Playing in the Forest

Today I played in the forest. Jane picked me up and we drove to Høndruphus Nature Kindergarten, Lindum. Again we went through beautiful scenery and I was pretty excited as we pulled off the beaten track and started heading quite deep into a forested area. The forest is private, but the public are given access and the kindergarten leases the land. They have been given the use of an old cottage and some sheds that are quite ancient, and these have been converted into a kindergarten space with the usual cloak room, fully equipped kitchen, dining tables and a small space for play areas indoors. The shed has been converted into a workshop which has tools, timber and work benches for serious making and construction.

As soon as I arrived I was warmly welcomed by the pedagogues. Being keen to plonk myself amongst the children, one of the staff followed me to the sand pit and began translating for me to the children. I was grateful for this opportunity and it really helped me to feel more like I was a part of the place and not just a stander by. Soon the children were gathered to start their treck into the forest. They sat together and I was introduced and the children learned that I came from Australia which is on the other side of the world and right at the bottom. They sang galoop went the little green frog in my honor, asking if I recognised the tune and I eagerly shared the English version and was applauded for my troubles. I really felt included. 

We followed a path into the forest and it was decided that we would visit a huge tree that had recently been brought down by a mini hurricane. This tree would have stood twenty or thirty meters before it's demise, and when it fell the root ball was still attached, forming a huge mountain for the children to climb and a trench and ridges and many interesting nooks and crannies to play in and discover. The children crawled all over the tree. It was slippery and there were one or two spills and a few scratches but the staff were nearby to comfort and attend to them and I was able to reflect on the need to give children exposure to risk. One child fell a bit of a distance onto his back and his boot was caught and twisted in a root that he'd been riding like a horse. He was immediately attended to and helped up and comforted. The fall hurt, but it was a valuable lesson. Bitten the head, was keen to elaborate. He learnt about the need to be more careful when it's been raining and when it's slippery. He learned that a fall can hurt but that there are people nearby who care and that the hurt will go away and he will be ok. He learnt about the value in taking risks because it's going to be fun, and the need to take special care in certain conditions. All this builds for children who are not risk averse and this knowledge helps to keep them safe as they become more and more skilled, try ever more challenging activities and learn how to negotiate risks. Studies have shown that children who are overprotected are actually at more risk of more dangerous accidents. The little bumps and bruises that children attain in early childhood are good for them because they can prevent the major breaks and even death that comes from inexperience, bravado or peer pressured risk taking as teenagers. Interesting stuff. 

Look at that chappy way up high. 

The little boy I'm talking to in this picture was quite interested in the spiders we have in Australia. He asked if there were spiders that can kill you and with my iPhone I showed him an image of a funnel web and told him that sometimes I get them in my house and that I take them outside. Then I showed him an image of a huntsman that is not dangerous and I told him about Berty: the name I give to huntsmans  that find their way into my home and become loved pets. Through a pedagogue translating we had quite a long conversation and he asked many questions. 

When we returned the children changed and ate a packed lunch. There was a group time where Bitten read them a story about a koala who was getting too big to sleep in his mothers pouch so found a sleeping kangaroo and crawled into her pouch. The story had a variety of Australian native animals in it and  as she read, soft toys of Australian animals were taken out of a bag and shown to the children. It was touching to have my homeland honored through story and again I felt a wonderful sense of belonging. 

Bitten explained some of her philosophy to me and all this can be found on their website, which you might like to access. It has an English page. http://www.hoendruphus.dk/Forguests.html

I was greatly inspired by what I saw today. As we went outside before leaving I was shown around the extensive outdoor space that the children have access to. It includes three large goats and the biggest rabbits I've ever seen. Also also chooks. These are cared for by the children and the staff. There are play areas that contain challenge, promote socialization and imagination. There are garden plots, hides, swings and trees to climb. Everywhere I looked children were highly engaged and pedagogues were amongst them in their learning. 

There are plans to extend the play areas and develop more play spaces. This is something Bitten has encouraged all to have a say in so that all voices can be heard and acknowledged. It is also an opportunity for the pedagogues to embrace what they are passionate about, because it is through this that children's learning is optimized. 

