By Kaylee Trefethen
Two Kindergarten girls and I have been very fortunate to spend time in Maine TREE’s Holt Research Forest during the end of winter and early spring. I help homeschool the girls while we learn and explore in different wooded spaces around the Mid-coast area. We spend most of our time playing and exploring in the woods. The two Kindergarten girls and I love spending time outdoors and we truly embrace the seasons here in Maine.
On snow-covered days at Holt Research Forest, we love climbing the big rocks and sliding down over and over again. The children often make features such as root balls and low branches into pretend homes where they roleplay family and other games. They love finding sticks and making hideaways for other imaginary play spaces. When we are not immersed in rich and meaningful play (the most important part of early childhood education), we are gathered together to eat, read stories, and practice writing and math skills. We love to bring our own hammocks to the woods to swing on or find a cozy space to sit and listen to nature or a story. We paint, we write, we sing, and we explore.
The young children are gaining such an appreciation for the natural world while practicing math and literacy skills with their teacher. There is really nothing like being outside with children. Every day is an adventure and we love embarking on it in Maine’s beautiful woods.
