Free Spirit Forest and Nature School

Nurturing Connection with Self, Others and Nature

Rockin’ with Bass and cheering on Salmon

Posted on by

Hey Everyone!

“It’s so… refreshing… just being in a canoe.” said one of our students while we were paddling on the Big Pond this week. And we couldn’t agree more! Our days were all about fish, fishing and paddling this week, but were very different from one another. So we’ll break it down by day. Scroll down to the bottom for more pics!

Tuesday

After our core routines, we started off the week by heading down to Sunset Point after hearing a rumour that a HUGE bass had been caught there. After arriving, our Chickadees explored the shoreline and were able to find fossils, crayfish and other creatures. The older students baited up and patiently waited, and while we didn’t catch the elusive beast, we did nab a lot of Gobis – which led to a good discussion about invasive species. We used our nets and were able to catch at least 40 minnows too!

We headed back to Bygone Days, had our lunch and some free time, then hit the water again. This time in canoes, we decided to try our luck on the Big Pond. We paddled out in our canoes and to our pleasant surprise we were inundated with fish. Schools and schools of Rock Bass came after our worms and we were rewarded with catching so many we lost track. And then, right before we reeled in the very last time, a Perch! Who knew our pond was so full of life!

Wednesday

We rushed out Wednesday morning to join our schoolmates in Heathcote and got a chance to slackline, climb on their awesome tree gym, eat some yummy food from the garden and pop jewelweed seeds to our hearts content. Then we hit the water and did a paddle down a portion of the Beaver River. Along the way we saw fish jumping and birds galore. What a beautiful sunny day we had!

After arriving back and a quick lunch, we cast our lines out in the river. And were we ever rewarded! We are proud to say our first Forest School Trout was ever caught!

We headed back to the School with time to spare and met up with our new Master’s Student, Aislinn. She joined us in the canoes again as some students still wanted to fish so we set out on the pond. We found the fish to be biting again! And not to mention the 4 painted turtles we saw sunning themselves on a log. While all this was going on other students, having had enough of the water for one day, stayed ashore and opened up the “clay factory” and made a bunch of natural art.

Thursday

On Thursday we chose to head out to Slab Town and try our luck fishing in the river once again. Upon arrival, we spent the first bit simply admiring the massive SALMON taking runs at the old dam. They were huge, powerful and mesmerizing. We eagerly got to fishing, and though we didn’t catch a big salmon, we did get a trout and chubs. After exploring we also caught some crayfish. Before leaving, we ate lunch as nature’s television unfolded in a spectacular display of salmon vs waterfall. We didn’t see one fish make it up, but boy did we cheer them on!

We got back to the school and jumped into the role of salmon ourselves in a macro model we like to call “Hooks and Ladders” (click here for an overview). After navigating the obstacle course and all it’s danger, we got to see just how arduous the journey can be as a lot of salmon didn’t make it.

Enough about being fish, and back to fishing. We jumped in our canoes and tried out luck on the pond. While some students chose to paddle around and enjoy the views (even seeing a record 11 painted turtles), others caught a bunch of rock bass as they were jigging from their canoes. Another hot day well spent!

Friday

After our core routines, and with all the Salmon action on the River, we had to return on Friday to see nature at work. Again, we weren’t disappointed! And we even cheered one on as it got all the way up and over the hurdle.

We got to fishing pretty fast and immediately got a chub, and then a lot more courtesy our Chickadees! And though we were close to getting a salmon, it wasn’t in our fate today. Students were able to net a whole bunch of minnows (which became know as “burpies”) and uncovered other critters that live under the rocks. It’s amazing what you can find when you look really closely. Mayfly larvae were abundant and our students were able to identify them. We spent some time playing in the river, had lunch and then headed back to the school.

At the school, the Snowy Owls (and our “Painted Owl”) headed straight out onto the pond and were eager to catch some fish. The pond, as it had all week, didn’t disappoint. We worked together in our boats – one person paddling, the other fishing – and we were all successful. The Chickadees and Painted Turtles joined everyone on the pond after some building time and spotted 7 real painted turtles.

