This month we had the privilege to celebrate cultures through Splash Folklorama. Eagles hosted a group from CC, giving us the opportunity to learn about the beautiful culture of Trinidad and Tobago.

An engaging presentation introduced us to fun facts, pictures, music, and movement. Everyone had fun creating Trinidad and Tobago flags and colourful feather crowns. Of course, no cultural celebration would be complete without food! We enjoyed trying fried plantains, Trini mac pie, and a refreshing mango-pineapple slush.

We also had the opportunity to visit CC, where we learned about Chile. An informative picture presentation introduced us to the country and its culture, followed by several hands-on activities. Flag kites were created, rain sticks were decorated, and we even had the chance to taste delicious homemade empanadas. Our visit ended outdoors with a traditional Chilean game that brought everyone together.

Through food, music, art, movement, stories, and conversation, these experiences provided meaningful opportunities to learn about and appreciate cultures beyond our own.

The Eagles also enjoyed an amazing two-week Urban Forest School experience! Our time outdoors provided endless opportunities to explore, wonder, create, problem-solve, and connect with nature.

During one visit, we stopped to smell colourful flowers, explored the natural environment, and used our imaginations to build tiny houses for fairies. On another adventure, we searched among the rocks for the Seven Teachings, looked for little bugs, and used our bug book to try to identify our discoveries. A little creativity was added to the day as we coloured delicious-looking ice cream pictures!

Even on lightly rainy days, curiosity kept us engaged in sensory and imaginative play. Soil, leaves, sticks, water, bowls, and tools became materials for creating and experimenting. Ideas were shared, friendships developed, and play experiences unfolded naturally.

One of our most memorable experiences was a special outdoor camping day. Gathering on a tarp beside the tents, everyone had the chance to explore the camping environment, chat with friends and educators, and eventually settle into a cozy outdoor space for nap time. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience the outdoors in a whole new way!

Our outdoor adventures also inspired us to collect leaves, twigs, bark, berries, and other natural materials and discover open-ended ways to use them.

One invitation involved creating nature frames using materials gathered from the environment. Ideas came together as leaves and other natural treasures were arranged and attached to cardboard. It was wonderful to watch friends share ideas, cooperate, problem-solve, and help one another throughout the process.

Throughout these experiences, we saw so much confidence, curiosity, persistence, and enthusiasm. The Eagles showed a growing ability to take ownership of their play, express their ideas, and learn alongside one another.

It has been a wonderful month filled with cultural experiences, outdoor adventures, creativity, friendship, and discovery. We are so proud of the curiosity, teamwork, confidence, and enthusiasm shown throughout all of these experiences.

As we welcome the fall season, we look forward to continuing to build our programming around the children's interests, questions, and discoveries. We can't wait to see where their curiosity takes us next!

Here’s to more adventures, more discoveries, and more learning together!