Spontaneousactivities
Children love to play and use their hands. It’s natural and a deep-seated need! They spontaneously start playing, creating, and handling objects and materials. In this sheet, you will discover two activities that the children engaged in on their own.
ActivityNo.1:TheMushroomRestaurant
Today, the restaurant is open! On the menu: mushroom soup, mushroom stew accompanied by mushroom herbal tea. Yes, the kings of autumn are the specialty of this improvised restaurant… The little kitchen (“mudkitchen”) with its worktop, plates, kitchen utensils, and dishwashing area was just waiting for ingredients and a team in the kitchen and service in “front of the house”. The idea emerged to gather all kinds of mushrooms to offer a meal at the forest restaurant. And there we have a team at work: chefs, a waitress, and someone at the dishwashing station! Free play is absolutely essential in the development of the child. (See the sheet dedicated to this topic.)
If you carry out your nature activities in a fixed location, it allows you to set up (at little cost) a “kitchen” area for the children. They will spend long moments there creating mud cakes and other delicious dishes. ��
ActivityNo.2:CharcoalDrawings
While I was reading a story around the extinguished fire, one child began to handle some charcoal and then asked me for paper to draw on. All the children did the same. I suggested they draw lines with small sticks that were lightly sharpened. To preserve the children’s drawings, spray them with hairspray. Be careful, the paper must be thick enough, otherwise, it will curl. This activity can easily be organized and offered. Here is the process for making charcoal.
Knife
Pruning shears
Tin box with a lid (or aluminum foil + wire)
Campfire or stove
Lighter
Green branches of willow, European spindle, ash, or poplar with a minimum diameter of 0.5 cm
1. Cut the branches so that they fit into your box.
2. Using a knife or a peeler, remove the bark.
3. Place the branches in the box and close the lid (or seal with aluminum foil and wire).
4. Make a hole about 0.5 cm in diameter in the aluminum foil or lid.
5. Place the box on the fire.
6. Light the lighter just above the hole, and a flame will form. When it goes out, the charcoal is ready. Be careful, the box will be very hot. Wait for it to cool down before allowing the children to open it.
7. And now it’s time for natural drawings! To go further, you can also make your own recycled paper!
The making of charcoal should be done outdoors, even if you are using a stove: it’s better not to breathe in the smoke released! Refer to the sheets on tool usage and campfire safety for the guidelines to follow.
Spontaneousactivities
Activities proposed by the adult and spontaneous activities of the children.
My experience has shown me that both have their advantages, and neither is better than the other. They each have their place: it’s all about balance!
Organized activities, where the adult leads the child, commonly practiced in traditional educational models, allow children to acquire new knowledge or skills and follow instructions and steps. Spontaneous activities are an excellent way to develop creativity and self-confidence It is essential for children to be able to implement their ideas and bring them to life. In this way, they also strengthen their will: idea, action, realization.