May a good time to nibble fresh hawthorn leaves

We have been meeting in the woods throughout the winter and have witnessed the wonderful changes the spring has brought.

Enjoying the new growth directly by eating hawthorn leaves straight from the tree. Experiencing our animal selves, enjoying our senses.

A collection of early spring flowers and leaves: Celandine, Wood anemone, Lords and ladies, Golden saxifrage.  Children remember this collection and go searching themselves.

learning about plants:Nettles

A small group collect fresh nettles which they  stir fry on the fire to have with lunch. Nettles contain vitamin C,  Iron, and thiamine.  They strengthen and support the whole body. May is the time to collect nettles to dry and use through out the year. Can be used for eczema. See David Hoffman The New Holistic herbal.

We play fun games to learn about plants and their uses as well eat for lunch and  administer in wild first aid if needed.

Using tools & making things

Learning to use an axe safely.

All that energy inside us rising like the sap now.  Sometimes we get to express it, use it explore, create, try something new and feel really good.

Learning to saw with ease.

Recently children have been exploring using tools and the effect they make. Some made a plant dibber, a candle holder which involved drilling a large hole using an auger bit, and refining  the  piece of wood to a desired shape using an axe and draw knife.  

Enjoying and exercising our imagination with Snoopy

There is something wonderfully compelling about seeing snoopy standing in a small shack with moss on the ground, leaves and sticks around him as well as a beautiful picture of a tree full of birds, right next to him. Wonderful.

There’s a child here ! we practised really hiding in the wood.