Beyond the Book: "Fairy Houses" by Tracy Kane

S is a longtime participant of Story Stretchers here and pairing fun and creative activities with literacy in our home and on the go has truly, I believe, ignited his love for reading. He often makes his own Story Stretcher activities and, of late, has requested that I plan for more of these. One of my very favorite things to do is take our Story Stretchers outside or on the road, and even better if we can do both!

Tracy Kane's first book, Fairy Houses has inspired a tiny world of wonder for children and adults alike. Fairy gardens cropped up around the nation and even internationally, forcing us all to crouch down, become small again and look more closely at the wondrous world around us. It sparked a simultaneous reverence for nature and fantasy. And woven in between these two worlds and beautiful illustrations on each page is the story of Kristen, a little girl on a family vacation, who creates her own tiny world of wonder in the woods.

We love small world and fairy play in our own yard and garden, but we also are fortunate enough to live nearby some great outdoor spaces and places. A visit to our local botanical garden center was the perfect venue for us to get outside and read! Anytime I'm taking a Story Stretcher on the road, I carry it with a grain of salt--knowing that my kids may be interested in the activities or may be more interested in other aspects of our location. Our botanical gardens is a paradise for kids of all ages (and their grownups, too), so I was not entirely sure how the boys would respond. I never take it personally if they have no desire to stop and read or do a take-along activity. It's just as easy to tow it back home as it is to take it with us in the first place. I also keep it short and simple when I bring a Story Stretcher on the go. Here are a few tried a true trips for traveling beyond the book, both literally and figuratively:

• Keep it light: don't pack a ton of materials or activities you may or may not use. Keep in mind you'll be shlepping it around!
• Keep it short: this may not be the time for a long and detailed book and activities.
• Keep it familiar: this is a GREAT time to bring out a book you've already read and know well. A new location can add new life and interest to an old favorite. It's also OK to not read the book at all and just verbally correlate it with the activity.
• Multitask: reading a book when there's a playground nearby may not be your kids' first choice. Reading a book while they're stopped and snacking might very well be right up their alley and spark an interest in an activity to follow. FYI, this is a great tip for home as well.

So, I packed along our book, and some tiny drawstring canvas pouches I DIYed into necklaces for the boys. I stuffed a few of our tiny fairies and gnomes into each pouch and when we got to the gardens, I pulled them out of my backpack. The boys were thrilled! Right away, each of them got very busy holding one fairy, wearing the other two in their pouches and showing them around as we walked toward the children's garden.

And while I did not give a whole lot of verbal direction or input, I did play along with them as they explored the spaces around them. Some of the time they enjoyed exploring from their own size perspective (as you can see with Y who is pleased whenever there is a broom in every room). And some of the time, they crouched down low to explore and create worlds from a smaller size perspective, that of their fairies and gnomes.

It is from this crouched position that a worm is found on the sidewalk and then a shadow is discovered. It is from this perspective that the outdoors that is so often a means to get to a destination becomes a destination. S and Y are not the fastest pair to travel with in these instances because the notice so much and stop so often. I calculate time for that in our trips when I can; these are qualities I want to nurture and not discourage. There are times we do need to get from A to B before noon and in those instances, I ask for "all hands on deck" to get the boys to join me in pushing C's stroller. However, on days we can manage to stop and smell the roses or look for worms or pick up rocks and sticks of all shapes and sizes, I am just as pleased as they are. It slows me down as well, and goodness knows I need that.

And as I stand, stopped in the amazement that these kids who can't see to pick up the toy they dropped right in front of their two little feet can somehow find a dragonfly on the sidewalk with his wings folded together, I am brought back to my own little world of slow and steady observation. I, too, can find a tiny weed poking through the crack in the sidewalk or a bumblebee basking in the pollen of a purple coneflower. And I am grateful to Tracy Kane for weaving a little bit of magic into the pages of her books so that children and adults alike could have their own sense of wonder in nature sparked again or even for the very first time.

