Fairy Potions Playdough Invitation

As we delve deeper into play here about fairy tales, we've been enjoying a stack of great children's literature from our library and own collection. It's been so much fun for the boys and I to read many versions of stories we are familiar with. One book from our own collection caught S's attention, and that was our copy of Tracy Kane's Fairy Houses. What are fairy tales, after all, without the fairies? Some adults might feel hesitant to encourage play and wonder about fairies and other mythical creatures, while others really embrace it. I, ever curious to see where children stand, often ask them if they think certain things in books (like fairies) are real. S says he knows that fairies are made up. He also loves to play about them with loose parts and small world objects and he and Y both planted some wheat grass seeds with me yesterday to grow our own fairy gardens.

We are itching to get back to gardening here and Spring is indeed just around the corner. The use of real flowers for exploration and creation during the warmer months is something that inspires our play both indoors and outside. But with "recycled" cut options or dried versions, petal play is not something that needs to wait until Summer rolls around! Bringing bits of nature indoors is one of my favorite ways to bide our indoor time during the colder season. Additionally, some of our favorite art and sensory activities needed some revamping! Playdough is always a favorite and oft requested activity in this house, so as I set out to plan a collection of Fairy Potion themed play and art activities, I decided this Fairy Potions Playdough Invitation would be the perfect activity to introduce our Fairy Potions Creation Station. 

Playdough is a great sensory experience all on its own. I often prepare our homemade playdough in advance (sometimes with help from the boys) and add in color, scent, glitter or whatever else we may be feeling at the time. Sometimes, it's lovely just to leave it in its natural state and let the kids add in components through play and exploration. In this set up, I included a glass bottle of dried lavender buds, some mortar & pestle sets for grinding and crushing, a couple of spoons for scooping and transfering and some small cookie cutters. I also set each boys' space with a wooden bowl with a ball of playdough and their two favorite clay play tools, a plastic knife and rolling pin. I did not give anyone specific instructions on what to do with the materials and wanted really to see where they took the activity.

S actually asked about everything and what it was for (which caught me a bit off guard), so I did give some ideas about crushing lavender buds or adding them to the dough, but left it very open ended and told him he could really choose how to use the materials and what to make. He first gravitated toward the playdough on its own and rolling out small cookies. Y gravitated toward pouring and transferring lavender buds and then explored crushing and grinding them with the mortar and pestle. He began to scoop some with the small spoon into his playdough bowl and later moved to pouring from the glass bottle. He loved the way he could shake the bottle and small amounts of lavender buds would come out of the small opening. Meanwhile, S decided to pretend the lavender buds were sprinkles. He poured a small amount into his hand and meticulously sprinkled a few atop some--but not all (he wanted to leave some "plain")--of his cookies.

One of the topics that frequently comes to fruition for me as a play at home mom who loves art and sensory play is the issue of waste. So many activities are "disposable." Set aside the issue of food ingredients and food waste (that's a topic I have grappled with and touched  on) and still I struggle with activities I call "once and done" activities. I love that even though the addition of flowers to homemade playdough can shorten its shelf life a bit (less so with dried versions than fresh), that it adds an element of texture, scent and nature to the play experience. Additionally, when children have a hand in creating the materials they use for play and art, they tend to treat them with a greater respect and reverence. The boys were extra careful to pick up fallen dough and collect every last lavender bud from the table. These materials, real and natural, were so very precious to them!

A note on the materials used: There are great benefits to honoring children's perception of beauty in "real" materials and tools rather than always opting for "kid" versions of playdoughs, tools, art supplies, etc. Similarly, setting a table with glass bottles and wooden dishes and silver trays is not only visually appealing to the adults in this room, the children also have a great appreciation for the warmth of it. They feel more invited to the space than they do necessarily when I set out brightly colored plastic trays and store-bought playdough. Don't get me wrong--my kids love playdough in any color or form! They have plenty of brightly colored manufactured toys and playthings meant for children. They also have a sense of sacredness associated with "grown up" things and objects of beauty. All children do! And they love to have access to such things in their own environment. I would not necessarily set out something fragile (like the glass bottle) and expect a child Y's age to automatically know how to handle it. But through the opportunity and experience to use such things, he does learn how to do so. When we only give children materials that are plastic and/or disposable, they don't learn how to safely handle the "real" thing and they also gain a sense that all objects are plastic and disposable and thereby lack a sense of reverence for things that are less easily replaceable.

The boys loved having a hand in making this Fairy Flower Playdough Potion. The act of kneading, grinding, smashing and even the lavender scent itself are all such great stress relievers for the adults as well! It will be such fun to play with in a variety of other ways in the days to come--perhaps with some other fun loose parts and maybe even some fairies.. We will be returning to our Fairy Potions Creation Station  in the weeks to come for some more play, art and sensory activities. We may even be exploring some in our sensory table and outdoors. Stay tuned and until then...

Happy Playing!

Walk Tall and Carry a Big Stick: How Early Language Shapes Our Children into Becoming

If you can, remember back to when you were four years old. Describe yourself. What words come to mind? And now, if you can, try to remember where those words that painted the earliest landscapes of who you are came from. Are they your own? Chances are, they are words that significant adults used to describe you. And now, allow yourself to add the weight of judgment to those words. Were they helpful? Harmful? Empowering? Hindering? Did those earliest adjectives in the narrative of who you've become facilitate the process of shaping you into being?

Language is powerful. And language is power. At our very youngest and most vulnerable stages in life, our story is one that others tell about us. As we mature and grow toward independence, the baton is passed in the form of a brush that paints our own personal landscape, a pen that captures our own self narrative. And we grow to the tune that actions speak louder than words, that we are what we do, not what we say we do--but from those first moments outside of the womb (sometimes even beforehand), it is words that give life to those actions--the very ones that define who we are and who we will become.

