Wildflowers: October 30th

Today, we had an extra special visitor: Spike the snake! Spike’s gentle presence charmed even our most hesitant Earthkeepers, who quickly warmed up to him and wanted to help take care of him.

We began the morning by gathering wildflowers for the mud kitchen, with one young Earthkeeper sharing her own wisdom: “You can tell if they want to be picked by the way they smell!” This thoughtful insight kicked off our flower-picking adventure.

Welcoming some new Earthkeepers, we spent time sharing and getting to know each other through a drawing activity, reflecting on how we want to treat one another in our forest school community. Our discussion and artwork reminded us all of the kindness and respect we bring to each gathering.

Next, we turned to nature, diving into why leaves change color and fall as we searched for leaves of every size, shape, and color. Our hunt paused when we spotted a toad! With gentle hands, we observed and admired her before placing her back where we found her, then continued identifying our collected leaves.

After lunch, we ventured to The Flats, where tree climbing and pond dipping awaited. The day’s theme continued with a leaf pile just asking for some big jumps! The Earthkeepers jumped right in, surrounded by the colors of fall.

In our journals, everyone expressed themselves uniquely. Some only did writing, others created Indigenous-inspired leaf art, traced leaves they’d found, or hole punched leaf confetti. This time for creativity allowed everyone to connect with nature in their own way.

With hearts full of nature’s beauty and the friendships formed, we ended our day feeling grateful and eager for the next adventure.