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🌧️PLENTY of little puddles of water to test our cork boats out yesterday …

🌳I wasn’t sure what I’d take away from Teach Outdoors Outdoor Learning Conference at the University of Northampton, turned out to be a lot. I’ve been passionate about Forest school and outdoor learning opportunities for around 20 years now and it was a great day spent with like minded folk.

🌳Such a lot of interesting discussions and workshops, loved the key note speakers and discussion on research projects and workshops around maths and literacy outdoors, supporting needs (not plans!) during sessions and some lovely nature connection time with Muddy Feet – Outdoor Learning and Forest Schools🌳🌳

🌳🌳WATCH this space for details of some new “Give yourself permission” sessions which will be running over the Summer. These sessions will include activities and strategies to promote well-being running in a block of 4 (you do not have to attend each one) 2 hour sessions based at Top Ardle Wood, Ravensthorpe.

🌳🌳I am passionate about supporting positive mental health and have been thinking about running these sessions for a long time. Time to step outside my comfort zone.

🌳🌳ACTIVITIES to include introductions to sit spots, Forest bathing invitations, mindful photography, mandalas, crafts and self-care strategies from The Therapeutic Forest CIC Woodcraft for Well-being program. IF you are interested and would like more information before the event is created, please let me know 😊💚

Thank you,

Jenny x

🐌 🐌 Perfect day for puddle splashing, rolling down hills and snail racing 🏎️ 🏎️🐌. Such a fab afternoon. 😊🌳

🐌🐌Photo taken first thing setting up, uphill racing on a pallet. Think these may have been the same ones still there in the afternoon 😂😂. LOTS of conversations around the snail patterns, how they move and, of course, how we shouldn’t actually take them home 🤨💚

🌳From the great Sir David Attenborough (para phrased) “… IF children do not understand Nature they will not learn to protect it”

🌳WE have loved playing with the pine pollen and never knew it’s amazing benefits! Thank you Children’s Forest and Claire 💚. This week, trying to capture some ‘gold dust’ with our dishes 💫, playing at “who am I?”and moving like our favourite bugs 🐜 🐛 🐞 and Nature Connection games thinking about food chain ( 🐇 🦊) pyramids through the pyramid game (great team work!!) and learning tree names with “you’re only safe if you touch a 🌲🌲….” (a great way to remember tree names), and learning about horse chestnut leaf soap to wash our clay covered hands. Grateful for the school site and for seeing the sunshine 🌞.

🌳hope everyone else has been enjoying the sunshine, however short lived! 🌞🌞 🌧️ 🌧️💚

🌞🌞SUCH glorious weather! Loved making an easy peasey elderflower sparkling drink-

About 5/6 flower heads
Sparkling water
Lemon 🍋
Some sugar poured in (to taste)

Give it a stir and …. taste of Spring in 5 minutes. You can leave the elder flowers in to infuse for longer if you wish. I don’t drink gin but I’m told this is lovely with it 😊🌞🌞

🌳I saw THESE on a post – can’t remember where – and used them as a suggestion yesterday. I like to try new activities, though try and steer away from session themes, and love seeing all the crafts on other posts and pages BUT they have to work for my groups, naturally they need to be actually interested (not told to do it!!), they also need to be able to have a go independently and to be able to add their own touches. These were really popular, some found it tricky putting the cloth in the peg but there were some awesome additions using the ribbon and wool which were out. Will definitely use these as an invitation again. 🦋 🦋

🌳WE seem to have had a leaning this week on attachment to place and being PRESENT with senses games, sit spots and some map making, albeit this looks more like Winter with some enthusiastic stick collecting for trees 🌳🌳😂💚

🌳Message me for more information or go to the Nature Noodles Facebook group page 🌳

🌳SUCH a great time with year 6 at lunch times this week, offering a chance to chill out under the trees during their SATS week. Some fab clay tree faces🌳💚