Author: keco86

Storytelling Games

Fortunately/Unfortunately

Instructions >

Once Upon a Time

One person begins with the time-honored, “Once upon a time…” and proceeds to begin a story about whatever they want. At whatever point they feel inspired, they say a distinctive, “…and then…”

…which turns the story to the next person in the circle. The next person then picks up where the story left off and begins to spin their own next part of the tale.

Again, at whatever point they feel ready to hand it off, they say, “…and then…” and turn to the next person to continue the story.

This continues until everyone has had a turn to tell a portion of the story. The last person will no doubt create a magnificent climax-to-denouement and pronounce, “THE END!”

Bird Skits

Have the children act out the 5 types of bird language both as birds and then as people.
alarm calls – companion calling – juvenile begging – territorial aggression – song

Here are a few scenarios to inspire some fun family acting moments:

  • A mother bird tries to feed several babies, but she is keenly aware of a predator bird, like a sharp-shinned hawk, nearby. (The mother bird may stay very close to the nest, taking a lot of moments to stop and look around nervously, while making a short call.)
  • A pair of birds are feeding and companion calling (to let each other know they are okay where they are). Two more birds fly into their territory. How does everyone respond?
  • A group of chickadees is feeding when a human enters their territory. As the human walks through, a weasel sneaks off into the bushes.
The Five Voices Of The Birds

Safety Rules & Guidelines

Boundaries

  1. Children must be able to always see a teacher. 
  2. A Coyote Yip will be used if a child is leaving eyesight or about to cross an established boundary. Children must return and give their teacher a high-five and be supported to recognize that they have gone too far.

Hiking

  1. We remain in a “wolf pack” when moving from one place to another.
    We must always stay in sight of each other.
  2. There is no pushing past our friends to get ahead.
    Someone could fall off a narrow trail or be pushed into dog poop. Eww!
  3. Children may not hike with things in both hands.
    If they want to carry something a facilitator will help them put it in their pack.

Sticks

  1. Children may only play with a stick that is as tall as they are.
    Longer sticks will be broken or ask someone to help if they are to be used to build a structure.
  2. When we walk and run, we put the sticks down.
     It is important to be able to use your own hands for holding and for balance.
  3. Sticks hit only sticks. 
    Sticks are for building, digging, and imaginative play. 

Rocks

  1. We NEVER roll rocks down hills.
    We NEVER roll rocks down hills. Ever.
    I personally know people who have killed children by doing this when they were children.
  2. When throwing rocks your body needs lots of room and no one can be in front of you.

Fires

  1. When we are around the fire, we sit.
  2. We stay outside the fire boundary ring.
  3. We also keep things out of the fire.

Climbing

  1. Children must be wearing sturdy shoes to climb trees.
  2. The child at the top of the tree has the right of way.
  3. We only climb as high as we can climb without help or as tall as the facilitator can reach whichever is lower.

Digging

  1. Weonly dig where the teachers say we can.
    This protects the environment where we play.
    Typically in areas with no vegetation.
  2. Mud play is for scooping and pouring.
    We do not throw the toys, dirt or mud.
  3. When we dig a hole, we will fill it back in when we are finished.
    This disturbs the forest as little as possible.

Plants

  1. We only eat what we can name and ID with certainty.
  2. We ask permission from the plant before taking and offer something in return.
    We do NOT pick wildflowers.
  3. We do our best to only play with or on plants and trees that are strong enough to withstand our intrusion.

Scissors

  1. Scissors go from my hand to your hand and back to my hand.
    They are not left on the ground.
  2. When travelling with scissors they must be held closed by the blade.
  3. Scissors are only for cutting paper, string, dead leaves and long grass.
    They are not to be used for sticks.

Water

We consistently have access to Peterson Creek a small, shallow, fast-moving creek. Before we visit any body of water, the facilitator will give instructions to the children about the appropriate behavior around this water body. Children must be within an arm’s length of an adult and may not stand in the water without permission from the facilitator. 

  1. We tell a teacher if something floats down the creek.
    If a spoon or scoop or flower falls into the creek and is taken downstream ask a teacher to retrieve it. We do not chase things down the creek.
  2. We do not dig in the creek bed, at all, ever.
    We assume ALL creek beds are fish spawning habitat and keep our disruption of this ecosystem to a minimum. This is a valuable life skill that more of us could be practicing.
  3. We stand on the bank, not in the water.

Crossing the Creek

  1. All creek crossings will be inspected by an adult first and supervised throughout.
  2. We take turns crossing the creek, one by one. No one starts before the other is finished.
  3. Children may only cross the creek with permission and supervision by an adult.

Hazards to Note

The most significant hazards in the park are other people and their dogs, followed closely by an unpleasant social encounter. Second to that are the disgusting and dangerous things people and their dogs leave behind. There are a handful of other hazards to be aware of.