As adults, as parents, as educators who work with young children, are we speaking to and about the little ones in our lives in a way that honors who they are in this moment and nurtures their earliest steps in becoming? What landscape do we illustrate with our words for the children we speak to and speak about? And with our youngest ones, it is as much the words we speak as the moments we are silent. There is a great amount of energy and potential in our communication with (and about) our tiny humans and it has a ripple effect.

The same is true for adults. I think about how my own mood might shift if, say I were working, my supervisor came into my room and pointed out something positive versus something negative. Say she loves what I've set up on the table that morning for the students. Suddenly, I feel incredible. I feel good about myself and my abilities. My performance that day will likely reflect that inflation of self confidence. Challenges will be easy to overcome. My energy for supporting my students will be abundant. And likely, that ripple effect will also extend to seeing others in a more positive light. But what if she comes and sees that my floors haven't been swept and look unkempt? Now I feel rather frustrated. Does she not value my true talents and skills, but rather only the aesthetics of the room? Now the little challenges of the day will seem more frustrating. My patience is thinner as much of my energy is consumed with self doubt. I might also see others in a less positive light and notice more of the "messes" and "less aesthetically pleasing" sights around me.

And the same is true in parenthood. At my core, I know my children. I know their strengths, their challenges, their quirks and their talents. But how others speak about them and see them can also shape my parenting. If I pick up my son from school and hear about a struggle he had in class or something that frustrated his teachers, I might feel a sensitivity toward him and compassion. And at the same time, those behaviors will be magnified for me. Suddenly his snail like pace to get in the car and up the stairs to his afternoon nap are more than I can tolerate. I'm frustrated with him; I'm frustrated for him. But then, if I happen to hear he's had a success in the classroom or demonstrated growth in an area he previously struggled with, that same exact afternoon routine looks differently to me. He dawdles on the way to the car like every day. He drops his school bag in the middle of an empty parking spot and abandons it there as he discovers a seed pod lying next to the curb. But I am so enamored with the fact that he noticed the seed pod and is curious about what's inside and where it came from. He is such a little naturalist, I think to myself. So curious and full of wonder. And I suddenly have infinite patience for that snail like pace to his car seat and up the stairs for nap time.

So if my own parenting is so greatly affected by the words spoken about my child, how much more so is my child affected by them? When I think about the words that were used to define me as I grew up, I can see how some became self-fulfilling prophecies, for better or for worse. I can see how others were abandoned, almost defiantly as I claimed a stake in my story. And I can see how, still others, became landmarks on the map of a journey I voraciously pursued. At our very youngest, so much of life is future focused. What a paradoxical universe our children exist in, when so much of early childhood is defined by living in the moment. And as tiny humans who are so in the moment, it must be so disorienting at times to live in a world that requires us to be bigger, older, stronger and wiser before we can truly amount to anything. So how can we, as adults who love and nurture children, use language (and nonverbal communication as well) to honor who are children already are in this moment?

 This is more of a rhetorical question and lifelong journey for me as an adult raising and working with children than one I can fully unpack in the space of a blog post. I can certainly share some of my own thoughts and I'd love to hear from others on the topic as well. I feel that it boils down (more simply stated than implemented) to honoring our children in who they are in this moment and seeing them--and ourselves--as humans in a perpetual state of becoming.

Honoring Processes: When we respect a child's process, we notice their experiences with judgments (positive and negative) removed. In fact, the simple act of noticing and seeing a child in his environment is perhaps the greatest gift we can give--well beyond that of our external praise and acceptance. Language that conveys to children that they are seen instills security and trust as well as confidence and feelings of competence.

Honoring Emotions: We convey respect when we provide supportive language and a safety net for large emotions--however "appropriate" or "messy" they may seem to us adults. We may not agree with someone else's emotions or reactions but we cannot dictate them either. It is challenging as an adult--particularly as an invested and attached adult--to separate from our child's strong feelings. Nonetheless, the more we can connect with our children in moments of intensity, the more that they can connect with themselves and their own emotions in moments of intensity. Phrases like "that's not scary" or "it's no big deal" or "don't cry, be brave," can be rephrased in ways that validate the emotion and empower the person feeling it. I can remember S coining a phrase I absolutely love: "I'm scared AND I'm brave of this."

Honoring the Need Behind the Behavior: This is a tough one when it comes to "unsavory" behaviors in our children. We see particular behaviors in children through very adult lenses and we can lose sight of the fact that all children are born into this world with a first language that is not verbal communication. Behaviors from the time they very first exit the womb are how they survive and get their needs met. And so, it should be no surprise, that in moments of intensity, children resort to their "first language" to communicate their deepest needs. Can you allow yourself to step back, to slow down, and to wonder (maybe even with your child) what need their behavior is communicating?

Honoring Relationships: While tiny humans lack an adult version of tact and empathy, they do not lack a human need and desire for connection and acceptance. Relationships matter. When we support our children and honor them in building, nurturing and preserving their relationships, we give them a tool that can carry them for life--a teaching a man to fish scenario, so to speak. Removal from difficult situations, whether done punitively or protectively, inhibits their opportunity to cultivate the skills necessary to maintain healthy relationships. And while everyone (adults included) sometimes needs a break or a time out or some personal space--it is important that we help children to verbalize and facilitate those moments of reunion. This includes giving language and tools to repair a damaged relationship--and a reminder even to ourselves, that a broken rope tied in a knot is stronger after the repair than it was before the damage occurred.

