Under A Log!!

This week we explored the creepies and crawlies found under logs and rocks. There were some spiders thrown in for good measure as well as some teamwork and and good 'ole mud! I'm still getting in to the swing of things especially if it means remembering to bring the camera! I will work on that. ;)

Tuesday Froglets 

We all got down and dirty!
"I'm an otter!" -C

Tuesday Frogs

Working together, tiny objects, and secret buggy writing on a stick.

This was a case of a froglet finding himself stuck, and five frogs rushing to his aid. So proud!!

Thursday Tadpoles

We really tromped all over on Thursday! These little froggys were full of energy. Look how brave they are!! 

Frog Day!

Some old friends and many new ones! Froggy Holler has begun again! This week was our first of the fall and we rang it in with style! This week was definitely a week to get back in to the swing and create some new bonds. We simply enjoyed the woods and the company of new friends.

Tuesday Froglets we were threatened with rain but it held off. We visited fairy valley and found a new fort there!  We learned about shelf fungus, did some cooking in the kitchen, heard a story about Douglas fir cones, and ended the day at sliding rock! 

Tuesday Frogs chased after an owl that really wanted to show off. It kept slowly swooping from one tree to the next. Allowing us time to observe and admire it of course! It finally lead us to the dragon’s nest where we added to the fort and discovered Elf Cove! 

Wednesday Froglets tromped through fairy valley and tried to solve the mystery of the green rocks in the trail. It’s a doozy! We found mushrooms to study as well as a huge fort and some treasures left by winged creatures of mystery. We found a steep hill and got dirty sliding down it, then at the bottom where it was sandy we practiced the letters that began our names. 

Thursday ended the week with a bang with the tadpoles insatiable curiosity. Little frogs joined us on our hike and before we had even left the shelter a caterpillar was found and studied thoroughly. Under logs and on top of them, worms in the hand and beetles tickling the arm, we enjoyed sliding rock, Hamlin park, and each other.  

Fall 2013 Session!

Welcome Froggies! 

A whole new year of Froggy Holler is about to begin! We are really looking forward to playing in the woods together and hope you all are too. This year Teacher Erin (M) and Teacher Kathleen will be leading the kids. Kathleen comes to us full of ideas, and enthusiasm for outdoor education. She lives right by Hamlin, is a Mom of 3, and is an outdoor enthusiast and experienced teacher. We are so lucky to have her!

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact one of the teachers or myself, Erin Zackey, "Principal" of FH. ;)

Hoppy Outdoor Learning!

Arrgggh, PIRATE Week!

In celebration of the end of FH this spring, this year, and for Teacher Erin Z, we had PIRATE days at the beach! We met, got in character, hunted for the pirate map with a little help from Mack the pirate macaw, and went on a treasure hunt! 

Tuesday Froglets:

 

 

Could it have been a more ideal day for Pirate Day on the beach? At the end we practiced our bomb rock throwing in the sound. What a fun time!

 Tuesday Frogs:

  

 

 These pirates really got into the pirate challenges of log balancing, and x hunting, they were pretty sure they found it many times before we found the matching one on the map!

 

 Wednesday Froglets:

These kiddos had some of their own plans today (costumes included ;)), and they really explored the low tide, the whole beach, and a dead flounder too.

 

 Thursday Tadpoles:

 

 We got out the face paint for this little crew!

 

 More dead fish studying, log balancing like a pirate on a plank, planes on trains viewing, and low tide investigating!

 

Well shiver me timbers was that ever a FUN week!

A Rockin' Week!

This week we rocked out! We learned all about rocks and minerals together. We talked about the 3 main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, and explored with a fun collection of rocks from around the world. Just in time I found out about a great local resource: Rock Solid Learning! Amy was kind enough to meet me and sell me some lovely rocks, which is what the kids got to take home this week!

Tuesday Froglets:

Of course there are always so many exciting things to learn about in the woods. This week we found so many green pine cones (did the kids paint them green? ;)) fallen from a very blustery storm the night before.

 

 And there was the all exciting wood chip truck, the fresh load of steaming wood chips, and then time to explore elf cove, read and snack together, be a clown in a paper birch hat, and rock out to rock music!

 Tuesday Frogs:

We had fun talking about volcano rocks (that pumice sure is heavy isn't it kids? ;)), investigating insect trails on sticks, sneaking up on and seeing what middle schoolers were learning, and chilling a bit in the dry "creek" bed.

 In fairy valley there was some great team work with new fairy house construction, silly play with "Fern" the pet worm, and later cone sorting.

 These kids were all so proud of their new rocks they wanted to show them off to me!

 Wednesday Froglets:

We found a fairy camp site today, some interesting new plants, AND a tiny baby salamander, SO cute!

 The kids also had a great time rocking out, 

 

and got really into their "cafe" and playing all around this fallen log:

Thursday Tots:

We had fun running our fingers through the rocks, and then later having some playdough to help us talk about the life cycle of rocks. We smooshed down the igneous rocks into layers of sedimentary rocks, and then mixed it all up into a metamorphic rock!

We had a dance party too, they were the most into it of all the classes!

On the way back to the shelter there were little rock stores to buy rocks at and then spontaneous pine cone stores as well! 

I love the creative play that happens at FH! 

It was a rockin' week all right!

Flowers and Seeds Week

This week at FH we celebrated the real arrival of spring and May! It was fun to plants seeds together in class, and perhaps some will even grow back at home! ;) We really are making good treks around the woods these days, Erin M uses the "Map my hike" app to see how far we go, and it's usually around 2 miles these days. So, we searched for flowers on our hikes this week, and along the way certainly found a whole lotta fun! 

Tuesday Froglets

 

 Tuesday Frogs

Planting, finding little creatures, mud squishing, fairy tower building, muscle developing Frogs:

Wednesday Froglets

Here we are studying our map, feeling the soft new leaves of a Hazelnut, and plowing our way through a new trail!

Thursday Tadpoles

Look at all these wonderful Mama's and their little ones, I appreciate them so much! 

 While we were planting a giant earthworm came out to say hi, it didn't know what it was getting into! ;) Also below is some hill rolling, rocket ship riding, and story time!