As we stopped to snack and read, so did the fairies and gnomes. S found a large chunk of wood that looked like a perfect slide to him and his fairies. Y contributed a couple of tree circle tables and some bark chips for snacking. I found a loose weed on the ground that fit just inside a small hole on the second table and made for a lovely picnic umbrella. And when it was time to get up and play and walk some more, the fairies and gnomes returned to their pouches and the journey continued. But S stopped by a fountain to stop and look some more. "Mommy, a frog!" he shouted and I thought he was looking toward the other fountain nearby, one that has four sculptures of frogs spitting water into the pond. S has even remarked that this is not very nice of the frogs because spitting is a "not good choice," but on this day, he was not talking about those frogs, he was talking about this one:

Somehow, he managed to peek inside of one of many plants like this one, surrounded by dozens of other plants and flowers and people and fountains and excitement of all kinds. Somehow, he stopped and looked in just the right place to see this little green tree frog, crouched deep at the base of a leaf in exactly the same color as his skin, staring just as observantly back up at us from his own little world of wonder. And I wonder, if it were not for the whimsy and magic and possibility of fairies just maybe coming around when we are gone, would we have overlooked our little amphibious friend?

Happy Playing!

Creating an Outdoor Classroom, Part 3: Taking It On-the-Go

We've unpacked the idea of creating an outdoor classroom and how to do so if you're short on space and cash, so now let's talk about taking it with you! Whether your outdoor classroom needs to be mobile because you do not have a designated permanent outdoor space or because, like me, you are running a traveling outdoor program, today's post is for you. And even if you do have and utilize a permanent outdoor space, nature based learning often requires materials to be easily transportable--so keep reading. I'm a visual learner, myself, so I will be including some extra photos in today's post to spark some seeds of inspiration as you grow--I mean, go...

You can't take it with you! WRONG! You totally can! And really it just takes a bit of planning and creativity when you want to take your learning outdoors and on the go. There are some key factors to consider as you pack your bags (or bins or baskets).

• Mobility: how will you haul your stuff from point A to point B? Additionally, how will the members of your group get from point A to point B? Are there children who are not yet mobile independently? If so, is your destination one that is stroller friendly or will you need to carry/wear infants and young toddlers? These are all things to consider as you pack yourself and prep your crew.
• Your Destination: what is the terrain like where you will be? Will you be able to roll your goods or only carry them? What's already at your location and what do you need to bring from home? Are there public restrooms available? What is parking like? If you're meeting up with a group, have you made your meetup location clear?
• Weather and Climate Conditions: When you're teaching outdoors, you're at the whim of the elements. Literally. You need to consider wet, muddy, windy, rainy, hot/sunny, cold/snowy/icy conditions in advance as much as possible. What do your children need to wear to be comfortable? What do you need to wear to be comfortable? (Keep in mind, adults are often less mobile outdoors than children, especially if you're stationing yourself at a particular location to lead a lesson or see your group--you might need more layers than the kids do to keep warm!) If there's no shade/shelter from sun, you might consider bringing umbrellas, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen. If it's a windy day, do you have a way to weigh down a tablecloth/blanket or loose sheets of paper/materials that could blow away? If there's potential for wet conditions, can you supply extra towels or plastic ponchos? 
• Miscellaneous Needs: First aid kits, towels, wipes, a trash bag to collect anything disposable, plastic bags for wet/dirty linens or materials, changes of clothes for you and your family just in case, and snacks/water are all things you might consider having available as you go, whether in your car or in a pack to carry along.

So now that we've run through the nitty-gritty list, here's the fun part: setting up and creating your Nature-on-the-Go Kits! 

• What is a Nature-on-the-Go Kit?  This is the name I give to any activity or materials I bring with me outdoors, whether large or small. Think of it as an educational picnic of sorts! The idea is that you take what you need with you in a way that makes it easily transportable and accessible once you are at your destination. With a little planning and imagination, your Nature-on-the-Go Kits will be truly delicious!

  

  I love pencil pouches for smaller Nature on the Go Kits. You can also purchase
  plastic ones very inexpensively, which are more waterproof/weather resistant. You can
  store several of these in a large binder if you need multiples for a larger group.
  Consider keeping a laminated card attached with a metal ring of what is inside each
  pack so you can remember to check that it all gets replaced and brought back
  with you when you leave--especially if you are circulating your packs.