Honoring Pace: This is perhaps one of the ones I most greatly struggle with as an adult. Children's sense of time is so very different from our own. We, particularly in our technologically driven and advanced world, operate on such a rapid pace. Not necessarily so for the tiny humans in our lives. Allowing that pace to slow down for our children is a challenge and truly a gift. This can even include the pace of our own language and words--slowing down our speech and our tendency to jump in and provide a monologue for every experience a child is having in a classroom or at home--and replacing it with the space of silence. Observing. Seeing. Being present and available, but not needing to name it, claim it or experience it for them.

Honoring Space: And speaking of space, giving respect to a child's experience in his space and expression within that is huge. Ideas about aesthetics from the shorter members of our families and classrooms can run on a different axis than our own, but what message do we convey to our youngest artists, designers, engineers, etc, when we impose our adult visions of beauty on our children's environment to the exclusion of their own. Does your space, whether at home or in a classroom, reflect the values of all the people in it? Whether it's through artwork and meaningful objects displayed, preserving a block tower in progress rather than forcing clean up because that's what happens after playtime or honoring a request to wear those mismatched clothes to school that she picked out herself, honoring a child's space and ownership in it conveys a deep message that goes well beyond words. Children can experience and recognize beauty in their own right.

Honoring this Moment: And this one, is perhaps the greatest of all. When we honor and respect children for who they already are in this moment, when we convey the deepest message of acceptance that most adults still long to hear--you are enough--we truly pass the baton to our children and empower them to be authors and illustrators of their own self narrative. What if instead of praising a child who thinks scientifically with a statement of "perhaps you'll be a scientist when you grow up!" we offered them the language to describe themselves in this moment, already as complete and whole human beings (tiny as they are). "You showed scientific thinking when you wondered about the moon being out during the daytime!" And if we can do that in the moments of "triumph," imagine how much more so we can empower our children when the conversation around the "harder moments" shifts.

I hear again and again about how "today's children have changed." And I'd argue that today's children have not change; adults have. The pendulum may have swung from the days of children being "seen and not heard," and yet many of the more subtle adult mentalities around this phrase still exist. We waver between wanting our children to grow up and be independent advocates for their beliefs to wanting them to refrain from expressing any opinions at all until they are 40 (or at least until dinner time is over). We waver between seeing them as "only children" and expecting them to act like adults. We waver between the powerful messages of the #metoo movement, our current political climate and seeing a world of perpetuated inequality and injustice to reverting back to statements like "who's the adult here? You're the parent/teacher/caregiver..." And, at the very deepest level, we waver between the earliest memories and ideas we hold inside of us about who we are and who we were at just 4 years old and the desire for our own tiny humans to experience something different. To tell a different story. Or maybe to tell the parts of our own that we could never put into words because we were "only children," and we "shouldn't talk back" and we should "stop crying and be brave."

But today, I want you and your children to internalize only one thing. Yes, words are powerful and words are power. There will be a lifetime of opportunities for words to shape us into being and becoming. And we will have just as many opportunities to say and do the "right thing" as we will to miss the mark. It can feel like an immense burden when you look at it through that lens or you can lift that burden and feel the freedom of knowing that becoming is a verb. The story doesn't end here. In this moment, the greatest gift of words and actions that we can give to the little ones in our care is the core belief that who they are already in this moment is enough. And imagine the ripple effect of gifting that to yourself as well--because no matter how tall we eventually grow to walk, we should all be able to carry a big stick.

A Peek Inside Our Playroom: Welcome to Fairy Tale Land!

There has been a great deal of building excitement over Purim this year with the beginning of the new Jewish month of Adar. The challenge this year is that it is a leap year in the Jewish calendar and there are two months of Adar--this is Adar I. Purim falls in Adar II. Conversations with S have been flooded with the topic of costumes, the Purim story and characters, and, of course, the treats we eat and share on the holiday. Even Y has been toddling around claiming to be Haman with a very believable scowl on his face! So do I try to quell the excitement and shift the focus for the next several weeks? At first, I did. I didn't want it to be "too hard to wait." But then (even I was getting excited by now) I wondered, why is it so terrible to be excited while you wait? Excitement is a wonderful and joyful emotion. And the month(s) of Adar are a time we are called upon to increase joy. So, I told the boys a few days ago that we would do a playroom shift and transform our Fire Station into a Fairy Tale Land!

The boys used watercolor paints in a crayon resist
to decorate our play-theme signs.

The Purim story itself is quite a dramatic one--most suitable for acting, story telling and small world play. It lends itself quite well to a fairy tale theme. I've touched upon the topic of fairy tales with young children before and I do think they hold an inherent value educationally as well as socially and emotionally for children. I do not feel concerned that children won't recognize the difference between fact and fiction. I don't worry about some of the darker content in fairy tales either--literature and play are safe spaces to navigate deep emotions and childhood fears. I do think that fairy tales are rich in language and opportunities to problem solve, think critically and resolve conflict. Through playing and story telling about common fairy tales and fairy tale themes, children gain an empowering role in overcoming childhood challenges as well as a rich vocabulary, deep imagination, creativity, social skills and critical thinking skills to boot.

While I have prepared materials for many of our dramatic play themes, this one I created from scratch. I spread the work over the course of many days in advance and even I was getting too excited to wait until Purim was closer to transform our play space. I am holding off on setting out all of our Purim props and accessories, but I knew I wanted our Fairy Tale Land play-theme to include some key components:

• costumes (both specific character costumes as well as open ended props and playsilks)
• puppets and our puppet theater
• a Three Bears' Cafe in our kitchen/housekeeping area (the boys had been playing about restaurants a lot lately)
• small world play opportunities
• castle building opportunities with a variety of blocks and loose parts
• literature!
• theme related sensory play
• theme related STEAM challenges
• art
• creative writing/recording, story telling and play acting

I will definitely be posting as we delve deeper into this theme, exploring individual fairy tales in a variety of ways as well as incorporating creative STEAM activities, sensory bins and art/creative writing opportunities. Until then, here's a peek in side our playroom...

