We had to push the start of this program back two weeks due to COVID and weather concerns, so we were thrilled on Friday to see the eight playschoolers enrolled in our shorter winter session. Some playschoolers were returning while others were new to Vermont or had never been to a day program before! Needless to say, we have some brave kiddos in our group trying new things.
The Winter Forest Playschool program is only two and a half hours because of cold weather and a lack of a COVID-safe, indoor space while our Education Barn is under renovation. So, we make every minute count! Today was all about getting to know each other and our physical surroundings.
We started our day at Forest Camp, an area in the woods just off the Hires Trail that serves as our basecamp. We have a fire circle, fort and kitchen supplies to serve seasonal "treats" (usually made of snow in winter and mud in spring). The snow has a way of bringing groups together organically because there is usually a great deal of teamwork in moving or building snow. Kids who were strangers yesterday were now making snow angels together.
After some free play, we circled up around the fire Emily built for us to learn each other's names and what the flow of the day was going to look like. We talked through what Morning Meeting is and went over a few rules to keep everyone safe and happy. Unlike our 4-hour playschool program, there won't be a Morning Meeting Leader in our winter session that chooses the activities for the day. Instead, we will plan our days together as a group so that for our short time together everyone has a voice. Today we all agreed to this schedule:
- Refill the bird feeders and bird watch
- Eat snack and listen to a story by the fire
- Go sledding and play in the snow!
We trudged through the snow back to the office's front porch. The feeders were crowded with chickadees, tufted titmice, nuthatches and downy woodpeckers as we approached. All of the birds fled to their respective bushes and tree trunks while I pulled the empty feeders down. The playschoolers made a line in front of Emily who was standing next to a trashcan full of black oil sunflower seeds. Each playschooler had a few chances to help scoop seeds into the feeders. Once they were all full, we hung them and waited for our feathery friends to come back. Chickadees seemed to be the only birds bold enough to face us.
We also tried to pull a disney princess and feed the birds right from our hands! Emily put several black oil sunflower seeds in each playschooler's mitten. We instructed the group to be very still and quiet so that a bird might trust them. After two minutes of no luck, we dumped the seeds onto the porch or threw them to the bushes.
We fed the birds, now it was time to feed ourselves! The group grabbed their snacks and headed back to Forest Camp for a story.
During snack we read one book about tracking and another book written by bell hooks, Skin Again, in honor of Black History Month. We had a great chat about how little we know about someone based on their appearence and talked about ways we might learn more about someone else. The big secret: ask them rather than making an assumption!
After snack it was time to sled! A few of us switched our wet layers for dry ones before heading to the sledding hill. Emily set up a sledding station right next to the kiosk in the front yard and helped playschoolers onto their sleds when it was their turn. At first, we didn't get very far in our hill, but eventually we wore it down enough to get some speed!
When one playschooler shared that she was cold, I suggested we run back and forth between the snow banks to warm up. Soon enough, almost the whole group joined!
Our adults arrived while we were playing outside. Soon, the Green Mountain Audubon Center was quiet again (we prefer laughter).
See you next week if the weather holds! Fingers crossed.