Some Nature-on-the-Go Kits are as simple as a pencil pouch always kept in the car or in your Mom Bag ready for a park visit or playground trip (or even a wait in a restaurant or doctor's office). It may be as simple as a notepad, some colored pencils, some double sided tape for sticking/collecting interesting bits of nature and foliage, maybe an ink pad for pine cone and seed pod prints or a broken unwrapped crayon for tree bark or rock rubbings. Even a tiny pot of clay or playdough can be easily towed or a small magnifying glass for closer observation. Larger kits can include a sketch book or nature journal, field guides and relevant books, binoculars, containers for collecting items found in nature, both living (temporarily--make sure your container for that is appropriately made with air holes) and nonliving (I love small tins with windows or magnifying glass boxes). Some Nature-on-the-Go Kits can even be lesson specific if you are bringing a particular literacy, math, science, art or play based activity outdoors. The main things to consider as you build a Nature-on-the-Go Kit (or even many of them) are:

• how you will transport them (mobility)
• what you will need in addition to what you're bringing and what is available at your destination
• how you will set it up when you are there
• what you will need in order to clean it up and take it back with you
• how to store and transport it in a way that protects it from unforeseen weather conditions

I do not recommend bringing along more than you can easily tow. On the other hand, if your kids and/or other adults can help you transport, delegate away! If you have access to water on site, that's one thing you can leave behind--just bring the containers you'll need. If you don't have access to water on site, don't forget it! For ease of mobility and transportation, many natural teachers prefer backpacks for their goods. These are great and you can find them secondhand quite easily. Tote bags, baskets, plastic bins with lids, wagons, rolling suitcases or carts or even a wheelbarrow can be used outdoors to transport materials.

I also think it is worth honorable mention to talk about transporting people--specifically the little people in your crew. My boys have become a little bit addicted to the double stroller when we head out to our nature based playgroup meet-ups and I have gone with it because I like it for the storage capacity. On the other hand, they are both big enough to walk independently and getting too heavy to push up huge hills... In creatively addressing this issue, I might switch my own transport method to using a rolling suitcase or cart or even a backpack and walk alongside my boys. For reluctant walkers, I've even heard of natural teachers using a drum or puppet to help lead the group. Make the journey there part of the fun. Encourage children as they are able to "help" by carrying something or perhaps simply carrying an empty basket to gather natural treasures along the way. And when it comes to those big hills and strollers, some older children might even enjoy the opportunity to help push it up the hill rather than being the weight inside of it that threatens to pull you both back down!

Now let's take a peek at some Nature-on-the-Go Kits and how we've used them:

In addition to considering what you pack and how you get it there, also plan in advance how and where you will station and set up when you do get there. Picnic tables are great if you have access. If not, a large blanket or tablecloth can be spread on the ground. If wind might be an issue, have some heavier items available to weigh down lighter ones or even your tablecloth/blanket. In a real pinch, I've found large rocks to be helpful! Additionally, keeping items not in use in bins with lids can prevent things from blowing away and keep it a bit more organized while you're not actively teaching.

Speaking of bins with lids, I LOVE them for travel sensory play. Here's a file sized bin being used for exploring (and storing) parts of trees...

And here's one being used for a collection of river rocks...

We love our DIY Color Scavenger Hunt Cards--made from laminated paint samples we acquired for free at the hardware store, these are a great way to turn a nature walk into fun color scavenger hunt. You'd be amazed at how many hues and shades of colors can be found outdoors all year round.

Art outdoors can go vertical with the use of tabletop easels. They fold, they're cheap, they're portable and lightweight. 

Even more budget friendly and easily portable are clipboards! These are great to take on the go and offer on site. Just add paper and a writing/drawing utensil...

Nature Journals can be purchased in the form of a notebook or sketch book (even recycled from school supplies that weren't used or fully used) and/or made at home. Our nature based playgroup kicked off our new year creating these simple stick bound nature journals from paper, a stick and a rubber band. I will post instructions in the future (or you can look it up on Pinterest as well, this is a popular activity in book making!). 

These nature looms are easily made from recycled cardboard and rubber bands. They are a simple and beautiful way for little ones (and grown ups, too!) to collect and display items found from nature. In the Autumn, they can hold colorful leaves and seed pods and pine cones. In the Spring, they might collect wildflowers in many colors. Come summer, and they become a fragrant display of cut herbs from your kitchen garden. Even in the winter, sprigs of evergreen trees and berries add a bit of life and greenery to a drearier season of the year.

My playgroup loves meeting up at local sprinkler and water parks in the summer. The best part of a park that is abundant in water supply is not having to haul that with you. Rather, our Nature-on-the-Go kits contain activities that require only the addition of water--such as watercolor art, empty bins with toys for water play (especially great for babies and young toddlers not yet able to use a sprinkler park independently) or even seed planting activities. Just add water!

