Sprouts: October 1, 2026

It was a rainy October day for the Sprouts, and we started slowly at Heron Tree Estates with books, conversation, and colouring. One of the girls had brought along a Yoto story called Herb Fairies, so some of us coloured while we listened together.

We also read Have You Seen My Acorn?, which led us into talking about fall and squirrels before heading out for a long walk. With October officially here, there was plenty to notice along the way.

The leaves are changing, different plants caught our attention, and cormorants were out on the river. We found spiders along the railing of the dyke, spotted one of our neighbourhood ospreys, and watched a turkey vulture circling overhead.

We brought our field guides along, and the kids loved flipping through them as we walked. I love seeing the guides become something they actually reach for while we're out exploring, rather than something that only comes out when an adult has decided it's time to identify something.

Of course, not everything interesting on a nature walk is technically "nature."

When we reached Riverside Drive, the kids discovered dirt beneath the honey locust trees, left behind by the construction happening there. Our walk came to a temporary halt while they played. Sometimes the most compelling part of an adventure is simply a really good pile of dirt.

Eventually we continued on to the oak trees, where everyone got busy collecting acorns. We'd been talking about squirrels and acorns earlier in the day, and now the kids were underneath the trees gathering them for themselves.

The walk home brought another unexpected stop. A front garden caught everyone's attention with its fairy door tucked into a tree, a path made of sea glass, lots of flowers, and even a coin that the kids decided was magic. There was plenty to inspect before we could carry on.

Back at Heron Tree Estates, the play split off in different directions. Some of the boys worked together in the mud kitchen, busily cooking for me, while some of the younger kids created a game around the log circle. Their game involved climbing and balancing, but also a whole lot of figuring things out together: whose turn it was, what the rules were, how the game should work, and what to do when different ideas collided. There was negotiation, communication and problem-solving woven right into the play because the game belonged to them.

Our acorn collecting found a purpose too. I drilled holes into some of the acorn caps, and two girls used them to make friendship necklaces for each other. Then they made a third for their forest school friend who attends on a different day. I loved that their friendship stretched beyond who happened to be there with us that Thursday.

We also had a familiar-looking visitor in the yard: a woolly bear caterpillar! I'm fairly certain it was the same woolly bear that the Buds brought home from their walk on Monday. Apparently it has decided Heron Tree Estates is a reasonable place to stick around for a while!

We fit in some nature journaling before ending our rainy October day at the park.

Thanks for a great day, Sprouts!