Leap for Joy Open Air Learning

Summer Camps are filling up. Don’t miss out on spending a fun filled summer with Leap for Joy Open Air Learning. Every Day will be a planned theme from Unicorn Day, Mud Day, Pirate Day, Campfire Day, Worm Day, Bug Day and much more. Each day offers crafts, games, circle and free play. Camps for older students will include bush craft activities from bow and arrow, sling shots, flint and steel, outdoor cooking and whittling. We will be offering our Hikers Camp and Empowering... Girls Camp again. Info, dates and cost at www.leapforjoyopenairlearning.ca See more

A day spent learning about bees!

Summer Camps are filling up. Dates, ages, locations and times can be found on our web page www.leapforjoyopenairlearning

Including something from nature in our crafts is part of our mandate. Miss Shari rocked it with this sweet little craft.

Tax receipts have been issued. If you did not receive one, please let me know and I will get one to you right away.

If you know me at all, you know I love April Fools Day! I couldn’t miss the opportunity to trick one of our teachers. Miss Nicole is a poop magnet. Her backpack is usually set in a tree as she has placed it in dog poop a few times. Mrs. Knelsen made poop cookies and placed it by her backpack. What a surprise when Miss Nicole found out it was edible. Recipe 3oz cream cheese 4 tbsp butter 1 dark chocolate cake mix... 1 egg Mix together until it is a playdough consistency. Then shape into poo shapes. I found less is more. Don’t over think it and it will look great. Make it skinnier than what you want it to look like as it will expand as it cooks. Bake 350 Degrees for 10 min. Once cool with a paint brush spread very thinly white gel icing. See more

Thanks to my amazing team and all their hard work in making us the number one educational program for preschoolers in Chilliwack. It is an honour. Thanks to everyone who voted for us.

As we enter into Spring we will be talking about how our forest is changing. Metamorphosis will be one of the fascinating observations we will have an opportunity to witness. This film will give your child the chance to see it up close.

Thank-you to whoever made the most darling little table and chair set. The children have been enjoying their tea here.

It always warms my heart when the children come to rely on each other for help!

A day of Leprechaun Fun!

A beautiful hike up Elk today. Amber was the best partner to get me to the top. The difference between a menopausal hiker and a younger woman!

To all our families. Today some of our staff met at Weston’s Memorial table placed at Chehalis Park in Garrison. We shed some tears, talked, had coffee and just felt good being in his presence. We think of Weston everyday. He consumes much of our thoughts and we still feel a deep grief for him and his family. Our memories of the tragic event are still felt and cuts to our core. Please take time to visit as we honour him with our thoughts.

Today’s School Age class. Fridays is always a highlight for us teachers. We love the freedoms the school age program allows. The children are so close, they’ve become resilient and of course they are so much fun. Free play, then a discussion on tracking human vs animal. Then Mrs. Knelsen hid leaving various clues to my hiding spot. A broken branch, a mark on the ground, an item of clothing, an arrow, a knife mark on a twig. Then the group tracked me Then on t...o a new forest to learn about animal track. Miss Mandy made print boards and we went on a hunt to find them where we read facts about each print and each animal. Finished the day with hot chocolate and a game of hide and go seek. See more

Summer Camp Registration will be up on our website soon. Here is the list of camps being offered. www.leapforjoyopenairlearning.ca Forms will be available on the web site.

Spaces are filling up! Register today online at www.leapforjoyopenairlearning.ca Rotary Trail - Afternoon spaces still available. Browne Creek Wetlands - 5 AM spaces left and afternoon spaces.... Friday 4 hr. Preschooler Program See more

I’m one happy Preschool Teacher! Lol Not your typical preschool teacher gift though!

Don’t forget to register for Sept. Monday we open registration to previous families. Forms can be accessed on our website. www.leapforjoyopenairlearning.ca (Note: a few changes need to be made on the website but forms and parent manual are there)

January Newsletter

We found a new horsey tree!