In an effort to encourage outdoor play in all types of weather, we bring activities that give enjoyment and a splash of color to all types of weather--even windy weather. And the weather conditions on this day did not disappoint! The children (and adults) loved making ribbon kites using colorful strands of ribbon and shower curtain rings. It's so cheap (all dollar store purchases), so simple and yet so much fun.

My list of water play toys is certainly unconventional at best, but it's inexpensive, always popular and easy to replace if some random kid at the sprinkler park really falls in love with your sponge brush and you don't have the heart to grab it back before you leave...not that this has ever happened to me!

Nature-based Literacy on the Go kits are a great way to keep everyone reading when school is out. Why should summer reading restrict you to a couch or chair indoors? Grab a book (or two or three), some puppets or toys, costumes or props for story telling and have a good read together outside. 

• Starting Up Your Own Nature-Based Play Group: If creating an outdoor classroom with no walls or roof has the same appeal to you as it did to me, you might be ready to start your own meetup group! I will be the first to admit that I am a bit introverted and sometimes even shy. Putting myself out there when I'm out there is not totally within my comfort zone. Nature is my comfort zone, so that definitely increases my confidence a bit, but reaching out in that way--even among friends--is a stretch for me. I love it, nonetheless. We've had activities that were successes, activities that were flops and everything in between. We've had meetups with a huge turn out and one with only one other family--they have all been equally valuable and amazing. My initial vision and what I am actually doing are not in 100% alignment and I've tweaked and changed my vision quite often. I hope it will continue to grow and evolve just as our garden does. 

If starting up your own group sounds like something you'd like to pursue, here are a few things to consider:

• Who is your target audience? Who are you looking to reach? Your friends and family? A local school? Only children or children with adults? Is your group open to children of all ages or geared toward a specific age range? Will it be by invite/word of mouth or open to the public? In the event it is by invite only, be mindful of your space/location and any potential needs to reserve space in advance.
• What is your mission? Setting an intention for your group can help shape your approach. Are you looking to socialize? Are you wanting to teach? Are you aiming to inspire others to get outside more often? Your mission and intentions may change and evolve often and that is OK--it's a great idea to assess your program as you build and run it and to address areas in which it might grow or change. It is also important to make sure that your mission is a reflection of your own values as well as the interests and values of your group.
• Where will you meet? I utilize public locations like parks, playgrounds and even nature spaces behind local libraries. Will your group always meet in the same place? Or will you park hop like we do? Will you be meeting in locations that require payment (like private gardens or botanical garden centers, museums or U-pick farms) and if so, how will you handle this? 
• Cost and Money Matters: I feel strongly about the outdoors being accessible to all and that includes financial accessibility. I choose not to meet up in places with a cover charge and I also choose not to implement a cover charge for my events. As such, I use what I have on hand for activities or when we do need supplies, I ask for families who wish to and are able to contribute (such as seeds for a seed exchange). Delegating leadership in your group can also help divide some of the costs. Someone who has a lot of experience with rock painting might have all the supplies on hand at home and be happy to lead the activity. Because parks and playgrounds are free and open to the public, they are the perfect "outdoor classroom" for taking the show on the road. Also consider inquiring in public schools that are off during the summer (and might even love the help with their own garden maintenance), community gardens, farmers' markets, local farms and nature spaces at other public venues like libraries and museums (many museums have outdoor spaces that are accessible and open to the public even if their indoor exhibits cost money).
• Accessibility in General: Nature is a space that can and should be accessible to all. When I plan my events, I try to keep in mind families who may need accommodations for any number of reasons. Some of the things I've had to think about for my own family and/or others are:
•  allergy and food safety (this includes strictly kosher diets and extreme food allergies/allergies to certain seeds and plants as well as animals)
• mobility challenges for infants/toddlers or other reasons--is your location stroller/wheelchair accessible
• sensory differences and meeting in spaces where there is support for families with children who may struggle with related issues
• concerns of elopement or children who frequently run off--is your location securely gated and if not, can you work with other adults to ensure safety and a set of eyes in a variety of locations
• activities that are accessible to all ages and stages--this means I include a blanket with floor activities for younger ones and engaging activities for older children and even adults
• awareness and sensitivity to those who may need service animals--this is an issue I have had crop up in my groups whether it's a group member or just a visitor at a park. As a group leader, I absolutely allow and support those using service dogs to attend and I also explain and expose my children to their purpose. My older son is quite fearful of dogs, so it has been a process to be in parks in general, but this is a great opportunity for exposure in a sensitive environment.
• childhood fears and anxieties (and adult ones, too!) We've made it through the intense fear of public toilets flushing and hand dryers here so we can finally go back to that one park... But in all seriousness, there are fears and anxieties that crop up outdoors and everyone has different comfort levels. Children and their adults have different comfort levels with getting dirty, playing with sticks, being exposed to the elements, and proximity to one another while we're out there. I never push. I offer. I expose. I don't force. 
• When in doubt, ask! Overall, when it comes to meeting group needs and making it accessible to all, I just ask. If you're not sure what a child with multiple allergies can safely be around, ask! If you're not sure a member traveling with a service animal feels welcomed and included, ask what you can do to assist? If a group member is uncomfortable with something or concerned, ask! I've yet to offend someone by asking (at least I think) but I'm sure there are occasions in my life where I did offend someone by assuming.
• Frequency of Meetups and Leadership: Will you meet on a regular basis or schedule (like I do) more sporadically? How will you advertise? Social media? Word of mouth? Phone/invitation? Will your meetups be weather dependent (mine are) or will you go outside no matter what (#lifegoals) and risk the old no one shows up thing? Will you tend to all the leadership duties on your own or delegate roles to others? You might even consider a more co-op style meetup and rotate leadership and location that way...
• What will your teaching style be? I initially envisioned giving a formal group discussion with parents on topics of outdoor play and learning and directing activities with the kids. I chickened out after the first group. Turns out, I still don't like talking to grown ups in a formal way. I also didn't feel I could focus on direct instruction in this way while also being present with the children (particularly my own) in an open, outdoor space. What I do like and find that works for me and for my diverse group of families and children of all ages is having the activity open and set out and being intermittently available to my own kids, others' kids and to the other adults to talk about nature based topics as they crop up or any topic at all for that matter. My own kids often are more excited to play with other kids than to do the activity (which many times, they've already done at home). Sometimes an activity goes untouched and that's OK. Sometimes one is so popular I store it in the vault for a repeat session! I've also infiltrated less "direct" ways of teaching as well. I now tow along a "Little Traveling Nature Library" that includes books for all ages and some hands-on materials and resources associated with our activity theme. This is a great way to bring literacy, science and other learning areas on the go with you. I also provide access to information I think is interesting and relevant on my group's Facebook page. I've thought about doing more age-targeted groups in the future, outdoor story times, themed master classes, etc. It's OK for your goals to be more in the long term--a garden grows at its own pace!

