Week four started off pretty much the same as the previous three. When we got to the woods however, we found that they were being sprayed with herbicide. The Fairmount Park Group are attempting to remove invasive species like Japanese Knotwood and English Ivy. Then they will plant a lot of new indigenous ones in autumn. I understand their desire to have a space with only native plants, but at what expense? So we didn't stay very long and we took a nice long walk back through the neighborhood to the car.
On Tuesday, I decided to take them to a part of the Wissahickon Valley system. We entered at Kitchens Lane and took the path to the stables. The children loved petting the horses and feeding them some leftovers from our snack: carrots, pear, apple. After visiting the horses, we walked to another trail that led us to a little beach. I had been there many times before with Curtis who immediately started to look for materials to build a fishing pole. R couldn't wait to get in the water and wanted her bathing suit right away. It rained that first day we visited the river, but R and Curtis didn't seem to notice. The rain is so natural in the woods. The tree canopy, sand and water just absorb it and a rainfall doesn't seem as intrusive as it does outside of the woods. It's just part of everything. The children continued their play in the water..walking barefoot on the rocky river bed with water up to their ankles.
On Wednesday, we repeated Tuesdays pattern with horses first, river second. This time we went down to the water on the opposite side of the bridge. This part had slower water and more beach. Curtis and R really enjoyed this side. There were flat, large rocks a few feet from the beach, and R enjoyed wading out to them , sitting on them and kicking up the water. Curt helped us spot two large river fish with his eagle eyes and lots of little "bait" fish. Curt also got to use his"guard" stick or hacking stick to hack a path through the "brush" on certain parts of the beach. It was a truly beautiful sight to see: young boy body..great arm strength, beautiful yet powerful arcing motions with the hacking arm. And lo and behold, he hacked out a clearing in the brush and R and I had the job of removing the hacked away brush.
The children were having so much fun exploring the possibilities in this place, that they told me they wanted to skip the horses next time and go right to the water. So that is what we did on Thursday . More water play happened. I held their hands and walked them out a little farther into the river and back to the beach. So much fun. I feel blessed to be have the opportunity to bring children to nature for such chunks of time. I feel blessed to really see how nature can truly"hold" the children, just like it can hold the rain. Nature is a soft mattress that absorbs and redirects their energies, their play, their moods. I am merely a facilitator.
Friday was our stay and play day. We spent most of the morning in the backyard using the poll and sandbox. The sprinkler was going and running through that was a lot of fun. For about an hour though, the children were content to sit in the shade with me and hear me tell the story of Mulan. This one is so long that I had to tell it in three parts. I have mixed emotions in telling the children these faery tale type stories at such a young age as Steiner finds Grimms Faery Tales developmentally appropriate at age seven, but the world is inundated with Disney and two year olds can pick out Cinderella in a line-up. And I do not offer these stories, they ask for them.
At rest time, I read to them an Elsa Beskow book called Emily and Daisy. I wish the whole world for children under seven were like an Elsa Beskow book. If you want to read more about her check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsa_Beskow. Her artwork is beautiful, seasonal and magical. Her stories do not involve the play between good and evil forces as faery tales do, but describe the goings on of children and the magical forest folk on their journey through life and the seasons. Sometimes there is rascally behavior that children can identify with as well. I highly recommend adding these treasures to your home library. You can find some used copies online ..retired library books and such..or splurge and take a trip to the American Swedish Museum, at FDR Park in South Philadelphia, Broad st and Pattison Ave. there is no admission fee to visit their fabulous gift shop which carries many many Beskow books as well as the Pippi Longstocking series and other delightful tales for older children.
Well that's all for now. I will see you all in two weeks after my break. Be well.
