Kornmehl
Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl
Bush School
We have finally been able to return to Bush School after being in lockdown for a very long time. The children expressed such excitement when we told them we were going back to Bush School.
We asked the children why they all felt so happy?
Abby: We are happy to be back here because we’re all gathering in a circle and sitting beautifully.
Liana: Cause the virus is here still but we’re allowed to go to school.
Bronte: Because we haven’t been here for a long time.
Penny: Because it’s nature and you can spot animals.
Daniel: Because we love the earth, and the earth loves us back.
Zach: Because we’re sitting in a pile of leaves and it’s kind of a carpet
Oliver: It’s because some art is actually made from leaves.
Finn: It’s filled with nature.
We usually start our Bush School experience by sitting together and saying Acknowledgement to Country. During this time, we might also sing a song or share what we can see around us, what might be different and what might be the same. We notice the size of the tree in the centre of the Bush School classroom and how far it extends, making our space feel like we are in a room, a canopy and enclosure of branches and leaves above and around us.
What is so magical about Bush School, is that each visit is so very different. The children are constantly discovering new things, asking different and unique questions, challenging themselves or coming up with new, inventive, and imaginative games to play.
Pieces of nature are used in different ways too, such as making art or fairy gardens. Some children choose to revisit previous play and ideas whilst others try something new and different. The magic of natural and open-ended materials means there are many possibilities of how to use them. Each time, the fairy gardens are different, sometimes sticks are used and positioned in different ways, perhaps to make furniture or to frame the space, other times leaves are used for decoration, bowls or swimming pools.
It really does amaze us of how observant the children are. They often spot the smallest creatures hidden in the grass or dirt and they are fascinated to learn more and discover what it is.
When we are at Bush School, the children are very engaged. Nature offers us challenges, materials to make art, settings that can enhance dramatic play and quiet places to just be. It offers us opportunities to discover and learn together.
Last week on arrival at Bush School, we were very sad, angry and disappointed to see that some people who had been into our bush space since our last visit had left behind a whole heap of rubbish. The children shared their thoughts of those people having little respect for our environment and the land and how it looked messy and we wondered why they hadn’t put the rubbish into the bins.
Another popular activity at Bush School is tree climbing. The benefits of tree climbing are enormous. Being off the ground provides children with the opportunity to challenge themselves whilst having fun, building strength, balance and co-ordination. Climbing trees brings children into close contact with nature and often helps to create a sense of peace and calm for the children. There is nothing like lounging on a tree branch or finding that perfect spot to sit. Climbing trees also stimulates the senses and for some children they often feel excited by being able to do something that they normally may not be allowed to do.
Over time, it has been such a celebration to share with the children their joy as they master climbing a tree that they were previously not able to. This is because they have the opportunity to revisit the experience many times, to practise, persevere, develop confidence and to feel proud of their achievements.
Children learn to manage and assess risks which is an important life skill to learn from a young age. They learn to find different ways to move up the branches and from one to another.
Ethan: We taught Ava to climb up high.
Terry: How does it feel?
Ava: A little bit scary.
Rafi: You need shoes with grip.
Ava: Mine have rubber.
Uriel: It’s a Wonka wig tree.
Archie: A wonky pinky tree.
Aviv: A leaf tree.
Jesse: The twirly whirly tree.
Uriel: The winky dinky, twirly whirly tree.
Archie: A hunky dinky tree.
Archie: The plants are soft. I jumped on them and it felt soft.
Uriel: They are soft, feel them.
Josh and Finn came across some white sap from a small bush.
Finn: Tree blood is white.
Josh: Because they’re not humans.
Finn: Things that can’t move and are living have white blood and things that can move and are living have red blood.
On our return to Pre-school, we set up a slide show with images from our last Bush School visit for the children to reflect on. This slide show provoked the children’s thinking and imagination, assisting them with their graphic representations.
While watching the slide show, Leah expressed she felt like crying, but couldn’t tell us why. She explained she felt happy and proud of being able to climb the tree (a skill she didn’t have at the beginning of the year.) However, with perseverance practise and the help from her peers, she has now mastered this skill. This was a good opportunity to talk about “happy tears” and the emotions we experience when feeling moved and proud.
Zach: I’m doing nature things in my t-shirt.
Leah: It makes me want to cry. It makes me feel happy.
Evan: I love everything at Bush School.
Arlo: I like climbing trees.
Ollie: I like the ramp the best.
Josh: I like climbing.
Elisa: This is me high in the tree. I love climbing trees and I’m very good at it.
Finn: Going down the big hill.
Outdoor Classroom Day
Outdoor Classroom Day is a global movement to inspire and celebrate outdoor play and learning. On Outdoor Classroom Day, teachers celebrate with a special day outdoors for their classes.
Children are spending less time outdoors than ever before and this is affecting their health, wellbeing and love of the natural world. Time outdoors – on Outdoor Classroom Day and every day – will make children happier and healthier, as well as helping them form habits that will stick with them for life. They will have a love of the natural world and will take action to protect it.
Last week we celebrated Outdoor Classroom Day on Thursday. Our plan was to spend the whole day outdoors! The weather man had other ideas, rain was forecast and so from 8.30 am – 11.00 am we enjoyed a variety of incredible outdoor experiences. These included making damper, moulding bowls with clay, concocting potions, excavating bones, looking through mirrors at the trees above and drawing them, pattern making, water play, mud play, camping in a tent and offering sunflowers to our native bees.
The rain did come down as predicted, but it only enhanced our play and made it even more fun. We put on our wet weather gear and continued to play, slide down the water slide, squish in the mud and dig for treasure and bones in the sandpit.
The children had so much fun and expressed – “This is the best day ever!”
“Children more than ever, need opportunities to be in their bodies in the world – jumping rope, bicycling, stream hopping and fort building. It’s this engagement between limbs of the body and bones of the earth where true balance and centredness emerge.” David Sobel
“To raise a nature-bonded child is to raise a rebel, a dreamer, an innovator….someone who will walk their own verdant, winding path.” Nicolette Sowder