Next Week:

It’s our FALL HARVEST! This will look different from day to day, but it’s all about food and wild edibles. Our hope is cook a “stone” soup over the fire, so if you’ve got an extra veggie from your garden or one lying around, please bring it in!

Overall we had a really exciting week and were reminded why our “Fishing” days are always so popular. Thanks to everyone who brought in some gear! A big thanks to Carly who stepped in for Tamara this week at Heathcote and in Collingwood, and a big thanks to Matt Code for bringing in the Canoes! Also a big welcome to our Master’s Student from Lakehead University, Aislinn!

Cheers,

Kim and Matt (and the Forest School Team)

More Pics:

Tuesday

Wednesday

THURSDAY

Friday

Risky Play: why we love and need it!

Posted on by

For children, outdoor play is a basic need and inherent to play is the necessity of risk. Risky play takes many different shapes, but always involves pushing limits and comfort zones in a thrilling and exciting way. It’s about testing oneself – and finding out what happens.

During risky play, children not only experience an element of danger – actual or perceived – but they also risk receiving the potential benefits. Risky play is integral to whole-child development, well-being and health. It helps children develop self-esteem, confidence and their socio-emotional self. Risky play helps develop physical literacy in children and cognitive skills. Moreover, it helps children learn how to manage risks and be safe – this is why it is so important!

At FS Forest and Nature School we engage children in six categories of risky play (Sandseter, 2007):

PLAY AT GREAT HEIGHTS
Ever notice that if there is anything to be climbed, kids will climb it? Playgrounds, trees, slopes or rock walls at Metcalfe, it will be climbed.

ROUGH AND TUMBLE
Think back to when you were a kid – fencing with sticks? Wrestling with friends? Rolling around in snow? This type of play is a balance between play and real fighting.PLAY AT

PLAY WITH DANGEROUS TOOLS
Saws, knives, hammers and drills. Whittling or cutting firewood. Though supervised these are potentially dangerous and we learn to respect and use these tools with care – and never before 10 AM (too sleepy!) or after 2PM (again, sleepy time).

PLAY WITH A CHANCE OF “GETTING LOST”
This happens when children are given a chance to be alone, disappear and even perceive being disappearing.

PLAY AT GREAT SPEEDS
Paddling a river, or riding a bike – the risk of crashing or flipping or just simply falling off.

PLAY NEAR DANGEROUS ELEMENTS
Water, cliffs, rocky trails and forests are all part of our landscape and where we play every day.

Fires and Shelters… and Bear-Hangs? Oh my.

Posted on by

Hey Folks!

We welcomed Summer back (or for the first time??) at Forest School this week and took advantage of the beautiful, hot days to learn some important survival skills. As we’ve said before, with emergent interests, all of our days looked very different, but we’ll sum up the highlights here.

After our core routines (smudge, check-ins and sit spots), students were tasked with the mission to come up with the “ultimate” campsite. Students created designs and then headed out on our property to find the best place for a campsite – high and dry, sheltered and safe.

After exploring (including the unveiling of a new area on Thursday – “Mysterious Forest”), we chose our sites and students were off to work. Some groups made their shelters out of tarps, with a couple people earning their knots beads, while others opted for a natural shelter and are on their way to earning their Shelter’s Beads. Some students spent their time building trails to the site, while others focused hard on earning their Fire Beads. The Chickadees especially enjoyed gathering material, sorting out sticks for fuel, and trying different types of ignition (match, flint and steel, Bunsen burner). Of course fire safety and leave no trace principles were highlighted! To cap off the Ultimate Campsite experience, the Snowy Owls even had a bear-hang challenge… which was super helpful after the lunch picnic at their campsite!

