It’s been a wonderfully sunny return to our Forest School lessons after the half term break. The children have been engaged in learning about our new topic all about Native American culture, traditions and natural art. While all Native American tribes have their own culture, traditions, belief systems, and way of life, the children have been learning that they all share a tradition of storytelling in the form of myths that have nature and spirituality at their core. The relationship between human beings and the environment around them is hugely significant to Native American tribes. Seasons, weather, animals, and the physical landscape are prominent in legends.

Activities within this topic this week have included: making ‘Ring and Pin’ – a stick and hoop game used to hone ‘hand eye’ skills; crafting our own natural plant medicine bags; creating charcoal drawings based on the legend read at the start of the lesson; designing our own ‘birth totems’ to transfer to salt dough medallions; creating dream catchers with willow, feathers, beads and natural finds; and learning weaving skills to weave our own bracelets.