Gifts All Around Us!

The Gift of Snow

Did you notice anything different today? We celebrated our first snowfall with a wintery walk and with our toboggans, racing down Sunrise Hill.  What was fun about sledding? What kind of things won't we see on a snowy day?

The Gift of Friends

Who were you happy to spend time with today?  A friend who shared a toboggan?  One who helped pull you up a hill?  Someone who helped you build a little snow character? Cardinal was really grateful for Pin Cherry, Owl and Blue Jay who helped make some special gifts with her.  Owl, how did you feel when Blue Jay kept cheering you on as you found matches in the bird memory game?  Pin Cherry decided to work on a 'thing' for Grey Squirrel to show her she appreciates her as a librarian.  Sometimes friends we don’t always spend a lot of time with are important too.  We are all part of a team, a Nature School community.  Who did you make a gratitude necklace for today?  Are you excited to give it to them when we have an appreciation ceremony next week?  Shh, don’t tell anyone who you picked.  Can you think of something nice to say about them when you present them with their bracelet?

The Gift of the Harvest

The snow is not only fun but adds much needed water to the ground for next year’s harvest.  We celebrated this year’s harvest with a batch of baked apples using apples we picked off the ground by Badger's tree in Harrington!  What did we need to do to make the apples turn to apple sauce?  Thank you to Dragonfly and all the Turtles for cleaning, cutting and cooking a batch up for us to try.  How did you like it?  What recipes would you like to try at Nature School?  Let us know if you make something delicious at home!  Maybe you can bring the recipe next week!

The Gift of Peace

On Remembrance Day, we remember and thank all the people who fought in wars to help keep us happy, free and safe.  What are things in your life that you are grateful for?  In the story, Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion, Grey Squirrel read about an elderly soldier who remembered how his friend died fighting to keep other people safe and happy and remembered him by attending a ceremony.  In the story, The Legend of How The Beaver Lost His Tail, How did Beaver feel when he helped others and kept them safe by slapping his tail when there was danger?  Can you think of a situation where you helped someone and made them feel special?  How did it make you feel? What was the lesson of this story?

Respect, Reflect, Remember

How do you feel when someone listens to you, spends time with you and makes you feel special?  Thanks to all the soldiers and other very special people who worked hard and sacrificed their comfort so we can enjoy exploring nature and learning and playing with our friends safely.  How can you show someone you are grateful for all the things in your life?  Saying "Thank You" would be a great start!