What a beautiful day to play in the snow! This week our friends were sporting all their winter layers from handmade caps to rubber boots. We started our day with making snow angels outside, packing snowballs and sledding. After everyone arrived, we went inside for morning meeting and snack to warm up. Our morning meeting leader was so excited by Vermont’s first significant snow that he decided we would play in it ALL day. We snacked and read a book before putting all of our gear back on. Once we were suited up we went back out into the yard to the snow.
They made seats for themselves in the snow!
At first, everyone was very into sledding with sleds – but then, by some Audubon magic, our friends seemed to transform into little penguins or otters sliding down the slope on their bellies.
Some really awesome dramatic play happened today. We had a group of about five friends that decided they wanted to be snow leopards living and hunting on Audubon's landscape. These snow leopards were extremely rare because their diet consisted of only plastic sleds! A big chasing game ensued and I became their biggest target. The snow leopards chased me all over the yard before confiscating and 'eating' my sled! Don't worry, I managed to grab ianother from the den they had made under the picnic table. We also channeled some of this silly energy into What Time is it Mr. Fox?
Then we went inside for a snack and story to warm up. Our story was all about bird migration and how birds know where to fly. We learned what 'orinthologists' are, talked about the height and speed different birds fly and how birds sometimes know how to return to the exact same nest. Some really great observations about bird's eyesight and memory we're made. We had an awesome discussion!
After lunch, it was back to the snow! We ended our day by building snowmen and of course, more sledding! We made snowmen big and small. We had to really dig and forage through the snow to find rocks, sticks or frozen clumps of dirt that would make suitable facial features.
Can't wait to play again next week!
By Sarah Hooghuis
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