in-visible choreographies in the forest kita & kindergarten

* forest sofa *

in-visible choreographies in the forest kita & kindergarten

Trixa Menzi, a group leader at the WAKITA forest kita & kindergarten, invited me to tell the children about the invisible organisms living in the soil and to listen into the forest floor using a soil microphone.

We met at the WAKITA base station and then set off into the woods together with the groups called the Frösche (frogs), Spechte (woodpeckers), Eichhörndli (squirrels) and Salamanders. In the woods, the forest kita & kindergarten has various specially designed areas where a tarpaulin can be stretched out in rainy weather – like today. I was impressed by how well and lovingly their forest kita & kindergarten world is organised: with a forest sofa, a fire pit, hooks for hanging up rucksacks, a rack for various bits and bobs, and even separate toilets for boys and girls, each with rules that both the children and the adults follow.

Where possible, tasks are also delegated to the children, e.g. washing their hands: one child holds the bottle of soapy water, the other stands next to it holding a bottle with water. Lined up in a row, the children hold out their hands, which are first sprayed with soap and then with water.

an introduction featuring stories and moving like ...

In the first session, I showed the children some images and told them about springtails (Collembola), mites (Acari), tardigrades, earthworms and other soil organisms. Wrapped up warm in their raincoats, they stood around the images I had laid out on a cut-off tree stump; they were full of curiosity and paying close attention. They also sometimes excitedly shared their impressions and reactions to the pictures. They were impressed by the defence strategies of these tiny organisms – in other words, how they behave when danger threatens them:
Just like the springtail, which leaps into the air and performs somersaults to unimaginable heights – something we humans cannot do without aids – we have become springtails and have leapt into the air; or like the mite, which tucks its legs into its body and curls up into a ball, we have become mites and have crouched as round and compact as possible on the ground and then let ourselves roll across it; or like the tardigrade, also known as the moss piglet, which is a master of survival, capable of becoming limp like a collapsed sack (a death-like state known as kypophysis) and of reawakening after 30 years, we have become a moss piglet and let ourselves sink to the ground completely limp with as little tension as possible, lay there for a short while, and then reawakened and stood up. It was inspiring and amusing to see how the children joined in, how they put themselves into these states. This was probably a good exercise for experiencing different levels of bodily tension.

forest lunch and lunch break

Around lunchtime, a delicious saffron risotto and vegetables with tofu were cooked over the fire, as well as a cucumber salad with raisins was prepared.
After lunch, there’s always a break during which the children can play freely in the woods. Some of them took me by the hand and showed me their favourite spots, telling me all about what they get up to in the woods and what they particularly enjoy doing.

listening to the sounds coming from the ground

During a second round, I set up the ground microphone near a stream. As it kept drizzling, I had to hold an umbrella over it. The children were then led to me in groups of four or five and, wearing headphones, were able to listen to the sounds of the mesofauna and macrofauna – that is, springtails, mites, ants, earthworms and other soil creatures. They listened very intently. We could tell from their faces whether they’d heard anything: they looked amazed or mimicked the sounds with their facial expressions. Everyone heard something: they described the sounds as nibbling, scraping, rattling, squeaking …

drawing, afternoon snack and wrap-up session

In a third session, the children returned to their spot in the woods and, inspired by the images I’d brought with me, made some drawings there. They were completely absorbed in this activity.

After their afternoon snack, everyone sat on the ‘forest sofa’ tree trunks. We then looked at each drawing during a feedback session: the children had another chance to briefly recount what they had heard or seen. Then there was a warm farewell: I was given a WAKITA mug and a thank-you card with drawings on it.

And just like that, a whole day at the forest kita & kindergarten had come to an end: sharing with the children the knowledge I’ve acquired about the soil and its organisms – albeit still in fragments – bringing this world to life for them through images, and witnessing their reactions to the them and their interpretations, was a wonderful experience.

WAKITA

is the name of the forest kita & kindergarten offering day care. Here, a dedicated team puts nature-based education into practice. The forest is a multifaceted world which the children can experience in all weathers, be it sunshine, rain or snow, and throughout the seasons, as a space for adventure, learning and hands-on experience.