Yesterday, we spent the day in the woods. Â It was a fabulous day for it, partly sunny and around 75 degrees.
I’d been organizing this trip for weeks, and all the work was so worth it.  Our big kids – along with a few kids from our local homeschool group – set off for the Outdoor Education Center, run by our parks and rec.
They started with a few ice breaker games, like bandana tag and a name game.
It was serious business, trying to snatch those bandanas.
Next came learning to trust each other with “trust leans”. Â They learned the terminology they would later use with the more advanced activities.
Problem solving with team work. Â How to get all the kids up on to this rocking platform without the sides touching the ground. Â Abbey has no problems letting her opinions be known.
It took them two tries, but they got it. Â And, were very pleased with their team work!
Yes, I had the littles with me the whole 4 hours. Â They did great, watching the big kids and exploring the various plant and wildlife. Â It helped a lot that one other mom stayed with us, Lainey and Dylan just loved Shyla.
Time to get serious, and suit up for the fun stuff. Â The 4 guides we had were fantastic, always emphasizing safety. Â Each child had to have 3 separate equipment checks before they were cleared.
everyone in the vicinity had to wear head gear…don’t they look cute? Â I had to helmet-up, too. Â I looked goooood.
The kids rotated between two activities – zip line and centipede. Â The centipede was a series of boards put together like a ladder…but, it moved all over the place. Â The boards had foot holds on them. Â They were also hooked to ropes while doing this, and then belayed down. Â All 4 kids made it all the way to the top, no problem. Â This is Abbey.
Payton, making me think he’s scared. Â He wasn’t.
Ethan
and, Marley
Lainey, finding another use for the hard hat.
Dylan, finding another way to look cute.
Time to zip…Ethan was quite nonchalant about the whole thing.
Whereas, Payton struck a pose.
Abbey has perfect zip-line form.
Marley smiled for the camera.
It was a wonderful day in the woods.
April 19th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
What a great group here and wonderful games, etc. I remember the trust leans…makes you really HOPE that person is going to catch you!! I can’t imagine Abbey giving her opinions on the rocking platform (HA)…but evidently they helped as it was successful!! The littles in their helmets…very cute!! Wow..they climbed soooo high!! I was nervous just looking at the photos! Not quite sure just exactly the use of the hard hat Lainey was doing…? And, Dylan sure found a great way to look CUTE, cuz it sure worked!!! Pate looks like a cartoon character way up there!! Ethan took it in stride; Abbey is the “pro”; and Marley is just lookin’ cute!! So glad you guys had great weather for it and it looks like you had a very enjoyable day in the nice fresh NC air!!!!