reasons, five days for a full year is our standard and most discounted, option. If you are hesitant to enroll for this option, please feel free to contact us to discuss it.

If five days a week for the full school year isn’t right for your family, we offer two day (M/W/F or Tu/Th) enrollment. Enrollment on a trimester-basis is available if space allows.

Program Location

4-H Acres 418 Lower Creek Road, Ithaca, 14850 

    Enrollment Requirements

    • Children are eligible to enroll if they will be 3 by September 1st and will not reach the age of 6 before January 1st.
    • Children must be out of diapers and needing only minimal assistance with toileting.
    • Because we learn in an outdoor classroom without walls, children must be able to stay with the group and follow instructions most of the time.

    Week One with the Chickadees!

    Week One with the Chickadees!

    Our Fall season has been off to a wonderful start and we are happy to share our first Chickadee recap with you! Following are a few stories and pictures from the Chickadee flock. Enjoy! 

    Dear Chickadee Families,
    We can’t believe that our first two days of preschool are already behind us, but what a fun first two days they were! On Monday we gathered in the log circle near the red oak tree and Maddy taught us the Welcome Song. The lyrics are below so you can sing it at home!

     

    Welcome, welcome everyone
    Come join the circle let’s have some fun
     
    I’m so excited to start our day 
    We’re gonna run around and sing and play 
     
    Traveling over meadow and creek 
    Let’s walk through the woods and hear the creatures speak 
     
    I think it’s time to begin our day…
    I’m ready to explore now anyway! 

    Chickadees playing on the Climbing Hill with Hannah. 

    We traveled down to Trillium Camp, stopping along the way to pick up special sticks, stones, leaves, and other objects that caught our eyes. The children put their treasures on the nature table and noticed a basket made of smooth white pine bark and a nest made of mud and dried grass. The Chickadees were exploring Trillium Camp when they came across a large slug. The children described what it looked like (“grey skin with black spots”) and watched as it started to move slowly across the dead leaves, leaving a shiny trail of slime in its wake. 

    A child touching a leopard slug!

    On Tuesday, Sarah asked the Chickadees to help her solve a mystery! She played these two sounds (play the first audio clip called “song” and the third named “calls”) and asked the children if they had heard them before. “It’s a bird,” one child said. “A chickadee,” said another. Hannah showed the group a picture of a black-capped chickadee from a field guide and explained that the little, but brave, bird with black feathers on its head is what our flock is named after!  During snack, the Chickadees heard some rustling in the leaves behind the woodbox. Everyone sat very still as a small animal with white stripes ran toward the climbing logs and sat staring at us — it was Chippy the Chipmunk! The children practiced fox-walking, walking very quietly like a fox, to see how close they could get to Chippy without scaring them away. Do you think we’ll see Chippy in Trillium Camp again this week? 

    Children building a tower of wood cookies. 

    We had a wonderful first week with your children and are so appreciative of their wonder and curiosity for the world around them. We can’t wait for the adventures the Earth has in store for us this fall!

    Slugs and chipmunks,

    Sarah, Maddy & Hannah

    Office Location:
    Cornell Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY 14850
    607-272-2292 | email Us

    Preschool Location:
    4-H Acres, 418 Lower Creek Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850


    Ithaca Forest Preschool is a nature immersion program for children ages 3-5. Our program is run in cooperation with Primitive Pursuits, a project of Cornell Cooperative Extension.