Say hello to Ruth, she only speaks English

This morning I rose to another misty day. Light rain was falling as I got myself organised for the day. I'm kind of hoping for at least one miserable day just so I can see what it's like to be out in it with children. Jane assures me that as long as you are prepared for the weather and have sufficient clothing, it's all good. 

I enjoyed a fantastic buffet breakfast and waited for Jane in the foyer of my hotel. She is my chauffeur and guide for the next few days and I'm very thankful. Again I feel so privileged to have access to yet another skilled and knowledgeable person to guide me through this, to open my mind to the possibilities, to answer any question, quell any fear. 

We drove for some time through gorgeous country. It's very ordered and neat here and I love the prettiness of the country. It's very different from our wild and rugged Australian landscape (which I love with all my being), the greenness of this place is somehow calming and relaxing. We came to a small town and arrived at the kindergarten.

Laererden (translated to Larks Nest) is an old institution having been around since 1965 (so it's been around as long as me, I guess that makes me old). It's a big centre, with 26 children in babies group, 26 in nature group and 90 other children 3-6 years old split into six other groups. The classes are small and house thirteen children in each one. Each class has a kitchen, tables for eating, play areas and workshops. There is a large outdoor area for children to access during the day.

The head, Ruth, (pronounced Root in Danish) gave a brief presentation on the centre, its values and its structure. Everyone who is in the centre, children, parents and staff are expected to work within these principles and there is a lot of trust as well as high expectations of all. One thing that I really liked was that the children's learning portfolios were done 50% by the staff and 50% by the parents. This results in a record of the child's learning, interests and culture from both learning environments equally. 

Now what really interested me was the nature group. This group of 26 children have been signed up by their parents to attend the forest every day, whatever the weather. They either catch a public bus or treck there and back with their three pedagogues. Jane drove me to the site and I watched the children in wonder. There were no fences, only the rule that they must stay within sight of the main area. Some portable buildings have been erected to give them shelter if the weather is terrible and provide a place for belongings as well as a small kitchen. The children bring their own food. 

When we arrived the children were all scattered and playing peacefully in a sand/dirt pit, riding bikes, swinging on hand made swings, sitting at a picnic table, collecting flowers for making a head piece, and climbing trees. Some were kicking a ball around and it was very relaxed. At one point, the pedagogue, Jenny, whistled and everyone started putting things away and sat on logs around the fire pit. It was time for songs and to start home. Today they were walking and I was invited to join them. A little blond haired girl put her hand out to me, and I also took the hand of a little boy and we began this journey. 

Well little Edith chatted with me the whole way home. Her and Fri stopped regularly to pick up flowers, leaves, worms and a beetle. I was shown a giant snail. It didn't matter to them that I didn't understand a word they said and I just chatted back in English and sang a few songs that took my fancy. Every now and again we had to run to catch up, or skip. The sun was out and I was shown where some of the children lived as we passed houses in the community. It was a lovely experience for me. When we got back we passed some adults on the stairs and Edith said to them 'Say hello to Ruth, she can only speak English'. As this was translated by the pedagogue I was moved by Edith's obvious desire to make me welcome in her kindergarten. While the children changed out of their water proofs and jackets I went and sat on a couch with a book. Every room has a comfy adult sized couch to reflect homeliness. Soon Edith and some of her friends joined me. I showed them the book, 'Bambi' and in no time flat two children were on my lap, and two more squashed close. Edith snuggled in wholeheartedly as I told the story from memory in English. When they were called to snack time, they all lingered and I have to admit, so did I. I was very comfortable and in my element, even though there was the language barrier. Jane told me of a little boy who once said to her 'I can't speak English but we can laugh in the same language'. 

So it has been another very special day and I was thrilled to have been able to connect in a small way to these children, particularly Edith. Their capacity to be so social, to recognise that a visitor might appreciate being welcomed, to share a little of their world with me was a joy I will always remember. 

I have some photos to share, but will add them tomorrow. Right now I'm too tired. I bid you farewell, or as they say in Danish "hi hi".