“The world is a forest, the forest is the world,” as children well know. Nevertheless, they didn't come to LES by themselves in order to attend an assembly where they would pass motions on matters that adults merely racked their brains about, but were brought there by their parents. Once there, they were given paints, glue, scissors and cardboard, which they used as the forest advised them – not in the “right” or “wrong” way, but whichever way appeared natural. The forest invited them in, then presented them to the meadow, the meadow in turn to the garden, several times over until their parents collected them and took them home by train or car. All of this was witnessed by the local animals: hens from the coop, goat kids from the meadow and birds from the treetops. When they arrived home, some of the children found a pine cone in their boots or a bindweed or thistle attached to their sleeve, reminding them of what it was like to be part of the forest for a while.

Thanks to Lenka Vítková for the ramble with the white paper, which within a moment transformed into fantastical plants and animals: the white spirits of the forest; to Marie Lukáčková for her workshop in which children could paint on their parents and escape unpunished; to Andrea Medunová for her guide to producing forest rattles and setting up a small workshop for that purpose directly on site, to Domink Lang and Martin Zet, who originally brought a sack of plaster for casting the forest but eventually took a forest expedition with the children; to Eva Jiřička, who prepared one of her lessons on testing the sense for children, and to Ruta Putramentaite and Jonáš Richter for preparing rehearsals of the Children's Forest Orchestra, which eventually had to be postponed until next time due to the busy programme.

Thanks also to the forest and its inhabitants for their patience and warm welcome.
We look forward to next year with the Children's Forest Group!

Foto: Johana Pošová