I hope this series has been a helpful one as you plan or revisit the use of your own outdoor space and nature based learning. I'll continue to post on our nature based activities in our "Get Outside And..." series and surely we will be sharing our own garden journey this season. You might be a seasoned outdoor teacher already. You might be in the stages of just sowing the seeds. Or perhaps you're not even there yet and you're just perusing those proverbial seed catalogs and dreaming up your future garden. Whatever stage you're at, I encourage you to step outside. Inspiration will follow and the rest really will fall into place. Until then....

Happy Playing!

A Playtime Post: Pumpkin, Pumpkin!

You know those obnoxious people who start going crazy over all things pumpkin in the middle of July? I'm one of 'em! I love Autumn and I love pumpkins, and I don't care if it's not even Labor Day, I'm gonna start pumpkin spicing everything.
By September, we took an afternoon outing to my favorite local produce shop to pick some decorative pumpkins and gourds for our table...

By the beginning of October, although temperatures were still in the upper 80s here, I had concocted my own loom knitting pattern to whip up a couple of pumpkin hats for my own little bumpkins:

Maybe I'll just crank the AC up and let them wear these inside...

And yesterday, we accompanied S's preschool on their Fall field trip to a local farm to pick pumpkins!

I learned a lot on our field trip...

• Did you know the flowers on pumpkin vines that actually bare fruit are purple, not orange?
• Managing 20 preschoolers belonging to other people on a field trip was way easier than managing my own preschooler on a field trip--he literally turned into a pumpkin in the middle of a pumpkin field requiring me to football carry him back to the hay ride...
• If your preschooler refuses to put on a pumpkin hat you spent three days knitting to pose for a photo, you can bribe him with pretzels and then he will undoubtedly refuse the reward until you agree to take half a dozen more photos...
• Pumpkins come in all shapes as they evolve from seed to plant to flower to fruit...our adult vision may gloss over some of those incredible early stages of life as we eye the prize of a bright orange giant of a fruit, but you can be sure your little ones will notice and appreciate even the tiniest, most incredible signs of growth and life!