Throw in some free-play time and watch the creativity unfold! We had swings made, shops open, fences built, and a full on imaginative forest “battle” where bark became a powerful a object. When we finished, we had an important lesson in leave no trace – some sites we dismantled completely, others we gave a permanent home and recorded on our map in the classroom.

And in between all of this, a jumble of creation and play, collaboration and independence, team building and new friendships forming. It’s amazing watching the group dynamics evolve and interests emerge. Music, role-playing, storytelling, building, dismantling, observing… it’s hard to capture it all in words, but it sure is inspiring.

Next Week:
We are going to try and catch some fish and learn some paddling strokes. We have all the gear, but if your child would like to bring in their rod and tackle, no problem!

See you next week,

Kim, Matt and Tamara

PS – If ever you want a better quality copy of a photo, just email us!

More pics:
Tuesday:

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

There’s a lot of noise in silence

Posted on by

Hey Folks!

We’d like to extend a HUGE welcome to our new students and families and a welcome back to our returning students! We had a good start to our first week at Forest School and luckily, though it called for rain, we seemed to miss the worst of it!

This week we focused on getting to know each other, community-building and becoming acquainted with a small portion of the property. We began the day as usual with a smudge, morning circle and other core routines. We also engaged in some get-to-know you activities, such as designing our own personal flag to highlight our favourite activities and passions. We will hang this in our classroom for the semester.

Students eagerly picked out their sit spots and began creating and imagining all the things they intend to build/do/create there. Some were content to just be and absorb the changes that Mother Natures will bring. We spent some quiet time reflecting in our spots and came to a consensus: there is a lot of noise in silence. Blue Jays, crickets and wind in the leaves just to name a few! We found ourselves immersed in our surrounding. We all came away loving our own sit spot experience… and eager to return next week!

The students jumped at the chance for some exploratory time, where imaginations, teamwork and good old fashioned outdoor fun came alive. The afternoon brought our first bonfire of the year, where we added the ashes from the final community fire of last year and made some thoughtful goals for this year of new challenges, budding friendships, and pushing comfort zones. In anticipation for next week, where some might want to try earning their fire bead, we spent some time learning the basics of fire-building (even in the rain!) and how to use fire respectfully. It was a great start to building our new community.

Speaking of beads, we’ve got a whole bunch of new ones this year, as well as some classics – click here for the list! Don’t know what beads are yet? Check out our core routines page. There are even some that can be done at home. Along with this, we made our medallions to store our beads on. On one side, children wrote their names, and the other they drew or wrote their spirit/favourite animal or plant. This also gave students the chance to use tools for the first time this year by hand drilling their own holes!

Next Week:
Survival Skills – fires, shelters and more!

We also still have a few spaces available! If you know anyone that may be interested please share with them. Thanks!

That’s all for now, we look forward to the semester and exploring alongside everyone!

Matt, Kim and Tamara

More pics:

Kim Simpson – she/her

Posted on by

Kim is a director, founder and teacher at Free Spirit Forest and Nature School. Growing up in Collingwood, it’s no wonder she has always had a heart for playing outside and appreciating the great outdoors. She graduated from Brock University’s Health and Physical Education Program, where she developed a deep understanding of play-based learning. She completed a Bachelor of Education in Outdoor Ecological and Experiential Education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. Through this program, she learned the significant influence that meaningful outdoor, experiential education and Nature-connection can have on the whole-child, and how essential it is for the development of today’s youth. This set her on the trail to become a certified Forest and Nature School Practitioner.

Kim’s love for being outside extends into many past work experiences. She has spent summers planting trees across Canada, working as a guide and camp counselor throughout Ontario, and has supported youth in various outdoor therapeutic settings. In her free time, she enjoys camping, gardening, and being on the water. You can usually find her wandering slowly through the forest with her three daughters.

