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!

Birds of a Feather Flock Together, No Matter the Weather!

I must admit that I miss my garden. For all the work and toil and struggle, I find myself drooling a bit over seed catalogs and dreaming of spring even in the midst of a very mild (so far) winter. So when I posted this sentiment on a gardening group, I got a lot of suggestions to take up bird watching this season. We [I] really took our time winterizing our garden, so I like to think I did the birds a bit of a favor in leaving them some plants and seeds to enjoy as the seasons shifted here. After we did revamp the play garden, we included a new bird feeder, some bird seed treats, and made sure to clean out and refill our bird bath (a shallow pie tin layered with colorful stones and mosaic tiles and filled with water). Our front garden became a hub for feathered friends (who are now eating us out of house and home) and our dining room windows gave us front row seats to the extravaganza!

I know, I know, I said no toys at the table. But technically a bird-watching basket is not a toy, right? I decided to bend my own rules and stock a basket with some tools and inspiration for bird-watching through our dining room windows. The boys (and adults) do know that we need to finish eating and wipe our hands before bird-watching, but having our basket stocked and ready makes it the perfect table top accessory this time of year--and also easy to transport outside when we want to take the show on the road.

I included a set of binoculars, a couple of prism viewers, some local bird photo cards, a few interesting feathers we found and collected, a magnifying glass and a selection of bird books and guides. Many of these books were purchased secondhand at thrift stores or the library at our botanical garden center. You could also include a small sketch book and some colored pencils if you wish.

Meanwhile, in the sensory table... I poured a layer of birdseed, added in some scoops, cups, funnels, nests and plastic birds The boys have had so much fun scooping, pouring, sifting and playing! And I no longer have to bend down under that table to refill the birdfeeder [every other day!] as an added bonus...

Our visiting feathered friends remind me that life exists beyond spring and summer. Winter is a season, too! And not just a season for waiting. It is a season fro watching. For feasting and flying and gathering with family and friends. Bird-watching is a wonderful family activity to take up any time of year and all year long. You can also enliven your indoor world by including fresh cut flowers, houseplants and/or forcing bulbs on your kitchen or dining room table. Birds of a feather flock together, no matter the weather!

Happy Playing!

Winter Story Stretcher: "The Story of the Snow Children" by Sibylle von Olfers

The wondrous world that exists in Sibylle von Olfers' children's books may be teeny tiny, but they truly stretch the imagination to new heights. S and Y still frequently ask to hear The Story of the Root Children before bedtime and this winter, I was eager to add The Story of the Snow Children to our collection. These whimsical tales naturally lend themselves to storytelling and play acting, so I knew that this would be an integral part of this story stretcher in our Winter Break Story Stretchers Playcamp. \

I introduced our book and a simple craft to decorate winter crowns for our Morning Work activity the day before we were to do our story stretcher. We used snowflake stickers and glitter crayons to decorate our crowns as we would be playing the part of guests at the royal feast of the Snow Queen and her little Princess on her birthday. I love setting out a small world display to introduce our book and morning activity. I used our peg doll family and a collection of peg doll snowmen pulling them on a tiny sled. The boys enjoyed playing with that as much as making their crowns.

When it was time to start our story stretcher, the boys were greeted on the rug with a welcoming song and our own makeshift sleigh. But before it was time to board, we danced around the room like the snow children do in the book and bundled up in warm clothes like Poppy, the main character, just as she is about to embark on her wintry adventure. Our sleigh took us to the table where our own royal feast was ready to be served: iced tea (as in the book) and "snow snacks" (Muddy Buddies I prepared in advance from this recipe since we did not have white chocolate as mentioned in the book). The boys loved having iced tea poured from our fanciest tea pot!

As the boys sipped and snacked, I finished reading the book. S and Y donned their winter crowns for the royal dancing around our living room...

S really wanted to act out the story again from the beginning! I told him he can retell it and act it out as many times as he'd like! That's the wonderful thing about storytelling and great literature. We gathered once more at the table for a story related craft, making "crystal" flowers like the ones described in the icy garden in the Snow Queen's royal kingdom. We used recycled plastic bottles that I cut and prepared ahead of time to look like flowers. The boys used permanent markers in cool wintry colors and some blue and silver gem stickers to decorate their flowers. Later we would string some dental floss through a hole I punched in each one and hang them from our dining room window to capture the light and bring some colorful life to our own winter season.