A collection of hand puppets and finger puppets are ready to go along with our puppet theater. The boys can put on their own impromptu shows (we even have show tickets!) or act out specific stories and fairy tales. 

Castles and building castles are a big component of this theme. We brought out a wooden playcastle I bought last year at a craft supply store and some toy "Purim story characters" (medieval dolls from Safari Ltd.) and also generic dollhouse dolls and furniture. I also included larger building materials in this area (a combination of recycled tubes and magnetiles) to encourage building on to the castle and kingdom. The boys can bring in other toys and building materials from our other shelves and STEAM cart as they wish. 

Costume central! We have baskets of scarves/playsilks, hats, costumes and costume props.

The Three Bear's Cafe can extend into our living room kids table to accommodate restaurant patrons (human or puppet!) 

Our menu, with a bit of my sense of humor and a photo bomb by a particular Ninja Turtle...

Our play shelves and STEAM cart are stocked and ready. The boys really like to have space beyond the kitchen set for setting up cooking/baking activities, restaurants and stores. I devoted two shelves to that purpose. The top shelf has some additional building materials and loose parts, peg dolls and props for small world play. 

I kept some of the drawers in our STEAM cart the same--particularly ones that were getting a lot of traffic from the boys (like our woodworking drawer and scrap wood). I swapped in bear counters in three sizes (perfect for Goldilocks!), some photos of real castles to inspire building ideas and writing/recording ideas, some awesome castle blocks I scored at a thrift store last year (pictured above) as well as Legos and colored wooden blocks.

Our current sensory table is a Porridge Sensory Bin to go along with our Three Bears' Cafe...very simple setup with dried oats and some cooking utensils and wooden dishes.

The boys got busy at play!

Dinner entertainment has been amazing around here...

Parenting hack: Hang mirrors outside of your bathrooms! Your kids will spend all day looking at themselves and you can finally reclaim the right to peeing alone with the door closed!

Happy Playing!

Ice, Ice, Baby!

Since S is learning about winter and animals in winter this in school, we had a resurgence of wintry play activities at home this week. And what is winter without a bit of ice? I'm not a fan of walking on it and even less so of driving on it, but indoors or outside, I love using ice for play, sensory exploration, art and science!

Ice has been a popular play material here in many seasons over the years. It is safe for play and exploration with all age groups and as such, we often repeat activities from year to year. I highly recommend this approach--you can always learn more and experience new things through repeated exposure and exploration. We kicked off the week with one of my favorite Table Time activities, watercolor painting on ice! I've done this one repeatedly with students and with both boys over the years and it is ALWAYS fun!

You'll need to freeze some blocks of ice in advance (I recommend plastic containers for this) and then simply add in a pallet of watercolor paints and a brush.

Look at this arctic blast from the past!

You can expand the experience with the addition of water or coarse/kosher salt. It is always incredible to observe colors mixing and moving through layers of ice and how they shift and evolve as it melts. S has never lost his fascination with creating black and brown! I, however, was amazed to see how the paint melted through the ice block this year and when I went to tend to cleaning it up, it was back to clear with a painty puddle left behind in the tray!

Y really got into the experience this year and favored using his pointer finger in the paint instead of a brush. He was so amazed at seeing water develop as the ice melted. "Water! Water!" he gleefully repeated again and again in amazement.


Well, if ever there were a time to prove that great minds think alike, this week would be a stellar example. Early in the week, a friend sent a link to this fun ice skating penguins activity from Messy Little Monster. By that evening, my freezer was stocked with tiny penguins trapped in blue ice cubes and I'm not sure whether the fact that my husband said nothing about this should make me feel self-assured or slightly alarmed.

Either way, the boys loved their ice skating penguins at our Table Time activity the next morning. Y is still completely amazed at how ice melts into water. I am so eager and excited to see his young, scientific mind emerge and develop! To set up your own ice skating penguins, you can fill an ice cube tray about 2/3 of the way with water (add food coloring if you wish) and add a small plastic penguin or other small animals/people to each section. You'll want to top off your tray with more water in sections that are still a bit shallow and leave your little critters upright and sticking out. My friend also suggested the idea to use paint in the ice cube tray as opposed to water and turn it into an art activity! I'd love to try this out in the future and cover the tabletop with foil as our skating rink/canvas.

Well, remember how I mentioned great minds think alike? The very same day we took our penguins ice skating in the morning, S got to excavate some more trapped penguins from within a giant brick of ice at school! His teachers set up this fabulous and creative excavation station using a large brick of ice and penguins, a hammer and some golf tees.

I'm not sure if that's some coarse/kosher salt I see in the background and perhaps in the small cup alongside of S--but experimenting with how different substances and settings affect ice is a great way to sprinkle on some science to your ice play!

In previous years of teaching, I've engaged my students in setting up their own ice experiment and exploration. I froze some animal counters in ice cube trays overnight and in the morning, they decided upon what we would use in and around the classroom to explore melting rates of ice into water with the addition of:

• coarse/kosher salt
• sugar
• sunlight from a window
• water

Ice is such a simple (and cheap) and unique material to explore and create with. Winter is a natural season to inspire ice play but don't forget the wonderful opportunities in warmer seasons to cool off on a hot day! We'll be freezing up some more icy fun here in the weeks to come so stay tuned and, as always...

