Finding Magic With Friday Friends
As a teacher, my core philosophy is based on supporting children to find wonder, imagination, and creativity in the outdoors. When I was little, I was bullied for having a big imagination. It’s something I remember clearly to this day, and I never want any of my students to have that experience. Supporting the development of magical moments in nature is a powerful tool for empowering the children’s imaginations and sense of play. Seeing the children fully immerse themselves in imaginative play outdoors inspires me to dig into my own sense of wonder and heals my inner child. Fairies have been a catalyst for imaginative play these last few months in the Winter Room.
Each Friday, I have a group of eight students with whom I share my morning. We’ve named ourselves “The Friday Friends.” Because of our small group, we have the luxury of going on extra-long morning hikes or completing detailed projects in the afternoons. A theme that has permeated our hikes and projects is “fairies.” When the children spot holes in the ground, they ask, “Teacher, do you think a mouse lives there? Or maybe a fairy!” as we trudge along the trails of the woods. Along our hikes, tiny flowers and acorn caps are saved in pockets as “gifts” and “decorations” for the fairies.
One Friday afternoon, I had only five children – an ideal number to undertake a detailed project. Knowing their fascination with fairies, I posed a question: “I wonder if we could make a fairy house?” Their eyes got big, and they squealed, “Yes! Let’s do it.” Together, we took a trip to the art studio and picked out pieces of recycled plastic, wood scraps, ribbon, and gems.
“Oooh! The fairies will LOVE this necklace.”
“Oh! This piece looks like a table.”
“Teacher, are you gonna bring your drill up? I wanna attach this piece to make a house.”
With our treasures in hand, the six of us filled a wagon and set out for the top of the woods. Once we arrived, the children sat at a pallet we had brought up earlier and began building the forest fairies a cozy village. For a full hour, all five children sat attentively, drawing squiggles and swirls on pieces of scrap wood. Some children even wrote signs saying, “We love the fairies. The fairies are here.” Their creative imaginations continuously sparked as the minutes went by. What began as a rogue piece of tile we found in the woods was transformed into the base of a house. Bent sticks became “archways,” “slides,” and “beds” for the fairy folk. The children used milk jug caps and gems to make “food” for the fairies. They gathered pinecones, juniper sprigs, seashells, and fallen leaves to add to their creations. The hour the six of us spent in the woods felt like it existed outside of time. Each child was so engaged and excited about the task in front of them.
Now, when we go to the top of the woods with the full class, the Friday Friends proudly show their peers the village that exists because of their imaginations. With tenderness in their voices and gentle hands, they guide their friends to the fairy village and exclaim, “Look!” Seeing the sparkle in the eyes of the Friday Friends as they take pride in their collaborative creation is beautiful. Empowering the children to immerse themselves in their imaginations creates magical moments. These magical moments make an impression on their minds and hopefully, create memories that they can carry with them to rekindle wonder as they grow.
