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FAIRIES, FROGS AND RASPBERRIES

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ImageTHE END RESULT OF A GREAT WEEK OF EXPLORING!  CAMPERS WHO WERE FULL OF SILLINESS AND RASPBERRIES.

This week we had Emily, Emily, Michael, Lukas and Lorenzo to help with our energetic group of campers.  Couldn’t have done without you guys leading the pack and bringing up the tail of the hikers.

It was slow going on the trail because the campers were distracted by all the yummy wild raspberries growing.  Eating and walking, eating and walking…. always another bush around the corner.  I think they were all fascinated by the free food!  I was impressed with their willingness to sample them.    One of the campers even went back and collected more with his mom and  incorporated them into his healthy yogurt snack the next day….  kudos to that mom!!

We took an extra long hike along the yellow trail in search of the elusive fairy house of Avalon.  When we finally got there we realized it was destroyed.  Yikes!  Who or what could have done this?  I will go with a heavy rain that washed it away instead of blaming someone.  But because they are great campers who care, they got to work and fixed it up!!

ImageThe fairies thank you, guys!

Inspired by the creation in the woods the campers created their own back at the barn… after collecting materials on the trail. Here are some of the amazing outcomes!!!!!

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 Pond Exploration a team favorite!!!:   This week we were able to capture a frog, tadpoles, dragonfly nymphs, water striders, water beetles. Lots of laughs and screeches of excitement when something was caught. I’m sure the parents appreciated  that we told the campers it was important to release everything we captured! They would have brought all the creatures home if we allowed it!

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As adults it is our responsibility to teach all of the children respect for all things natural.  It is not always about teaching scientific facts (which is important) but more about teaching the little humans how to carry on the love of the outdoors into their future lives which will have a real impact on our future as a people and a planet!!

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Peaceful travels along the trail…..

Sue

Natural Sculpture

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A hike in the woods….. you can never imagine what might happen!

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Who would have thought that when this camper was in school during the day doing what he was supposed to be doing he would end his day in the woods creating something he was so proud of?  While we were all looking at the fairy house that someone else built in the woods, there was Ben working on his own invention.  I must say it was an engineering feat…. with all the balancing that was involved!  Stick balancing, bark balancing…. such concentration.

This is what kids ARE capable of when we give them the space to create!  Love it!

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So proud of his achievement!

Your challenge for today:

 Collect some sticks and lay them in a pile and  see what your child can create.  Feel free to share them with me!  Have fun!

FREE!

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How many of us adults have memories of the way we used to play for hours upon hours outside until it was time to come home for dinner?  It really is a loss for our children, most of whom will never know that freedom we had.  BUT…. we can help our children to feel free from the stresses of video games, tv and technology in general.   Simply go outside…. no batteries or cords needed.  They will figure it out how to play in time but we have to give them the opportunity so they can learn.

The 4th and 5th graders in my Inspirations class were all psyched to take our “long” hike yesterday.  We got out our map and discussed our plan.  In 50 minutes we were going to go to new places we had not been.  Which means mystery and adventure.  What kid doesn’t enjoy that???

I never grow tired of watching children discover things on their own.   Like the hiker pictured below,  who was so amazed by all the ferns in one part of the woods that she, “had to become one with nature,” by placing a fern in her hair.

I know she felt so proud to wear that fern.  You go girl!!ImageOnward we walked/ran/flew like butterflies through the woods.  Howling while someone else howled back.  Laughter….all their worries forgotten.

Back in the Fall when we first began hiking we met a man in the woods who had made a miniature swing set.  It was made completely out of branches and twine. It fit in his hand.  Amazing!  Well today we found out what he did with it.He placed it along with a home that others had built in the woods.

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Onward we went for about a mile.  Sweaty? … Yes, Hot? ….. Yes, Thirsty?….. Yes,  Complaining? …… not one…. except that we had to head back to the barn.  🙂

ImageImageImageAnd so with only one more class left ….. I can’t help but feel these kids have all enjoyed their time in the woods and will carry some of their memories in their hearts the way I carry the memories of my endless days of playing outside when I was a kid.

Peace

Sue