Happy Playing!

The Forgotten Fourth Season

Reclaiming the Right to Be Outdoors [and Loving It] in the Winter

If you are a teacher and live in a location with all four seasons, you likely teach about each of them. In the Spring, you likely plant seeds and collect dandelions and observe buds, blossoms and the return of the birds and bees with your students. In the Summer, you probably splash outside in water play, perhaps plant a garden and grow interesting vegetables and flowers for the students to observe and harvest. In the Autumn, you probably play with pumpkins and gourds, maybe you pick apples. You collect colorful leaves and observe them falling off of trees. And in the Winter? You read favorite books about hibernation and animal behavior and whimsical snowmen. You close up shop when it's too snowy or icy, you keep the kids indoors when it is too cold (often even mandated by state regulations). 

I have lived and and taught in five states. I am currently residing in Virginia, the most southern location I've ever lived in, but even here we have four seasons. And even here, it is a struggle sometimes to get out and about in the Winter. Whereas last year around this time, I was realizing my own folly and revamping our playgarden and my own internal dialogue to get back outside and back to nature, this year I am itching to be out there, embracing the time I am and reclaiming my right to be outdoors (and loving it) in Winter! 

The Pathology of Winter : So how did Winter become a forgotten fourth season anyway? Obviously, there are some naturally occurring elements that do create genuine barriers to getting outdoors as long and frequently as we might in other seasons. It's cold. It is sometimes snowy or icy. It gets dark very early. And there seems to even be a pathology around winter at this point. I want to clarify immediately that I am not discounting the validity of seasonal affective disorder or the impact it has on mental health. Indeed, I'd even say that as a teen in particular I really struggled with more depressive moods in the winter months. And there is also an industry around it. Prescription and over the counter treatments, natural and home remedies, products and practices to help combat the winter blues. 

And none of those involve getting back outside and breathing in the fresh air. Which, in my personal battle, was the very essence of what I was so greatly missing during those dark, cold, snowy months. I wanted to be outside. In fact, when I think back to it, as a child I still was. I was sledding down hills wherever I could find them. I was skating across the iced over driveway. I was discovering animal tracks in the snow. I was finding melted spots of slush and snow and mixing up some mud soup in my own backyard. But at some point, somewhere along the lines of growing taller (or at least older in my case) I intuited that this was child's play and retreated to an indoor existence for the better portion of 4 months each year. No wonder I was depressed. 

Think back and remember a time you were outside in the Winter as a child. What do you recall? Maybe it's a sledding memory or making snow angels or building a fort. Maybe it's the feeling of warmth when you came inside and shed those wet mittens and ice filled boots and were handing a cup of hot cocoa and marshmallows. Maybe it's wearing your pajamas backwards to bed the night before a predicted storm and dancing in joy at 4am when the flashing lights and beeping of the plows going by told you that your little PJ trick had worked--even before it was officially called an hour later. And now, I invite you to join me. To put your jammies on backwards tonight if you want to, because even if it doesn't snow, we're going to get back outside and we're going to play and we're going to love it!

It's not dead, it's dormant. I think that the first step in overcoming barriers to being outdoors in this season is to acknowledge that Winter has its merit. There is an absence of growth and warmth and even sunshine, but it's not dead--it's dormant. There's a difference. And the signs of life are abundant. It was actually my own little guys who really reminded me of that these past few weeks. S, on a nature walk around a local pond, observed the ground from a crouched position as he imagined himself as an animal scavenging for winter. He popped up from this position only long enough to gleefully shout in wonder about the curiosity of the missing seeds from opened seedpods and empty acorn shells. "Mommy, I think a squirrel was here!" Life. In Winter. It's abundant. You don't have to see the air to know it's there--you see the wind rustle leaves on the trees and you feel it blow against your cheeks. And you don't have to see Nutkins Grey Squirrel to know he was nibbling on seedpods and acorns. You can feel that he was there.

Later in the week, I took Y to a nearby park and playground. He wanted to walk through the Pollinators Garden. The empty, barren Pollinators Garden. What could he possibly want to do there in the Winter when nothing is growing? He wanted to hop across stepping stones and roar at passing dogs (sorry about that!) and he wanted to touch the flowers. The dried up, bristly and prickly flowers. The same ones that are bright and blooming and beautiful in the summer, swarming with happy bees and butterflies--even the occasional hummingbird, are now the ones that draw in the attention of my little Y and his curious hands. He loved the texture of the dried up flower heads. He loved being the same height as the long, brown stems. And what's more? He didn't have to share. This time of year, there's no competition for getting the attention of a flower in the Pollinator's Garden.

I often wonder how anyone who has toiled over an
intentionally planted garden cannot
 also be completely amazed by a weed! 

Overcoming Barriers to Being Outdoors in Winter

If you're up for a challenge, I'd like to invite you to join me in my daily quest (and struggle) to overcome barriers to being outdoors in Winter. I want you to set an intention today--a realistic one. I don't recommend your first goal be to get outside every day no matter what and love it. But perhaps, you'll plan for one day--to get outside, to set your watch, even, for a short amount of time. And with a few tips and tricks of the trade--you might even like it...

