It was delightful to be back in the forest with the children again. It’s been over two months since we were here together and so much has changed. But our observation skills have not gone away!

Observation skills

We used blackberries to make three different types of ink. We used the scientific fact that blackberries can be used as indicators for acidity. Blackberries contain anthocyanins, which are pigments that change colour depending on pH. Anthocyanins are a natural indicator. An indicator is a substance that changes colour when added to solutions of a different pH. The pH scale measures the acidity of a substance. Lemon juice is acidic. Bicarbonate of soda is alkaline.

And then we got creative.

Creativity with blackberry ink

We also had lots of play time reconnecting with nature and each other and ourselves.

Physical play

We planted some hazel nuts to grow some new trees. We put stones in the bottom of the pot for drainage and then mixed sand and peat free compost to grow them in.

Helping nature by planting more trees