Our forest turned into a winter wonderland! I have the best job ever!

Peach Rd today. We will stay away from River’s Edge though and head toward Webster’s Landing or down to Vedder Park to play in our new forest there.Peach Rd today. We will stay away from River’s Edge though and head toward Webster’s Landing or down to Vedder Park to play in our new forest there.

Thank-you for all the lovely, thoughtful gifts. My tree is laden, my coffee cup full, my bathtub ready for a good book, while soaking and eating chocolates. Our feet and heads will be warm and our hearts are feeling the pure joy of your kind words in every card. Everything will be treasured from the thought put into the gifts to the hand made ornaments and cards received from your child. Merry Christmas everyone!

This is a kid’s dream! Maybe not Mom and Dad’s!!!

Remembrance Day Display has gone up. The children are very proud and to see so many seniors stop to take a photo has brought them immense pride. Peach Park Bridge.

Mrs. Knelsen’s Christmas Story Nook is ready for visitors. Each day I will put a new book out for you and your child to come read. If you live in Garrison come for a walk and stop by for a visit. If you live somewhere else stop by once in a while. Make sure to sign the guest book, clean hands and enjoy a treat from Santa’s sack or the treat jar. Enjoy with your Mom or Dad. Merry Christmas! 1-45202 Nicomen Cres.

The children worked very hard making Christmas cards for the seniors at The Tabour Home. Inside each child answered sweet questions about Christmas! Thank-you to all the parents who donated socks. I know it will make the seniors Christmas Day more festive.

I met with the city and things did not go as I hoped. Now we need to come together as a community. As a public park, the city can not prevent us from spending time there. I have and will continue to communicate with the city. What they can prevent us from doing is going off city laid trails. In other words the forested area is closed to us and the community. I have always wanted a city business license but with no fixed address they have not been able to issue one. ...Continue reading

Missing Diwali Celebration celebrated every year at Barrowtown. I think a visit to Shandhar Hut is called for.

Giesbrecht Rd tomorrow, Friday classes. Dress warm.

There are times in our day, as instructors, that we get the pleasure of seeing theory put into practise. Years of education and experience rolls into that moment of WOW, this is what we are here for. To the average person walking by they might see a group of noisy children playing. But, look and listen closer. This is forest school working. There is a type of play, virtually impossible indoors, called Heavy Play. It is play involving all of the muscles. It tak...es bruit strength to accomplish this. Repetive movement and persistence evolve play into something that may not even involve an end product. It’s the act of doing that motivates the child. Heavy play is encouraged for sensory processing. It’s the push and pull against the body, that helps a child discover body awareness, spacial awareness and motor control. We have more than 5 senses. Years of only focusing on the main five individually have led to a generation of children that have lost a sense of development. There are two senses many are unaware of, Vestibular sense and Proprioceptive sense. Proprioceptive sense is the sense of spacial awareness, the ability to be aware of where and what our body is doing at any given moment. Sedentary living, too much time indoors and a lack of unstructured play has led to children who have a difficult time interacting, standing in line, playing, sitting at circle or being able to accomplish simple tasks. Heavy work develops the proprioceptive sense. These four videos taken one after the other is a perfect example of heavy work. The fact that this group of children managed to work together as a group, accomplish their task and do something that they knew they were completely capable of is a testament to what unstructured, outdoor play can provide. No fancy or expensive equipment or toys just a simple log. Watch the video, listen to the interaction of all the children, the encouragement they provide one another, the cooperative play, the problem solving, the assisting a friend, the communication of needs, the development of the play and the persistence. Enjoy! Other videos are in the comments. See more

Blue Heron Reserve Wed. Nov. 25th and Thurs. Nov. 26th.

Today, Friday, will be at Vedder Park by the Vedder Bridge and the dog park. We will be taking turns to visit the cenotaph. Making Remembrance Day crafts. We will e laying a wreath at the Cenotaph as well. See you all there by Amble Coffee.