Tree Climbers and Rope Swings

Nature Club is one of our drop-off nature immersion experiences where the focus is on loving being outside, and letting learning come naturally. We started up a new session this January and we had a fantastic time playing in the woods. Since it was the first time in these woods for many kids in our group, we focused on open-ended exploration of the woods. We saw interesting moss and lichen growing on the trees, listened to the birds chirping, followed a dry creek bed, and enjoyed the cool weather. We read a part of the book Animals in the Wild, and compared the snowy winter in the book to the winter environment here in Florida.

After snack, we ventured back into the woods. The provocation given to the children was rope. Can you use rope to help you climb? Can you make a rope swing? What types of trees are good for hanging rope? What do you need to do to be safe? Whenever we start provocation sessions, we have the kids decide as a group on the boundaries of their play area, keeping in mind that the adults need to be able to see them. Once the boundaries are set, they are free to do as they wish within those boundaries. We had a day filled with challenges, as the kids experimented with the rope, trying to get it hooked on high branches, and trying to tie knots that would hold them in a seat for a swing. We had a limited supply of rope, so they had the additional challenge of having to work together with others and compromise on a plan. Some groups were successful in creating a swing, while others got creative and found other uses for the rope, like trying to fix a baby tree that was falling over!

If Nature Club sounds like something you or your child would like to join in on, please reach out via email to see if we have any openings in our program mid-term. We begin enrollment for Fall 2022 in April!

Keep Growing,

Lizzy Ellis

info@jaxdragonfly.org