S was enamored with these teeny tiny little baby pumpkins. He really wanted to pick one but chose to leave them on the vine so they could grow into great, big pumpkins all in due time! I admired his fascination with everything from the purple flowers to the still-green pumpkins to the giant orange prize-winners and everything in between. We came home lugging one big orange pumpkin, one medium sized green and orange specimen, and a little green guy, along with two tuckered out boys ready for a good, long afternoon nap!

As tired out as we all were after the big morning, I was in the mood for some more pumpkin themed fun. While the boys slept, I cooked up a batch of my favorite stove-top playdough adding red and yellow food coloring to give it a lovely shade of orange and a generous dose of pumpkin spice for scent. After naptime, both boys dug right in to the playdough fun! Along with our playdough, I set out a laminated playdough mat of a pumpkin patch scene that I printed off for free from this great website. I demonstrated to S how to roll little balls into pumpkins, which he loved doing. He also took it a step further and began "smashing" pumpkins, which led to baking pumpkin cakes and pumpkin cookies until he noticed the bag of dried pumpkin seeds that his Safta sent last year from a pumpkin that grew in her garden. He asked if he could open the bag and use the seeds in the playdough, and while I hesitated at first, I decided to let him have at it. After all, how many years do I plan to save dried pumpkin seeds?? And with half a dozen pumpkins gracing our dining room table right now, there's plenty more where that came from!

S had so much fun using his fine motor skills to pour the seeds into a little dish, to pinch and pick up seeds as they spilled or fell on the floor, and pinching and poking the seeds into his playdough to "plant pumpkins." This is the joy of child led play and exploration! I, the adult, rolled little balls for pumpkins in a pumpkin patch, but S, a child, had a pumpkin patch, a full service bakery and a raised bed garden for planting pumpkin seeds! Y enjoyed teething on the pumpkin shaped cookie cutter...

S also loved using some laminated cards depicting the life-cycle of a pumpkin that I printed off for free over at montessoriforeveryone.com. There are a great variety of free printables here as well as some fabulous articles and resources for families and teachers who are inspired by the Montessori method. S used the cards both to retell the life-cycle sequence and to talk about things we had seen on our trip that morning. Then he asked to read a book from our shelf, Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington as he continued to play with the playdough.

That was all the pumpkin themed fun we could squeeze into one day! There are so many great activities you can do with pumpkins, and if you're looking for some more, you can revisit some of our favorites from last year. S really wants to bake a real pumpkin cake with a cooking pumpkin he bought with his Tatty and I have a few other ideas up my sleeve for the weeks to come. Until then...

Happy Playing!

Tu B'Shevat Theme: Early Literacy, Water-play Fun & a Field Trip!

We have been keeping busy around here with our tree-themed Tu B'Shevat fun. My son, although definitely in the category of pre-readers, is quite excited by having little booklets of his very own. Whether it's one he can color and help to create or one that he can read with me, I find great value in the plethora of free printable early literacy resources available online. This time of year, many trees in our area are bare and in their winter state. My son really pointed this out when during a discussion earlier this week about parts of a tree, I asked "do trees have leaves?" He replied, "No!" I was stumped (pun intended) at first--but then I realized that many of the trees do NOT have leaves right now! We made such a big deal about the leaves falling off during our Autumn learning that it is no surprise he would say that trees do not have leaves. Pine trees and other evergreens are great trees for observing year round in nature. My son loves to collect pine cones and fallen branches with bunches of pine needles still attached. I printed out this great emergent reader and sequencing set about The Life Cycle of a Pine Tree via teacherspayteachers.com. We had a lovely collection of natural props at home to accompany the lesson. He loved pointing to and naming objects in the photographs as we read. He enjoyed working through the four sequence cards together with me and somehow had the idea to involve a few of his favorite toy cars and trucks in the activity! 

You can also use the sequencing cards for a game of "What's Missing?" Simply place the four cards in order and give your child(ren) an opportunity to observe and commit them to memory. As the child closes his/her eyes, remove one card. They can then open their eyes and try to answer the question "What's Missing?" To make the game more advanced, you can hide 2 cards or jumble up the order.
Alternatively, you can play a Tu B'Shevat themed version of "What's Missing?" with actual objects from nature! This is a great activity to do at home or at the park together.