Great authors are the ones that make you want to read and retell again and again. Sibylle von Olfers may not be among the most popular of children's authors in our country, but she is truly a beloved one in this household. If you can get a hold of any of her books, they truly do warm and heart and spark the imagination. We will be back soon with another ice cold story stretcher--even as our winter break draws to a close and we prepare to go back to school. Until then...a happy and healthy new year and, of course...

Happy Playing!

Art Together: "Frozen" Mixed Medium Paintings on Canvas

If given the opportunity, Y would probably paint all day long. Give him a brush, a stick, a sponge or just his own two hands and he's one happy dude as long as there's paint involved. He'll probably ask for a "samock" [smock] to go with it... Y goes through phases of liking to paint and being less drawn to that medium. I like to include process art opportunities at home working with plenty of mediums. I also know the value in open ended exploration of high quality art materials, so I do include supplies like real canvas, quality acrylic and watercolor paints, "real" brushes, oil pastels, chalks, clay and more. When I saw how teacher Sally Haughey of Fairy Dust Teaching used a collaborative art activity with her preschool class to capture her students' interest in the motion picture "Frozen," I was inspired! Over the course of several days, she introduced a large canvas and a variety of painting mediums and loose parts for her students to work together and create a truly chilling masterpiece.

I love the idea of stretching out an art experience over more than one day. I think that so many times when it comes to creative work and art with children, we push a "deadline" and "production" mentality. This does not honor the time it may take to fully experience and explore materials and it does not value the child's process in that. For some children, this may become apparent when they have difficulty transitioning from a project. For others, it may manifest as a lack of interest in beginning or staying with an art activity. Different children feel differently about art and require different amounts of time. Additionally, they may be more drawn to certain mediums than others--especially if sensory preferences come into play. One thing I do believe universally is that children engage more with the experience of exploring art when we join in. So while I opted to provide separate canvases for each artist involved rather than to collaborate on one, I did make this an "Art Together" activity here--one where we would all sit (myself included) and work on the project each day. Both boys (and I!) came to look forward to adding the next step each day and watching the paintings transform. The experience was incredible and the finished results were museum worthy! Here's a peek at our process:

Day 1: We used acrylic paints in a variety of cool colors and some textured sponge roller brushes on canvas. Each of us had a recycled sushi tray with paints lined up side by side. We mixed, rolled, dipped and rolled again. S, usually a minimalist, filled his canvas from corner to corner with colorful layers of paint. Y, usually a page filler, restricted his work to the center of the canvas, leaving the borders white.

 Day 2: This time, I set out six sectioned pallets with purple and blue tempera paint and black and white on either side. I provided Q-tip brushes, and the boys were encouraged to mix colors, shades and hues as they desired. S loved using the Q-tip to make squiggles and dots. Y started off with the Q-tip, but transitioned to his fingers. S, who often does not like to finger paint, did want to try it that day, and used his finger as well to make dots, then covering them up with more lines and squiggles. I tried both methods, making Q-tip dots on one corner and finger squiggles coming down from the opposite corner.

While S is often averse to getting "hands on" in paint, he was
inspired by Y. Having wet washcloths at the ready can help
a sensory sensitive artist feel more comfortable to explore.

Day 3: If there's anything I love just about as much as process art, it's loose parts. And the two of those combined are a match made in heaven! The only thing that could possibly make that an even more desirable combo for my little guys is the addition of glue. Yes, glue! Today, our "paint" was concocted of glue and food coloring. A sectioned tray was set up with a variety of small glass gems, silver hex nuts, and beads--all in wintry shades. Each artist was given a cup filled 2/3 full with clear gel glue and a wooden craft stick for mixing. Each artist also got to choose a color to add and small loose parts to mix in. I love using recycled plastic fruit cups for this as they are translucent for easy viewing and the perfect size for "portion control." We mixed our "ingredients" in the cups and poured, drizzled, scraped, spread and sprinkled the concoctions over our canvases.

I really loved watching how they mixed, poured and got hands in and hands on with this step. We worked slowly and intentionally. We didn't worry about being sticky or getting messy (smocks and a disposable tablecloths help with this). Nobody worried or fought about not having "enough" materials because the cups really helped designate a space for what we needed. I am actually quite happy I captured a few moments on film during which S remarked that the glue concoction reminded him of jelly. I quickly turned off the camera just as Y thought S meant it actually was jelly and then wiped a lovely shade of purple sticky goo from his bottom lip!

