Exploring the Great Outdoors: First Grade Forest Fridays

This past week, our first graders were seen walking around in bright yellow rain jackets and rain bibs, with their gear hanging on hooks in the hallways. But these are not just ordinary rain jackets and bibs. They are part of a new program called Forest Fridays, a weekly excursion into the forests on Bullis's beautiful 102-acre campus.

The Forest Fridays program is designed to allow first-grade students to explore and interact with nature in an unstructured play setting. Outdoor play has countless benefits, including developing problem-solving and social skills, building resilience, taking risks, and fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity. The curricular connections to literacy, math, and science are limitless.

Last Friday, the students took on the outdoor challenge, lifting logs and finding worms, gathering large sticks to a puddle to make a bridge, and helping each other out of a stream. "Grab onto this log, and I'll help you climb out!" one student said to another.

The Forest Fridays program was made possible thanks to a grant from the school's Parents Association (PA), which funded 32 sets of rain jackets, bibs, and gloves. The rain gear, ranging in size from 5Y to 8Y, is also available for other younger Bullis students to use.

First-grade teachers are happy to share tips they learn along the way. They are excited to see where Forest Fridays will go and how it will benefit our students. In today's technology-driven world, it's easy to forget the importance of spending time outdoors and connecting with nature. Programs like Forest Fridays are a reminder of just how valuable these experiences can be for young children. With the support from this PA Grant, students can learn and grow in ways that are challenging to replicate in a traditional classroom setting.

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