Monday Polliwogs: pretend play in the woods

It’s a fun challenge to figure out how to spend our short 2 hours together every Monday morning! There are so many things we could enjoy in the outdoors at Huron Natural Area.

​This week, we focused on having time for pretend play in the woods. Pretend play is fantastic for language development, social skills, the developing sense of self, and of course, creative thinking.

As we walked to our play area, we noticed milkweed seeds on the ground, and lots of orange pine needles. When we stopped to look at the pond, we saw fish and noticed our reflections in the still water.  

​At our new play area, the children had lots of fun with the forest animals. It was amazing to see the pretend play as the stuffed animals came to life in their "natural habitat." 

​We also had some great forest-inspired snacks, including soup, pancakes, leaf loaf and muffins. Yum!! We have many keen bakers who concoct delicious combinations of forest ingredients. 

It was a great morning of friends having fun together: pretending, playing, sharing, and exploring in the forest.