To maintain an acceptable level of risk ALL STAFF are to complete site assessments on a constant ongoing basis. Before you arrive, when you enter, while you are there.

At high traffic sites staff will have children sit on the ground and wait for a crow call to give the all clear while staff complete a site check.

We do carry a sharps container and there are latex gloves in staff fanny packs.

Poison Ivy

Poison ivy is present throughout Peterson Creek. It makes you itchy in ALL 4 seasons.

Learn to identify it in all seasons and learn where it grows so you don’t inadvertently let a child play there.

Skin that has come into contact with poison ivy can be washed with warm soapy water within 5 minutes of exposure to reduce any rash or reaction.

Water Hemlock

Water hemlock is deadly poisonous and there is NO ANTEDOTE.

It is present in Peterson Creek along the entire watershed.

Learn to identify it and DO NOT allow the children to play anywhere near it.

Do NOT remove it. You can cut the flower heads and then wash your tool. It is the root that contains most of the poison.

Poisonous Plants

There are a handful of other poisonous plants in Peterson Creek.
Facilitators are responsible for making a point of identifying every plant in a play-site.

Do not rely on past risk assessments. Water Hemlock showed up in the park after 3 years of us being there. Had I not taken steps to identify it something terrible could have happened.

Ticks

Yes there are ticks and yes you must check children before they leave the park.
We use a lint roller and a visual scan of each child when they put their backpack on before walking to the gate.

If a tick is seen on a participant, it is brushed off.

If a tick is attached, we will leave it and advise parents. Parents/guardians will be informed at pick-up, and given the opportunity to take the tick to the health unit for testing.

For more information about being outdoors during tick season, visit a blog post on the following website: http://childnature.ca/what-can-we-do-about-ticks/18  

Windfalls & Widow makers

Kamloops is a windy place and throughout the park there is a significant amount of tree coverage. Trees such as cottonwoods can pose a hazard, even when alive, when high winds are present.

Large broken branches or dead trees that are snagged in the branches of living trees above are hazardous to people lingering below.

Staff are required to scan for, remove and or test any windfalls above play sites. Windfalls that are too hazardous will close a site until they can be removed safely.

Animal Encounters

Dogs and You

While dogs are supposed to be “under control” even if off leash, some dogs are more excitable or aggressive than others. Most dog owners recognize our presence and leash their dogs as they approach or go another way.

While most dogs simply continue on their way, some dogs head straight for the children.

To reduce conflict we:

  1. Scan the edges of play sites for dogs approaching. 
  2. Use friendly but firm body language and voice to send dogs away.
    Your job is to stop dogs from engaging with children and continue their walk elsewhere.
  3. Move yourself to be between the children and the dog.
  4. Do not try to restrain the dog simply send it away.

Dogs and Children

Children are quite vulnerable to out-of-control dogs it is for this reason we have the firm simple rule:

  1. We do not pet dogs at Forest School.
    Many children are afraid of dogs and will seek the reassurance and protection of a teacher when approached by one.

Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, etc:

  1. We do not to approach or try to handle wildlife.
  2. We give it lots of space and move slowly and quietly while observing.

Bears, Cougars, Wolves & Coyotes*

While we are in the forest it is somewhat likely that we will encounter a large mammal. We have seen bears in the part quite closely on several occasions.

To be prepared for an encounter it is helpful to discuss the following safety protocols with the children as seasonally appropriate.

Bear

If the bear has seen us we will:

  1. STOP & stand up tall.
  2. Bring the group close together. Walk slowly toward your leader.
  3. Speak in low tone and normal volume and say, “Hello bear, we won’t run away. You can stay and play; we’ll come back another day.”
  4. Let all staff know that there is a bear in the area.

If the bear has not seen us, we will:

  1. Leave the area quietly and choose somewhere else to play.
  2. Let other park users know that there is a bear in the area.

Cougar

  1. STOP & make ourselves big
  2. Bring the group close together and back away
  3. If the cougar does not go away, keep eye contact with the cougar, show your teeth and make loud noises. Act in unison to send a clear message to the animal they are not welcome.
  4. Arm yourself with sticks and rocks.
  5. If the cougar does attack, fight back: focus on the nose and face area. Use sticks and rocks as weapons.

Coyotes & Wolves

If a coyote appears and acts unafraid or aggressive, we will take the following action as soon as we notice the animal:

  1. Do not approach the animal or allow it to get any closer than 100 meters.
  2. Raise your arms and wave them in the air to make yourself appear larger.
  3. When in a group, act in unison to send a clear message to the animal they are not welcome.
  4. Back away slowly, do not turn your back on the animal.
  5. Make noise, throw sticks, rocks and sand at the animal.

We will also remind children of the importance of staying with the group to help avoid these encounters.

*Safety procedures based on: BC Parks. 2002. Bears and Cougars. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. Available online: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/conserve/bearsandcougars.pdf