By Sonja Lukassen Playing with, on and near ice is incredibly inviting. Science and magic combine to offer a type of play that only happens outside when it’s cold- the conversion of life-giving splashy water into crystal, slippery, crunchy, slidey wondrous ice. It can feel tricky to say yes to playing on ice. If itContinue reading “How we stay Safe and Kind while Playing on Ice”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Telling Stories Together
By Sonja Lukassen Stories swirl around us all of the time- our own, those of our neighbours and friends, Stories from the land, the creatures, the weather. As long as we are ready to listen, the Stories come, and with them are often timely, meaningful lessons, too. I was recently remembering the process I’ve goneContinue reading “Telling Stories Together”
Embracing the Wonders of Winter
By Sonja Lukassen A fun truth about being a Forest and Nature School Educator is that people are curious about what that means. After explaining the basics to someone, there are a few questions that reliably emerge. All of these questions have simple answers, though these answers feel anything but simple when being faced andContinue reading “Embracing the Wonders of Winter”
Dressing for Winter and Cold
By Sonja Lukassen Winter is almost here! Soon we can be certain that all of the precipitation that falls will be snow (yay!) and temperatures will not only be below freezing, but possibly very cold. Along with the cold comes the need to pay special attention to how children, adults, and families who will beContinue reading “Dressing for Winter and Cold”
Being Prepared for Rainy Days at Forest School
By Sonja Lukassen One of the many wonders of autumn weather is cooling temperatures. The bugs retreat, the air is fresh, and the leaves start to change colour- it’s so beautiful. Along with this cooling weather comes the added challenge of being prepared for and managing rainy and puddly fall days. Rain in the summerContinue reading “Being Prepared for Rainy Days at Forest School”
Storytelling Ideas and Suggestions
By Sonja Lukassen We all understand the value of Stories. We have memories of being read to, of reading to our own children and those we work with. We have our favourite children’s books with engaging, poignant, funny stories and eye-catching, mesmerizing illustrations. We remember times when reading a story helped a sad child cheerContinue reading “Storytelling Ideas and Suggestions”
Doing a Dynamic Risk Assessment
By Sonja Lukassen We encounter risk each day on the land. We don’t post a list of rules at the entrance to the forest that details what cannot be done, a la don’t do this, don’t do that. That approach does not fit with our belief that children are competent and capable of making smartContinue reading “Doing a Dynamic Risk Assessment”
The Guidelines when we Play on the Land
By Sonja Lukassen The Forest and Nature School approach is all about relationships- with each other, with the land, and with ourselves. When offering programming based on learning and connecting through play on the land, we strive to be clear about what we can do together while we play. As many educators who work withContinue reading “The Guidelines when we Play on the Land”