Summer is in full swing here at Blue Mountain Birch Cove Wilderness Area and we are back with a new program and a whole new group of students. Differing from the spring program, the summer program runs Monday-Friday with the same class , rolling into a new group the following week. These weeks go by so fast! Fast because there is just so much to be done! We start every day asking the students what they want to focus on that day and we do our best to accomplish their wishes. The program is for them, so we design it for them. This not only helps each child feel their voice is heard but also helps make every single day unique. What did this group love to do more than anything? Hangout with Forest Frank!

Singing Baby Shark, blowing bubbles, walking him around the forest or just watching over him while he slept, this group loved having baby Frank in the forest with them. 

This year we’ve opened up the opportunity for more diverse age groups to experience the forest together. In the past we would divide the age groups 4-6, 6-9 and 9-12. This year we have not only opened up a parent and tot program for younger age groups (0-3) but we’ve also offered opportunities for junior leaders to join us, expanding to more age groups on both ends of our previous programs. On top of these changes we have also combined some age groups, opening our main programs up to 6-12 year old’s, plus the bonus of forest Frank. This allows the opportunity for the older children to take on more of a leadership role, helping the younger children with small tasks like putting up and taking down their hammocks. Of course we would never require these children to do so, but we find just as a practice of working together and respecting each other, everyone is more than happy to help. Likewise, the younger children are found idolizing some of the things the older kids can do that they can’t (yet), like climbing trees with confidence and strength. 

So let’s get into some of the fun things this group got up to over the week!

We of course took a trip to Frog Pond! The children enjoyed splashing around in the water, throwing sticks as far as they could and climbing and slinging from the big tree that overlooks the lake. Not featured: forest Frank swimming in the waterfall and many determined and successful frog catchers.

Don’t forget to apply your sunscreen! No matter how you’re spending your day out here in the forest, you need all the energy you can to: build those forts, identify those mushrooms, conquer those mountains and swing high in those hammocks!

No Week is complete without a visit to fairy mountain to play with the sun! Nothing quite puts a smile on your face the way these kids help each other out when learning something new.

We even got the opportunity to meet Sally the Salamander before the week was over.

But I think the day at Forest School that caused the most giggles and pride would be the last. On the last day of the week the students put on and performed in their very own talent show! From singing to dancing, scary storytelling and all the cartwheels and flips you could think of, this group had it all!

This group was truly a joy to be with. The diversity in both age and backgrounds of each individual added to all of the amazing things the children experienced and learned over a very busy week. Looking forward to seeing these wild children again soon 🙂