Here's a list of common barriers to being outdoors this time of year and a subsequent suggestion or two on overcoming them:

The Barriers:

• The children won't like it.
• The children will be cold and uncomfortable.
• I won't like it; I will be cold and uncomfortable.
• I'll start with a little myth-buster. Most children do like to be outside in Winter. And with adequate preparation, all children (and adults) can enjoy being outside and be comfortable. A lot of that involves adequate outerwear. Having enough clothing to keep warm (but not too much so as to overheat) is important. I suggest dressing in layers. I also suggest having a backpack, tote or basket ready to go with you with extra layers and mittens/hats, etc. for those occasions when items get wet or you need to add warmth. I also suggest having a space to set shed items when you get too warm! Having a towel handy can help dry off wet surfaces (this is something I tow along year round). And meeting everyone's comfort needs both before you head out (toileting, food/water, adequate rest, etc.) and in tow for while you are out (packing along snacks and maybe even some cocoa, tissues or handkerchiefs for runny noses, etc.) can go a long way in making your outdoor time more enjoyable for everyone. 
• I also want to stress the importance of including yourself in this process of preparation! You also need to be comfortable and warm and have adequate clothing. And perhaps a travel mug of coffee or cocoa to enhance your own enjoyment. Preparing in advance and having things packed and ready to go in a way that is easy for you to access and carry can help eliminate stress and struggle in getting out the door.

If Marie Kondo feels that 30 books
is an adequate collection for a home, she may
be equally unimpressed with
the size of our stick collection...but
each and every one sparks joy.

• There's nothing to do outside in Winter.
• This struggle is commonly felt in locations like mine where it may be very cold out but not snowy. Snow provides a natural play medium. Even ice chunks become playground currency when rainwater freezes over in buckets and pales left behind. But what about those in between days? Well, first off--you don't need subzero temps outside to play with ice. Most locations are equipped with an indoor space perfect for gathering goods--your freezer! So fill and freeze some containers of interesting shapes and sizes and take it out with you. Sure, what's in our outdoor spaces might be different in this season, but what can you bring to make it more enjoyable? 
• If you happen to have access to water and dirt, you're pretty guaranteed to have a good time--mud kitchens can be fun year round. And the additional excitement of watching how temperature affects their culinary concoctions can enhance children's sense of joy and wonder. 
• On those polar vortex days, I don't recommend staying out for long. But I do recommend testing out what happens when you blow bubbles--especially with added sugar to the solution. You might be amazed! Or bringing out hot water and pouring it on the ground. What do you observe? On a snowy day, can you catch a snowflake on black construction paper? Can you use a white crayon or colored pencil and draw your own?
• Bring some treats for the birds. Hanging a feeder, bird seed treats or keeping a bird bath filled with fresh water daily (although they now manufacture heated bird baths if you're feeling super fancy and have the funds for one). You'll be able to observe some feathered visitors to your outdoor space. Take along some binoculars (homemade ones from toilet paper tubes work just as well for little ones) and go birdwatching. Carry along a bird guide and a nature journal along with some colored pencils and you can capture and record your findings. This activity can also be done indoors as you warm up with some cocoa and watch from the kitchen window.
• Bring what brings you joy! The point is not what you bring with you to your outdoor space and time, but rather that it is something you enjoy. Perhaps it's a sketch book and some drawing materials. Perhaps it's watercolor paints and brushes to paint the snow. Maybe a small tin of clay is the perfect take-along for capturing prints of pine cones and seed pods or creating a winter sculpture with nature's loose parts. 
• Set up your space to be one that welcomes you and your little ones this winter. If you are a teacher, this might involve having a space to do a Circle Time outdoors (rescued and recycled tree stumps make amazing little seats). If you are a play at home mom or dad, it might mean getting creative about what you can set up and leave in your garden to be available and accessible year round. It might also be worth thinking about what types of plants to add to your garden in the future so that there are things left to observe in growth during the winter months (although a dormant pollinators garden has benefits both for the winged and un-winged visitors). And just like we rotate our indoor setups, so, too do we need to rotate our outdoor ones. Jugs of bubbles and waterplay toys might be stored away this season. But while our squash and peas aren't climbing up a folding metal A-frame, it's the perfect prop for a makeshift tee-pee and weaving bits of yarn and string!
• Getting everyone in outerwear and out the door is like herding cats.
• Alright, guys, this one is no myth. It's true. Dressing everyone to get outside takes FOREVER. So my suggestion here is to breathe deep and move through it. It's a slower pace, for sure, but if you can see it as part of the process rather than a means to get there, it can help at least improve your mood about it. It can also be helpful to only partially dress indoors and take along the rest. Lastly, if you are a teacher or a parent planning outdoor time into your daily routine, it might be better this time of year to plan your daily routine into your outdoor time. Instead of having a story on the rug and an activity before you go out, use that time to dress everyone (pop on some music, make it fun) and take your story and activity outside! Bam! Two birds, one stone.

• It's too cold/icy/snowy/dark.
• This is another one of those go with it and not against it situations. You might not spend as long outdoors in the Winter months as you do the rest of the year, but see it as quality and not quantity. Perhaps view your time outside more as outdoor snacks than outdoor meals. A short but meaningful burst of time outside can make all the difference in everyone's mood and energy level. Even if that means all you did was park as far away from Trader Joe's as possible and jump in every single puddle on your way to the front doors. (waterproof boots might be a good item to wear for this one)
• It's not safe to go outside in Winter.
• Winter weather makes people sick.
• Mythbusting time! There are climatic factors that we must take into consideration in being outside with little ones this time of year. Ice and snow and cold temperatures require adequate clothing and gear. Safety is important! It might take more time to get across an icy path safely with young children and that's an important thing to factor in. Children also are less likely to be aware of being very cold and wet when they are very engaged in play. Keep and eye on everyone to make sure no one is getting too cold or too warm for that matter. BUT, it does not make people sick to be outdoors. On the contrary, many of the bugs and germs we pick up in winter are more likely to be spread on surfaces and in the air inside. Fresh air is healthy. Be prepared, be reasonable, come in when it's time and warm up/thaw out. But don't be a bear and hibernate this winter! Get out, get active and have fun!