Matt Simpson – he/him

Posted on by

Matt Simpson is a director and founder of Free Spirit Forest and Nature School. He has dedicated his life to working with children and is passionate for the outdoors and its use in empowering students through meaningful experiences. He graduated from Lakehead University with degrees in Outdoor Recreation and Geography, as well as a BEd in Outdoor Ecological and Experiential Education. He is a graduate of the NOLS Outdoor Educator program and a certified Forest and Nature School teacher with Forest School Canada.

Matt has spent years in mentor roles both in and out of the classroom, here and abroad (South Korea and Ghana). He has worked in various settings as a camp counselor, outdoor guide, and extensively as a project leader with Katimavik all across Canada. He is a father of three girls and now more than ever understands the importance of nurturing connection with Self, Others and Nature. You can usually find him hiking local trails, paddling local rivers or simply just listening to the birds!

Jessica Witt – she/her

Posted on by

Jessica is a teacher at our Collingwood School. She graduated from Brock University
with a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree. She then when on to complete her diploma in
Early Childhood Education at Fleming College. During her time at Fleming College, she
also completed the Eco-Mentorship certificate which has deepened her understanding
of how to support children’s meaningful experiences in nature. Jessica is currently
completing the Forest and Nature School Practitioner Certification which is offered
through Forest School Canada.

Jessica has experience working with children in a variety of settings including an after-
school program, in-home childcare, and a nature-based preschool and kindergarten
program. Her passion and appreciation for movement and nature has motivated her to
support opportunities for children to learn and play in nature. In her free time, Jessica
enjoys hiking, gardening, and drawing. She also enjoys swimming, canoeing and paddle
boarding.

Lesley Scotney – she/her

Posted on by

Lesley is a teacher at our Collingwood location. She is an Ontario certified teacher with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Education in mathematics and physics from Queen’s University. She is currently completing an outdoor education course from Queen’s University. For the past 15 years, Lesley has taught at international schools around the world, including South Korea, Egypt, Sint Maarten, China, and Guatemala. Lesley believes in inquiry-based and student-centered learning and values making connections between education and the world around us.

During the pandemic her son attended a forest school, where she was drawn to the energy and happiness of the children. It made her wish all schools could be more like forest schools and encouraged her to pursue a career in teaching outdoors where a natural and wholistic approach to teaching and learning is valued. As a teacher, she is mindful, patient, and calm with a goal to create an environment where students feel safe and comfortable to learn, investigate, and explore. Lesley loves yoga, scuba diving, baseball, and snowboarding. When she’s not teaching, she’s usually playing outside with her kids or going on an adventure.

Sarah Nabet – she/her

Posted on by

Sarah is a teacher at our Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, and Duntroon locations. She loves people, and graduated with a degree in hospitality. She has been camping, canoeing, hiking, and exploring Canada since she was a twinkle in her momma’s eye. She has seen firsthand the benefits of nature-based play through her work with children as a Guide leader and youth leader, and now as a mother of three. Sarah believes that it is more important than ever for children to understand and connect with nature as they are the future guardians of our fragile Earth. She is thrilled to be working with FSFNS.

Sarah is also working towards a diploma in holistic nutrition. In her ‘free’ time, she volunteers with Friends of Clearview EcoPark, and loves hiking, canoeing, camping, puttering in her vegetable garden, and hanging out with her family and friends.

Robyn Daykin – she/her

Posted on by

Robyn is a teacher at our Wasaga Beach School. She graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a degree in Global Studies and English. She completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto and is an Ontario Certified Teacher. Robyn is a certified Forest and Nature School Practitioner through Forest School Canada.

Robyn has taught children in a range of environments including schools in Northern Alberta, a Haitian refugee village in the Dominican Republic, and SickKids Hospital in Toronto. Robyn worked as an environmental educator leading field trips at the Tiny Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area. It was this experience that made her decide that she wanted to continue teaching (and learning) outdoors! In her free time, Robyn enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, camping and working in her vegetable garden. She loves being active in/on the water, but also appreciates relaxing on the shore. You can usually find her hiking – you may see her finishing up another section of the Bruce Trail!

Exit mobile version