It was an exciting start to our session this week as we spotted a frog in our lovely, clear pond.  We also started putting up the bird feeders to encourage more wildlife to our wonderful space.   Then we learnt to identify Elder and Hazel in the woodland walk. This was really important for one of today’s activity.

This green wood is fantastic to whittle with and so once we had identified there was enough for us to use without depleting the trees and woodland,  we learnt how to use loppers to coppice some branches.  Cutting hazel like this  helps to promote vigorou regrowth.

We thanked the hazel tree for its wood and then got to independently whittling our drum sticks.  We ensured we followed the safety rules which included wearing a protective glove on our non tool holding hand, sitting down with our elbows on our knees and always pushing the bark peeler away from us.  We also made sure that no one was near us …. or in our ‘blood bubble’!   Our whittling needed concentration and good practical skills.  Some of us thought the freshly whittled wood smelt like watermelon.

Some of us choose to decorate the handles with wool.

Meanwhile, from the woodland walk, beautiful tunes could be heard from the water xylophones.  There was lots of exploration around the glass jars and investigating how the the note could be changed by adding and taking away water.  Some children took this activity on further by sitting in their magic spot and listening to each other’s compositions being played.  They then communicated their preferences.

Before coming back together to reflect on the afternoon’s learning, we collaboratively  drummed together.   Each of us led with a rhythm while everyone else copied.

Finally, we talked though a new skill we liked and what we would like to do next week.  Fingers crossed that the new hammocks arrive by then as there were a lot of requests for those!  Knot tying here we come ….