Maps in our heads...

Yellow Group re-finding their pumpkin.

Maps are for finding your way. We have maps in our heads.  The kids laughed and laughed with this.  "Maps in our heads!"  Well we have to know how to get places.  How will we find the pumpkins we hid on Tuesday?  Will we follow a map? Or will we remember the way?

So we looked at maps I brought from home and a map of Farrel McWhirter.  Then we made our own maps with pictures and drawings.  When we started off toward the Yellow Group's pumpkin we had to have a vote on the right way to go.  Which was the way?  We had 4 out of the 5 kids vote on the direction that would get us there the fastest.  (We could have gone the other way but we would have had to walk around the entire park to get to the pumpkin...) The Yellow Group led the way directly to our well-hid pumpkin.  Up a trail, through the outdoor classroom space, down a log, through the ferns and around a big stump.  And there it was!

The pumpkin is getting black inside.

 Then it was time for a book on a mouse who goes exploring, gets a bit lost and then finds his way home and back to the fields again.  A mouse on an exploration-just like our kids.  An it gave the concept of safety on a exploration.  How to not get lost!

What a fun story about a field mouse.

Now we were going to be guided by the blue group.  Did they know the way to their pumpkin.
Pretty soon we were climbing under a fence, over 2 logs (they had had to remember these instructions from Tuesday.)  Everyone had to learn some patience as the kids took turns leading the hike.  The fast kids have to learn to wait for the slower ones and the slower ones to keep up!  There is so much to learn on a hike with a group.  How to watch out for your group.  How to listen to directions and instructions.  And these are not arbitrary instructions,  they matter or you may fall into the stream or go the wrong way!

Go under the fence and over 2 logs to find the blue group's pumpkin.

At the end of the day we split up back into our color groups to hike back.  Both groups trail blazed and ended up back under a big leaf maple tree to play with the fall leaves. Next week-more work on maps, more time with the animals and still working on hiking rules.