Whispering Pines Preschool and Daycare

03/18/2026

Today's menu was green eggs in honor of St. Paddy's day. The kids were not amused.

03/18/2026

Some playroom redo in the early morning hours.

03/18/2026

We are getting ready for pond life.

03/18/2026

Today was open ended art and we were trying to catch a leprechaun.

01/06/2026

Our Christmas craft table in our preschool.

01/06/2026

Getting ready for Christmas.

01/06/2026

Daycare in a tiny farmhouse.

01/06/2026

Ready for a new year.

01/06/2026

Getting ready to learn for the day. Preschool and kindergarten readiness.

12/09/2025

Santas helpers are making tree ornaments.

11/15/2025

Do you know what really bothers me?
When schools and settings proudly sell themselves as offering forest school…
but the reality for the children is something completely different.

I visited a school recently that described themselves as a forest school.
When I asked a nursery parent how their child was enjoying it, they said:

“Oh, they went for the first time last week… and toasted a marshmallow.”

And that was it.

🔥 Marshmallows are fun — of course they are.
But forest school is not a one-off marshmallow moment.

And here’s what really struck me:
It’s November.
We’re nearly at the end of autumn.
And the children have had one visit.

That means they’ve already missed:
🍂 the conkers
🌰 the acorns
🍁 the changing leaves
❄️ the crisp air
🦉 the wildlife
📖 the seasonal stories
👣 the sensory exploration
🌿 the slow, repeated noticing that builds a true connection with nature

All those magical, grounding experiences that make autumn such a rich time for learning… gone.

Forest school is a pedagogy.
A long-term commitment.
A weekly rhythm of child-led exploration, managed risk, nature immersion, and deep connection with the outdoor world.

When we reduce it to a single trip or a novelty afternoon, we lose the magic.
We lose the learning.
We lose the chance to transform how children see — and care for — the natural world.

Children deserve the real thing.
Not a checkbox.
Not a token gesture.

🌿 If you want support to create a truly meaningful outdoor learning approach — one rooted in nature connection, slow pedagogy and child-led exploration — I share lots of ideas and training over at Hygge in the Early Years™.

www.hyggeintheearlyyears.co.uk

11/12/2025

I learned this a LONG time ago.

STOP telling kids they are going to get sick when they go outside!
The biggest lies we’ve convinced ourselves to believe is that going outside in the cold is what makes us sick.
Fresh air helps their immune systems, resets moods, and burns energy! Our kids need that. We need that.
So bundle them up.
Double up the socks, zip the snowsuit, and slap on that hat they’ll rip off five minutes later anyway. Then go outside.
The cold won’t make them sick. But keeping them cooped up just might.