WOW! What an awesome day. I am so grateful for the 4 wonderful girls that I get to spend every other Wednesday with in the great outdoors. Gamiing is beautiful every time of year. Fall time is exceptional. The bugs that bother us have passed, the leaves are changing colours, the weather is cool and my favourite part – the asters and goldenrod are in flower! Oh what a beautiful sight. The bees sure think so too. I have yet to not see busy bees pollinating in the asters or goldenrod. It is a hot spot this time of year for them. They don’t have much time before winter comes. I bet they sure are grateful for those final flowers.
We spent our morning in the forest exploring Cedar Grove trail. One thing we like to encourage in Forest School is climbing trees. I know, I know, sounds scary. Though we always set a boundary for how high they can go and there’s always a spotter on the ground. I must admit, it makes me nervous sometimes letting them climb. It’s an instinct I think we all have. Just as much as it’s an instinct for me to know I have to let them. This is why we are here. Oh my gosh, am I ever glad I said “Hey you ladies are allowed to climb a tree when we are together ya know?” Next thing I know they are climbing up. Patiently taking turns, guiding each other in tricky spots and helping each other down if needed. It doesn’t end there. When one of the girls got up in the tree she couldn’t stop smiling and yelling “I’M CLIMBING A TREE! MY FIRST TIME CLIMBING A TREE!” That was music to my ears. This is why I love what I do. This is why we are here.
We played games that had us practicing our camouflage skills and our agility in the forest. Then we had lunch under a canopy of White Pines. Like I said at the start, it was awesome. The girls were having a blast and I sure was too.
After lunch we enjoyed a scenic hike back to the Discovery Shack along the water then up Lakeview Trail.
One of the first things I wanted to have identified as a group is our hazards in our natural environment at Gamiing We observed Poison Ivy in different areas and discussed its identification features. We made nature journals and Poison Ivy was our first entry.
We ended our day with a campfire, cinnamon apples and a gratitude circle. The girls sliced up their apples, put their ingredients together and cooked it on the fire themselves. (Meaning they placed it on the grill then ran and played until they were ready – hey it was a good balance 😉 )
See you next Wednesday!
Cherianne
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. — Rachel Carson
Gamiing Nature Centre Forest School 