There are surely more ideas you have on enjoyable outdoor activities this winter and I'd love to hear them. I'd also love to dive into some more problem solving with barriers and challenges you might be facing when it comes to getting out there. Feel free to comment below or connect with me personally! I'm off to set up some tabletop easels outside for my boys this afternoon so we can watercolor paint the way that winter makes us feel. I'll be back soon and until then...

Happy Playing!

Beyond the Book (and Off to the Park) with Denise Fleming's "Time to Sleep"

We were not spared by last week's polar vortex and temperatures here dropped below freezing for several days in a row. It was the perfect time to be learning about winter and animals' behavior during that time--we all felt like hibernating here! S has been delving into these topics in school and I planned that this week we would delve back into some of our Winter Story Stretchers at home.

So, of course temperatures have risen from a frigid low of 17 degrees last Tuesday to a high this past Tuesday of 71! It was the perfect afternoon to go to a favorite park nearby where they recently remodeled the playground equipment. (I actually took Y on Monday to test drive the new slides while S was at school but we didn't tell him...shhhh!) I knew the park would be packed and crowded and that there was only about an hour left of daylight once we would get there. I also knew that very likely the boys would be more interested in the playground equipment than sitting down to a book together, but nonetheless, I packed my bag with Time to Sleep, a beautifully illustrated book about animals preparing for winter hibernation by Denise Fleming, a basket of animal characters and a couple more empty baskets we saved from a family trip to a U-Pick berry farm over the summer.

I'm big on literacy at home and in the classroom. However, I'm bigger on love of literacy than any other area of its development in young children. Reading together doesn't need to be a sedentary, indoor activity in my home (or in my classrooms). Taking books outdoors is a great way to extend the life and setting of a good story! It's also often challenging to get outdoors with our children in the winter months, and while we definitely stayed mostly inside during last week's polar vortex, it feels very important to soak up every bit of sun when we can be outside together. We can teach about winter and animals in winter through direct instruction indoors, but when we take the lesson outside, children can experience and explore the season in action and through all senses and learning styles.

We started our park visit at a picnic table, enjoying a little dinner and S actually asked to read our book. Y was feeling a bit more eager to try a swing, so you know what? I stopped reading in the middle of the book! And that's OK! I have actual memories of playing school as a child and reading a book aloud to my imaginary students when I would realize the book was too challenging for my current reading level or that I was bored of reading it and I would struggle as I put it down with the internal question of whether it was ever OK for a teacher to not finish a book. Furthermore, was it ever OK for a person to put a book down and not read it from cover to cover? I am here today as a fully literate and recovered reluctant reader who has a passion for early literacy to tell you--YES, it is OK to put a book down. Even when you are teaching. Even when you are a parent. Even for yourself. Whether or not you pick it up again later, the next day or never again. It is OK to put a book down.

S found seed pods, acorns (many of them emptied
by something or someone snacking before winter,
even dried corn kernels on the ground, and of course,
many interesting sticks--his current currency of choice.

At first, S wanted to use some items from nature and spaces near the playground to build dens for our animal toys and puppets to hibernate in. Then he saw the new climbing structure and our animals were restored to their cozy basket and hung from the hook on the handle of our double stroller to watch as the boys played, climbed, ran and slid for the final moments of daylight. Then, I did a sneaky parenting type of thing as it was time to go where I trick the kids into doing something slightly educational and lots of fun. I offered, as it was time to go, to go the "short way right to the car" or the "long way, around the pond to walk and gather nuts and seed pods and other treasures in our gathering baskets and pretend the we are going to hibernate!" (See what I did there? Guess which option they picked? Which would you pick?)

Nature walks like this are so valuable in so many ways. We work on skills like observation--where might an animal look for food to gather for winter? How might an animal move about to find things? We talk about the idea of gathering things from nature--leaving what is still alive and growing in a way that we found it, taking only small amounts of treasure for ourselves and leaving the rest of nature in nature (and not taking anything from areas that are under preservation restrictions or private property). We also work on basic safety skills like staying together, being aware of our surroundings and proximity to water or dogs and pedestrians or surface changes.
As a parent of young children, I find it is easiest to keep my boys buckled in our double stroller as we stroll around the pond. I know where they are, no one is running up ahead, there's no danger of falling into a body of still very cold pond water! Those fears grow in size with Y, who has a very different attitude about walking independently in public places than S did at that age. I remember practicing staying together in this park with S and he was so eager to listen when I would say or sing the directions to stop and wait. Y....not so much! He is a young man with a mission. The mission is always evolving. He is also a young man with a visual delay and low vision. Although he has glasses to support this, using his eyes as a resource is not his first mode of navigating the world around him. And he's busy. And fast. At least once a day, I am muttering the words "remind me to thank his physical therapist" through clenched teeth as he ascends to new heights and darts off to new distances... It takes so much energy and focus for me to refrain from constantly uttering the words "be careful!" I want him to observe and navigate his space with confidence. I also want him to be safe. I try to verbalize this in ways that encourage him to observe his surroundings while also maintaining a healthy level of cautious confidence.
For some little ones learning to navigate large outdoor or public spaces more independently, having something to hold and focus on like a gathering basket can be very helpful. Y preferred to abandon the basket and bask in the sunset. We both had a great opportunity to work together on staying together at the park last night and rather than avoiding these scenarios, I will intentionally be pursuing them continually with him (and perhaps toting along a soothing travel mug of tea for myself...)

