“Some people call snow a blanket! Look it’s like a big white blanket is covering all the grass and dirt”

This week in Prospect Park, the children embraced the spirit of Frederick by Leo Lionni, finding warmth and joy in the colder days of winter through creativity, imagination, and curiosity.

While our week started out with a morning of falling snow, our outdoor adventures this week were impacted and limited by the very high winds and low wind chill.We made the most of our time together inside, and were able to get out a bit. The cold streak ended up Friday, allowing us to resume our journeys to Prospect Park, hooray!

We are on the eve of the Winter Solstice, a time of change marking the beginning of the winter season and the gradual lengthening of the light of day. We wish your families a cozy and warm winter break with all your loved ones.

With the changing of the seasons, the transition into fall is most apparent in the shorter days and darker skies of winter. It is in the winter months that we are called upon to bring our light to the long nights and winter months, through time together with family and community, storytelling, music, and art. To usher in the changing of the seasons, we held our annual Lantern Walk this past Tuesday.

Some short and sweet highlights from our Prospect Park trips this short holiday week.

……We heard so many crows cawing and wondered what they were cawing about. As we followed the sounds of the crows,  we also walked by a spot that one Mouse thought smelled "like barbeque" and noticed many signs on the fence. We learned that the signs were for the park to feel better "after the fire". One Mouse asked "What fire?"…..

While spring is a well known time for birdwatching, late Autumn and winter can be a fruitful time to take up the hobby and learn about the many resident birds that spend the winter in our area. Spotting birds can become easier during this time when the sparse leaves allow for a clearer view of life up in the canopy. As one Marigold friend pointed out, “that tree has no leaves. Look a birds nest!” while gazing up into the crown of a tree

It was an eventful week, and sharing time in nature with our adventurous, caring, and fun-loving Wonderforest children was a balm to the larger world events around us. Our work in cultivating empathy in young children towards each other and the natural world goes on and reminds us that even adults are growing and learning in these areas. We all have a lot to learn from each other. 

Lots of leaves have been tumbling down, adding a dramatic flair to our journeys as we watched them fall around us like colorful rain or snow. The fallen leaves have accumulated in mass, allowing for huge leaf pile projects…..

As you may have noticed, this month has been one of the driest October on record, with no measurable rainfall for the whole month. The drier conditions of the park have been noticed by our explorers, inspiring questions about “dusty dirt” and how it differs from “mud.”

The windy week caused many interesting leaves and seeds to fall to the ground for our explorers to discover……..

Our mornings were cool enough for jackets, scarves, hats, and mittens. By midday the sun joined us, warming us up and allowing some layers to be shed. In just a few weeks, our jackets and warm weather gear will be staples for the next few months as we shift firmly into fall.

We had a short week filled with adventures inside and out. Leaves have begun to accumulate on the ground adding new sensations and sounds to our hikes and explorations in nature. As the seasons change, our play adapts to incorporate the materials that children find outdoors. 

Fall is officially here and right on cue, the weather has shifted to be more autumnal with cloudier days and some much-needed rain after a long dry spell. Already the landscape is changing, with hints of fall color popping up here and there, with signs of the changing of the seasons present in animal life as well. Fall bird migration is in full swing, and hungry migrating birds are filling up on food for their long flights to cooler southern climes.

It was our first full week of school and each class worked on getting into their routines and gaining familiarity with their classrooms and community. After settling into school, classes were ready to put on their walking feet and explore the neighborhood as a class.