The Lost Islands Map

The Lost Islands Map, a photo by Nature Play Corps on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Illustrating the pathway and play habitat locations for Week Two of the Nature Play Corps. The real question is: where is the treasure?

Sky Island

Coming in for a landing to report success for mission "First Flight" on Sky Island.

We taught many a baby bird to fly in our suspended trawl net fastened 5 feet high with rope and webbing to surrounding trees. After the baby birds learned to fly in the sky net they were then free to explore the island via branches (logs on the forest floor setup to act as balance beams) and help build a person-sized nest. Children of all ages (2-10) quickly took on the role of becoming birds and allowed the net to challenge them at their own personal level. Some were content sitting in a low area whereas others flew to the highest points and slid down for landings, both bumpy and smooth.

Baby birds trying out different "landing" techniques

It was important to assess the risk of the net, how it was suspended, and minimizing the possibilities for toppling over the edge. Phil Waters of the Eden Project is experienced with rigging up nets for similar play purposes, and was an inspiration as well as a key risk assessor in the construction of the net. After several adults tested the net (and didn't want to leave), we knew the children would have a beneficial, safe, and fun experience.

The net crew: Courtney, Amelea, Phil, and Sarah

The net afforded multiple levels of challenge in allowing the children to adapt and learn about their own mental and physical limits as well as interact with other children in an inclusive and civil manner.

  Kids of all ages learning to fly

The adults matched the children's collective enthusiasm for the net, each parent/chaperone expressed this by exclaiming that they would set one up in their backyard for the kids!

Note: No actual birds were harmed in the making of this play habitat :)

Courtney, Amelea, and Sarah

The Trawl Net Adventure

The team preparing the net

Sarah, Amelea, and I (Courtney),or formerly known as the "First Flight" or "Sky Island" people, went on an adventure to Wanchese Thursday morning. More specifically to the Fishing Industrial Park. This was not just a random adventure out, but yet we were looking for a trawl net with the grand idea in mind that we could suspend it from branches and create a "springboard" for our kids on Friday.

It took a few phone calls on Amelea's part to find Faron Daniels who runs the Wanchese Trawl and Fishing Supply store. She spoke with him on the phone and he invited her to drop by because her slow accent over the phone was too much of a distraction. She told him we would visit with the promise that she wouldn't speak so slowly when we got there. We ventured out and had an experience that will be kept in our memories for quite some time.

Net success!

Our first introduction to Faron was through a very intense, verbal argument he was having with a customer that had not paid his bill in over a year. Faron firmly told him that if he wasn't making enough money then he shouldn't be fishing. The man angrily left as Faron turned to the three of us, where we were awkwardly posed in old fashioned chairs, and asked, "What do these boys want? Which one of you is Ohio (Amelea)?" He was friendly, in a very southern manner. If you're not from the South then this style of joking is usually very bold, can sometimes be taken as rude, from an already burly, inherently intimidating man. He guided us to the warehouse where all of the rope and nets are kept. A skinny dog tied to a rope wagged her tail and growled at us. Very mixed signals. He kept asking what size net we wanted, but we still weren't even sure he was just going to give some to us or if he expected a discounted price. Even when I asked him, he didn't give us a direct answer. In the end, he donated to us 20 feet of brand new net, and offered his son up for marriage. We kindly declined and went on our way but not until after he asked us to return for a visit. We definitely are and with pictures to show him.

A baby bird learning to fly on the trawl net

The actual net is suspended a few feet off of the ground. Although we have fit 7 adults on it at one time the plan is not to have more than 3-4 kids "learning to fly" on it at a time while we spot them from the edges.