Forest School Diary: Week 3

Creativity, Conkers, and Combustion

This week was all about the elements. We balanced the earthy, meditative process of clay modeling with the exhilarating challenge of mastering fire.

The Spark of Success

Things heated up during the session as we tackled fire-lighting. Working in groups of three, we put our coordination to the test:

1. The Technique: We practiced the "strike" method using a flint and steel.

2. The Ignition: Once we caught a spark on our cotton wool balls, the race was on!

3. The Fuel: We carefully fed our tiny flames with dried grass and leaves, learning exactly how much oxygen and fuel a fire needs to stay alive.

Pro-Tip: We learned that patience is just as important as the spark. Piling on too many leaves too quickly can smother a mini fire before it even starts!

Natural Sculptures

We also got our hands messy with clay. Having the freedom to design our own creations allowed everyone's personality to shine through. To bring our sculptures to life we had Pampas grass flowers (perfect for fur or hair!),Acorn cups and tree seeds and Conkers.

The result was a collection of unique forest spirits and animals, as well as cups, pots and dinosaurs that looked right at home among the roots.