We have been getting a great deal of use and benefit from our collection of natural items and parts of a tree. In addition to using them for observation and even building, we had a lot of fun using some of our sticks, twigs, bark and pine cones for sensory play this week. I simply filled a shallow plastic bin with a small amount of water, added the aforementioned natural materials and a couple of cups for scooping and pouring. My son asked to add some additional kitchen set materials from his dramatic play area and involved himself for quite a while mixing up "tree food" and "tree smoothies." He loved this simple waterplay activity so much, he requested to do it again and I was glad to oblige (especially since, when set up in the kitchen, it meant I could simultaneously get dishes washed and dinner on the stove).

He loved using the sticks to mix up his magical potions and recipes!

I try to include at least one or two out-of-the-house activities into our week. We belong to a great mommy-and-me playgroup and have fabulous library story times. In addition, we are fortunate to have memberships at a few amazing local museums and attractions. Field trips often involve visiting one of these destinations and one should never underestimate the educational value (and potential enjoyment) of even accompanying a parent on errands. Some of our favorite ever field trips have not been to famous attractions or destinations that have admissions costs. In fact, some of my son's favorite places to visit are the pet store, the park, the playground and, um, Walmart (don't ask!). On Friday, I made plans to take him to a nearby nursery and garden center. While the nursery seems like an unlikely destination on a dreary and cold February morning, for us it was a huge hit! And what better way to wipe away a case of the winter doldrums than to be surrounded by the pleasant smell of fresh cut flowers and the eager squeals of a delighted toddler in his version of Paradise? Yes, our local nursery had everything a boy could ask for--chickens, rocks, dirt, greenery and tractors!

The chickens were all in hiding, but look, we found an egg outside the coup!

"Mommy, a big digger!"

We left two very satisfied customers--my son, with his very own little houseplant to take care of and nurture, and me with a lovely bouquet of fresh cut flowers for our Shabbat table. And our whole family has big plans to return closer to Spring as we get ready to begin our own family garden again. We will be working on some indoor planting for the meantime in the week to come. My son is most eager to come back when all the worms are out!

Happy Playing!

Funday Friday: Bereishit (Creation) Theme Weekly Round-up

Over the last several weeks, especially with the onslaught of holidays here, I've found our Fridays are best spent in a more low-key manner. Rather than following a typical homeschooling routine of activities, I usually set out some Shabbat themed favorites on the table before my son wakes up. We listen to music, we finish up any projects left over from the week before and we get in the mood and prepare for Shabbos. I also designate these days as Field Trip Fridays. We get out plenty during the week, whether to playdates, story times, parks or errands. I save longer trips like museum visits for Friday mornings. It adds a special flavor to the day as we get ready to welcome Shabbos into our home and also ensures that my son has plenty of running and playing time before busy household preparations set in. (Then I don't feel quite as guilty if we pop on a favorite video for him so we can cook and clean!)

We are wrapping up our weekly theme of learning about Parshas Bereishis, the story of Creation. I really do love this theme as it promotes so many methods of exploring, learning and playing. Jewish philosophy teaches us that the purpose of world--of all of the elements and creatures that G-d created and continues to create in each moment--is for us. Our purpose here is to infuse G-dliness into the world through mitzvot, through connecting with our Creator and performing positive deeds. This is a lofty idea we can bring down to even young children through involving them in acts of kindness each day. This was an element I also tried to include in our learning this week. Here's a round-up of some of our favorite activities from this week's theme.

Happy Friday & Shabbat Shalom!

 There are a lot of great arts & crafts projects to help teach and represent the days of Creation. We loved working on these over the last 2 weeks and seeing them displayed in our dining room.

Now all that's left is Yom Shabbat!

We took learning about the creation of birds and fish to the next level. We made a trip to our local pet store to look at fish and birds and to purchase some bird seed to make a treat for the birds outside as the weather gets cooler.

We didn't want our pet fish to feel left out of the activity either, so my son helped feed them as well!

We used a few pine cones we had collected for our nature observation station, some peanut butter and a plastic spoon and "shmeared" the peanut butter over the pine cones. 

Next we rolled them in the birdseed...

And hung them on a bush out front! If we're lucky (and quiet enough), we may get to observe some feathered friends enjoying the fruits of our labor!