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Thursday Morning Play Group at Forest Glen Woods
Unstructured, Child-Directed Play at Forest Glen Woods
Join other area caregivers and kids on Thursday mornings for unstructured forest playtime. The goal of this event is to give kids a chance for unstructured outdoor play. We encourage adults to take a step back and let the kids lead the way!
This week we’ll meet at Forest Glen Woods. Park towards the back of the parking lot and we’ll meet on the grass near the picnic shelter. We’ll start the meeting with a snack and introductions and then take off down the path around 10:20am.
Time for Uninterrupted Free Play
The goal of this event is allow children time and space to play together in unstructured outdoor play. It’s very rewarding when we can stand back and let the children take the lead in what they notice and what they want to engage with. Some weeks it will be one thing that catches their interest, and other weeks it may be something entirely different. By not having a set curriculum, we are free to follow where the children’s curiosity takes them. In these Free Forest School gatherings, we resist our adult urges to point out what we are drawn to and do our best to follow where the children’s curiosity is taking them.
If you’d like more info about how to facilitate child-led play, you can check out this document I’ve written (still a work in progress).
Age Range
Kids of all ages are welcome at this event! Kids tend to be between 0-8.
What to Bring
Bug spray, sunscreen, sun hats, and a snack.
What to Wear
There are bugs and poison ivy so you might want to wear long pants and perhaps a long sleeve shirt. It’s often muddy and sometimes near water so shoes that can get wet/handle mud work best. It can also help to have a rain suit/muddy buddy. You may want to bring a change of clothes for the ride home.
Safety
Keep an eye on the children in your care and establish the safety boundaries that make sense for your family.
The event will continue rain or shine. We will cancel in case of severe weather (lightning).
Snack
We will start off with a snack before we head down the trail. We will end at 12pm but feel free to stay after for a picnic lunch. (Owen and I will be staying).
Bathrooms
The forest preserve bathrooms are open at this location.