Y was quite fond of the snail in the book, insistent
upon wearing the finger puppet for most of the
evening. S and I were so amazed to learn that
snails seal up their shells for winter hibernation!

Learning about winter and animals in winter can be such an exciting way to actively embrace a season that is often thought of as barren and dormant. There are definitely barriers this time of year, whether you live in a climate prone to winter weather and especially if you live in one not prone to winter weather. Nonetheless, getting outside and reading--and playing--together is a great way to fight off those seasonal blues and soak up the learning and vitamin D while you're at it. My original plan with this book was to gather the toy animals indoors and pitch our play tent and allow the boys to build dens, nests and sleeping spots for each one and maybe for themselves. I'm so glad that some unexpected sunny days led us outdoors instead, story and story basket in tow. We've left our target book out in our living room library shelf and the story basket set in front. Story drama through the use of small toys, puppets or play acting is a great way for children to expand on what they have learned through reenacting story sequences or adding on their own elements.





If you'd like to expand upon this particular story stretcher, a teacher friend of mine did a beautiful STEM setup using toy animals from the book and a collection of natural and nature-based loose parts for her students to build dens for the animals to hibernate. It's also a great book to use alongside this simple clay sensory bin and play about animals in winter. We've mixed in forest and arctic animals, but you can choose one or the other, or specifically the animals in the book. The clay becomes a perfect medium for observing animal tracks as well as for constructing dens, caves, nests or even igloos.

I hope this leaves you with a bit of whimsy and inspiration. Whether you're indoors and avoiding an arctic chill or outside soaking up unseasonable summer temperatures in the middle of winter, it's the perfect season for reading together and, as always, happily playing!

Clay Play!

Often when we think about using clay with children, especially young children, we conjure up images of colorful modeling compounds, playdough, maybe even other types of homemade or store bought doughs and sensory materials. Indeed, we have dug our hands into a number of types of doughs and clays here, but there is something truly special and unique about using real clay with children.

Real clay comes from the earth. It is cold to the touch. It is heavy and viscous and requires very strong fine motor skills and strength to manipulate. It can be dry and crumbly and with the addition of water, revived to silky and smooth and malleable. It is most often found in shades of grey, off-white or brown/terra cotta--not the bright and bold primary colors we usually think of when using clay with young children. It is messy. It is glorious. It is truly unique! And while we most often associate real clay with larger hands and "finished products," its use with smaller hands is all about the experience and exploration.

I am forever looking for ways to creatively use our sensory table at home. The boys both love to spend time here individually as well as together. And many of our play activities here could be repeated again and again. I especially liked the results of our side by side set up last week using smaller bins within the table for kinetic sand and kinetic rock. I decided to leave this particular structure and introduce two side by side invitations to explore with clay. One benefit to the smaller bins here is the ability to close up shop and keep the clay from drying out. Another is the ability to transport to a table or even outside now that last week's frigid temperatures have given way to sunny days of 60 and 70 degree weather. The results of this setup were nothing short of phenomenal to watch and even join in on!

When using clay with young children, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Little hands use little bits. Real clay can be pricey. The small bin or a small tray setup allow for a designated work-space and can also help navigate how much clay to use. Remember, the small blob in the middle may look meager to you, but less is more with little hands. Clay is a harder material to manipulate than typical playdoughs designed for young children. They will likely need to break off even smaller pieces to manipulate and mold. Alternatively, you can prep small clay balls or slabs in advance--however, I encourage you to also include your able bodied and eager little ones in the process of discovering how to divide up a larger blob into smaller ones. 
• Offer less at first; add more later. When it comes to clay, I first introduce it alone. No tools, no add-ins. The exploration stage is so incredible with our youngest sculptors that nothing else is needed. Then, I might add in some simple tools, perhaps a small jar of water (water + clay = AMAZING). Perhaps next you will add in some loose parts, natural materials, small toys... 
• Address the mess: If the messiness of this activity is overwhelming, you may wish to use clay in a sensory table or over a drop cloth on your own table/floor. You might even feel most comfortable taking it outdoors to work with. If you or your children are uncomfortable with your hands being covered in clay, having clean up options like wet rags or a basin of water or proximity to a sink can help.
• Process over product: I encourage you and your young sculptors to follow your whim--if creating something to be permanent feels right, air drying and displaying the results can be lovely. Many times, however, our clay play is more about the process and experience of exploring with it. Then, when you are done, seal it in a bag or air tight container and store for future use.
• Think outside of the box and allow children to explore clay not just with their hands but with their feet! Take a blob outside on a warm sunny day, take off your socks and shoes, and discover the unique feeling of cool, wet clay squishing through your toes!
• Follow their lead and join in! I invite you to sit back and observe child's play with clay. It is truly an extraordinary experience to see--and also an extraordinary one to join in on. Get your own hands dirty and dig right in. 

If you are new to using clay with children or just looking for some more inspiration, I love the article Clay: Don't Forget the Explore Stage at Fairy Dust Teaching and for those using clay in a large group or classroom setting, read Never Stress During Clay Again on the art of education University

There are many ways to explore with clay. You can keep it very open ended and child-led in this way or you can work with more directed projects, such as introducing pinch pots, experimenting with prints and stamping in clay using loose parts and so much more... Start off simple and see where it goes. It's also something worth bringing out on repeated occasions, even after a bit of a hiatus. And if the idea of having an open clay exploration station in your home or classroom is overwhelming or impractical, have it stored away for times and spaces that do work for you. Stay tuned for future posts on clay play and until then...

Focus in on the cute little dudes engaged in clay play and not the enormous pile of stuff
on the dining room table in the background....

Happy Playing!