With Halloween approaching and spiders coming out, this week the children were fascinated with spider webs. Together we learned some types of spider webs including the Orb and triangle webs. We learned how spiders make webs as well as what they eat.  The children spent the first part of the week noticing, counting and naming webs and then the second part of the week building them. The children were such
great web builders a spider immediately moved in to their web! The “Nocturnal Nature Detective” also left a message and some materials at the site for the children to explore and make their webs.
This week we visited our second site, and the children have been attracted to all the climbing opportunities it provides. The site supplies tons of branches and materials for making forts and spaceships! On the walk down the children have been noticing the trees that are losing leaves and the trees that aren’t. They have also noticed that some of the leaves are already decomposing and turning into dirt. Using the leaves, we have
had lots of opportunities to play sorting and counting and matching games. One of the children’s favorite rituals is to leave messages on the path. Often they will draw the first letter of their name, a heart or a trail they want others to follow. The children have also noticed that the weather is starting to change and that they need their warmer mitts and hats.

(Prepared by Erin Van Stone)