Day 4: Oh, is it ever wistful when good things come to an end, but at least the "end" of this art experience will leave us with a lasting souvenir. On the final day of our painting, we each mixed a small recycled cup of white school glue with glitter in blue, white and silver.There were wooden craft sticks and wide paintbrushes for everyone to use. S was the first to mix his "paint" and then Y. S asked if he could pour his paint again and I said he could. Y opted to use his craft stick to spread and scrape it on. I tried pouring, drizzling and then brushing thinner layers over flat spaces and edges. And what's the only thing in the world that's better than glitter? Why, more glitter, of course! S asked for more glue and glitter and then asked if he could also sprinkle glitter over the top of his painting. I love being able to say yes and on this day, "Yes" was brought to you by a disposable tablecloth we've used again and again for almost a year. I knew that I could roll it up and toss it when we finished and before I knew it, we were all three eagerly shaking glitter over our canvases.

I'm pretty impressed with the finished results (even though in the photo collage above, the glue is still drying). But even more than my joy in seeing these on display in our home is the joy I got in creating them together. I really look forward to concocting and creating some more family masterpieces together in the future. I also especially love this article with 5 Paint Invitations to Embrace the Explore Stage for more ideas on how to encourage and introduce painting to young artists at home or in the classroom. This was such a fun addition to our Winter Break Playcamp and we will be back next week to share some more fabulous story stretchers with you. Until then...

Happy playing!

Three "Cool" Winter Sensory Play Activities

Winter is a season full of sensory opportunities. Cold, wet snow, smooth ice, prickly pine needles and fragrant evergreens-- all the unique textures, scents and sensations of the season abound outdoors. And when it's too cold and snowy to get out, you can warm up inside with one of these three fun sensory play activities:

In this simple sensory table setup, cotton balls are "snow," and a couple of empty recycled plastic bottles have been turned into snowmen using permanent markers and a bit of yarn for a scarf. I tossed in some plastic snowflake decorations as well. With the addition of a couple of sets of large tweezers, some plastic shovels and cauldrons, the boys can practice scooping and transferring cotton snowballs into the larger pots or using their fingers and/or tweezers to pinch and poke them into the snowman bottles. The real fine motor challenge comes when trying to get all of those cotton balls back out of the bottle one by one! As simple as it is to set up, it's a winner of an activity and has kept both boys busy at play!

Here we are "leaving the house" and temporarily distracted by
a thoughtfully set up but simple and inexpensive sensory play opportunity!

 Small loose parts from our winter themed tinker tray and some snow white sparkly playdough were the main ingredients of this invitation to build a snowflake activity. I provided some snowflake shaped cookie cutters, rolling pins, plastic knives and also a collection of glass gems and mosaic tiles, winter themed paper straws (cut in half), Q-tips and metal hex nuts. I made our peppermint scented snow white playdough following my favorite stove-top playdough recipe but substituting in corn starch for flour. I also added in some peppermint extract and silver glitter after it was done cooking. To be totally honest, I was not a fan of the texture of this dough afterward. It is a bit harder/crumblier than the typical version of the recipe. It is, however, a vibrant white (which using flour will not yield) and allergy safe for those who are severely sensitive to gluten.

It can be stored in a ziplock or airtight container just as you would store regular homemade playdough. The boys are far less picky about playdough than I am, so they have returned to use it again and again as we keep it ready in our STEAM Cart playdough drawer.



 We also love incorporating sensory and small world play here. While many times our sensory table is used solely for scooping, transferring, pouring and exploring, sometimes the addition of some small world play objects and loose parts can introduce a beautiful element of storytelling and dramatic play to the scene. We used play sand and glitter for the "snow" base of this Arctic animal winter wonderland, complete with red sleds, snowmen and some tiny shovels. Finishing touches included some small trees, a "hibernation cave" made from a recycled container with a section cut out from one side and a collection of "ice" chunks (glass gems, stones and mosaic tiles).

Sensory play is such a great way to warm up this winter season! We'll be back with some toasty winter story stretchers and a great wintry process art experience in the days to follow. Until then...

Happy Playing!