by Honey Sweet Harmony At this time of year, consider holding some form of Ancestors Celebration with the families of your students, or even the wider community. Here are a few ideas from regenerative culture design mentors Honey Sweet Harmony: Invite families to send in photos or other items that remind them of those who have gone before, and create an artistic Honoring Our Ancestors display in the (indoor or outdoor) classroom space. Fabric, shells, sticks, leaves, nuts, bones, feathers, flowers and anything else the participants gather with consent from and gratitude to nature can add ..read more

Exploring Circles in Autumn by McCadden, ERAFANS Course Facilitator With the new school year beginning, it’s a natural time to introduce some new songs to your repertoire! Our latest ERAFANS Song Grove is a collection of songs sharing the theme of signs of autumn in nature and within ourselves, including some selections related to the Autumn Equinox.  Here are some additional activities you might enjoy this season:  Reflect together on circles you observe in nature - from the Earth and Sun whose dance creates the Equinoxes, to the cycle of life and death as embodied in tree lea ..read more

Written By McCadden, ERAFANS Course Facilitator As we move through the summer season, we offer this Song Book celebrating the Sun! These may be sung to children, or with them, depending on the group. Some can be sung as rounds or simply as single harmonies together, and some can go well with craft making or dancing. We’ve suggested specific activity ideas that pair well with some of the songs.  Many community songleaders tell the origin story of the song, and/or how the song came into their own life, before teaching the song. With this in mind, whenever possible we’ve included somet ..read more

By McCadden, ERAFANS Online Facilitator “As Spring rain softens the Earth with surprise May your Winter places be kissed by light. As the ocean dreams to the joy of dance May the grace of change bring you elegance. As day anchors a tree in light and wind May your outer life grow from peace within. As twilight fills night with bright horizons May Beauty await you at home beyond.” ~ John O’Donohue  As Spring arrives in the North Hemisphere, many of us hear an inner stirring to go outside and dig our fingers (and maybe toes!) into the dirt, even as a final few snowfalls might yet visit us ..read more

Written by McCadden, ERAFANS Online Facilitator In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re still in the cold season, with longer, clearer nights and greater opportunities to view the stars, moon, and planets above. In many traditions around the world, human beings have tended to go inward during the winter, becoming more sedentary and taking shelter in some form designed to help us stay warm. We’ve gathered around the fire to share stories, songs, craft-making, and transmit various other skills and teachings. Some cultures celebrate Lunar New Year at this time. With this in mind, we offer this Song Bo ..read more

On this, the shortest day of the year, we welcome the return of the light. Autumn officially turns to winter today, December 21.  In winter (and in all seasons), forest and nature schools participate in experiences that honor and respect nature. During the Yuletide season, we revel in all that winter heralds and find ways to beckon back the light. Indigenous and global traditions vary widely, but the ideas below may help inspire new traditions in your forest school community. Yule Logs Use plentiful fire wood and evergreens such as pine, juniper, holly, cedar, or fir boughs to create a yu ..read more

Written by: Heidi Reed, Director at One Forest As parents, caregivers, and educators we are in constant motion with baby-proofing, screening, and guiding our children through risks in their world. One risk that holds a lot of fear is that of a tick bite.  It istruly amazing how this small arachnid can cause such a big fear. The fear is real!  I have done extensive research on ticks, have completed my Wilderness First Aid training, and have spent much time in the outdoors.  Even still my motherly protective instinct goes into full worry mode whe ..read more

Written by: Rachel Schwartzman, Director/ Lead teacher of Forest Days “This is the log where I saw two worms come out.  I was a little scared to pick them up, but I did." On a recent day during an “indoor forest choice time,” many children chose to make maps. Maps can teach us so many things.  Through the map, we get a window into the child’s understanding of place, and how they are making meaning of their time in the forest.   What do they remember?   How do they arrange the landmarks in relation to each other?  Are they including themselves and othe ..read more

Written by: Rachel Schwartzman, Director/Lead Teacher of Forest Days Through a steady diet of asking the children, “What do you notice?”  and “what do you wonder?,” the children’s perception of the environment and their role in it has dramatically changed in these 12 weeks.  We have moved from utilizing the space as solely playground (which is also important and valuable), to engaging with all that we see through the eyes of curiosity. We are forming habits of mind in the forest. Beyond the skills and facts that will surely accumulate, it is the orientation toward lea ..read more

By Rachel Schwartzman, Director/Lead Teacher of Forest Days On a recent day in the forest, a child picked up a yellow green object from the ground.  It was about the size of a softball, and the surface was wiggly and bumpy, almost like a pile of green worms formed into a fruit.  She brought it to me and asked, “Teacher, what is this?” My response was to ask her, “What do you think it is?”  She asserted that she did not know, and so I probed a bit further…”What color is it?  How does it feel?  Smell?  Where did you find it?”  This conversation brought a larger ..read more