This year, we believe we have enough children to have 3 groups in First Day School.  Twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Sunday, our older group of First Day School kids will have the opportunity to explore themes relevant to their lives through an ongoing role-playing game involving both table top and live action elements. The setting of the story is a school of magic called Oakholly Academy, which grounds the story in the interests of the kids and gives lots of opportunities to explore this year’s First Day School theme of conflict resolution. Magic here comes from sustained focus on a hobby, and there are ideas for modules addressing AI and academic integrity, bullying, technology addiction and respect for nature. There will also be a larger plot arc around finding corruption at the school and fighting it. Something like “there’s a black mold that’s making students make bad decisions and that the players would need to band together to remove.” There will also be lots of opportunities for “guest teachers” to visit the group on 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays to bring the kids something of their own interest – think things like plant identification, or stories of a trip you recently went on, or creating art, or cooking – “potions” or foods for a school feast…the possibilities are limited only by the interests folks want to share with the kids! Contact Heather Gray or Anne Anderson with your ideas!

For the “Middles”, our theme is “Conflict Resolution Through Peaceful Problem Solving”.  We have various problem-solving activities planned that involve active, cooperative play.  We hope children will learn to face problems and solve them together rather than avoid anything uncomfortable.  We will still emphasize staying safe and involving an adult if necessary.  Our first activity was jigsaw puzzles, which the group worked on together.  Almost everyone got involved!  We will probably alternate a more theme-oriented activity with Free Play.

For the “Littles” we will have someone to help them participate in the problem-solving activities as much as possible, but provide simpler play as needed.  One child just wanted to hear a book read to her, while another was learning that blocks you slide up a wire will fall back down when you let go.  This required a lot of experimentation!