Troubleshooting Tuesday: Get Outside ANYWAY

Late this past spring, I wrote a post titled "I Run a Nature-based Playgroup and I Did Not (and Still Do Not) Always Enjoy Being Outdoor? It is now late in August and with the end of summer closing in, I'm really thinking about the time ahead and reflecting on our time together here at Sprout Scouts Playcamp. In just a couple of weeks, S will be off to full-day kindergarten. Y will begin half-day preschool, three days a week. My nature based playgroup will sprout a new offshoot, our first Forest Story Time session geared toward the play-at-home crowd of children ages 0-3. And, for the first time ever, I'm testing out my grand dream scheme of taking our playgroup across the seasons and year with a monthly session for families and children of all ages all year round. I've read and studied the benefits of time spent outdoors for children of all ages as well as adults. This summer, I've truly experienced how good it is for me and for my family to get out there in the heat, in the rain, in the humidity, with friends, all alone, at the park, in the forest, at the beach, in our yard, at a rest stop to stretch our legs. This summer, I really lived my mantra to get outside anyway. Even when it's hot. Even when it takes 30 minutes to get 3 kids in the car and we only stay at the park for 20. And in looking ahead and reflecting back, I realize how important it is to break down some of these barriers toward getting outside and maybe even liking it.

Carrying an umbrella protects from
a summer drizzle and also provides
traveling shade...

So today I am starting a new series of posts on troubleshooting outdoor challenges. My hope is for these to be more interactive, to learn from others and to gain support in putting the outdoors back into play and the play back into childhood (and adulthood for that matter, but perhaps that's a different blog altogether). And to start us of on a very relevant topic, let's talk HEAT.

The Problem: It's HOT Out There! This summer has been an epic one when it comes to heat. Virginia has its hot summers, for sure, but this year has given us seemingly little break in between those scalding days of summer. In many locations, mornings and evenings are cooler, not necessarily so for this one. But here are some of my own troubleshooting tips for still getting outdoors in the heat of summer:

It's hot out there, but the mud and water in this
creek are nice and cool. Even the rocks feel
smooth and cold in our hands and the trees
provide plenty of shade from the sun.

• Seek shade: wooded areas, parks, places and spaces to splash and play in the mud are often cooler and more tolerable for players of all ages. If you are in a space that does not have shade, can you create it by placing a large blanket or tarp overhead between some trees or stakes or playground equipment? Can you bring an umbrella or tent?

• Dress to Protect: sun protection and in wooded areas, bug protection are important. This might include sunscreen, lightweight clothing with adequate coverage, hats, sunglasses and insect repellent. 



Free sprinkler parks are among
our favorite destinations each
summer for plenty of outdoor
play even when it's hot

Dress for Success: on the comfort end of clothing, choose fabrics that are lightweight and comfortable to you. Waterproof and moisture-wicking materials can be more comfortable when it comes to rising temperatures. Consider footwear as well and if water will be involved in play, having a towel might be useful. Bringing clothing to change into might also be helpful if you or your crew are prone to feeling uncomfortable in wet, sweaty clothing after play.

• Water to Hydrate: having enough to drink is really important in this heat. We need to be mindful to keep ourselves hydrated. We also need to be mindful of little ones who may be so engaged in play they don't remember to stop and drink. Take frequent breaks to hydrate and cool off. Keeping water cool is a little tough in this heat, but planning a little ahead and popping a partially filled water bottle in the freezer can help and many of the new water bottles on the market do a great job of insulating.
• Water to Play: pools, sprinkler pads, safe natural areas for wading and splashing are great ways to keep cool outdoors on a hot day. Consider water in other forms as well--ice is a great play activity for outdoors! Water balloons, squirt toys and other waterplay activities and games can keep everyone cool and happy on a hot day.
• Take it Slow: We are often in a rush to get to a destination, but allowing for a time when outside is the destination and the pace can be slower is important in the heat. Allow for extra time to take breaks, to take drinks, to move more slowly, to sit in the shade.

• Proximity to an Indoor Location: Some public parks have indoor venues. Many libraries have outdoor venues. Consider taking your outdoor play to a space that's near an indoor venue you can use to cool off in.
• Timing and Location: can also be a useful tool. If you're located in a place where it is cooler in the mornings or later in the afternoon/early evening, use that time to your advantage. Similarly, if you know a location that is in full sun during a particular time of day, it may be better to move to another spot. Our apartment gets full sun exposure in our backyard each morning and full exposure in the front year each afternoon. We play accordingly!
• Cool Treats: like popsicles are a great way to cool off outdoors. You can even freeze yogurt or smoothies made at home for an extra pop of protein and nutrition.
• Mobility: how you get there and how you'll move around are all things to consider when setting out for an outdoor adventure on a hot day. It's great to be able to carry a backpack and wear a baby, but it definitely adds to the heat and sweat factor. I recommend traveling as light as possible in the heat, particularly if you'll be walking or hiking. Make room for water and easily transportable snacks (keeping in mind that higher temps lead to faster spoilage if something is perishable). Will your location be stroller friendly or able to accommodate a wagon or will you need to wear and carry your belongings with you?
• Quality over Quantity: on the days is relentlessly hot, take an outdoor "snack" instead of an outdoor "meal." In other words, get outside a few times for 10 or 15 minutes rather than one chunk of lengthy outdoor play. I definitely do tout the value in being in nature long enough for deep play and exploration to occur, but sometimes if it feels like a choice of just staying in rather than getting out for a shorter amount of time, I'd say choose the latter! 

Here are some words of wisdom from others on the topic:

Action Precedes Motivation:

"One day I had a litany of reasons to not go outside. The big reasons for going outside still trumped the little reasons to not go. Still, I had had a baby not too long ago and I was just tired. I decided that I would drive the kids to a place that I liked, and if all we did was get out of the car and walk the parameter of the parking lot, I was going to call it good.

We got there and of course way leads on to way and we ended up walking in the obstacle course. The kids had a good time, and I was able to push the stroller and kind of lean on it. Getting out did the kids good and it did me wonders."--K. Marie, a resident of Alaska and experienced Mom

Find an Activity You Love:

"Kayaking!" was the immediate response of my good friend, Christopher, who lives in Massachusetts. Water sports are a great way to get outside and still keep cool if you live in a location with access to them.

Just Add Water...and Shade!

"I am all about water play when it's hot! I also am blessed with lots of shady places to walk and explore so the heat isn't too unbearable." --Rebekah, a mom of two and early childhood educator, who indeed has designed and set up beautiful outdoor spaces in her own yard as well as an amazing outdoor classroom for her students in Washington state.

Helpful Hints, Fun Activities and Take-alongs:

"My kids use cooling towels meant for golfers on their necks when I remember to bring them." --Adina, a mom and teacher in New York

"...a spray bottle (bonus with built in fan) or even wetting hands and then wetting face with it works... 

frozen apple sauce pouches make a refreshing cool treat afetr being out in the heat a while - they become a cool slush type of consistency." -- Rozee, a mom and teacher in New York City

"...letting the kids play with a water hose with bowls and buckets, ice cube sensory play or eating popsicles, hiding a toy or small car in ice and letting your kids use something to dig it out" are some of the ways Kristen, a mom of 2 in Virginia makes this heat not only barable, but fun.

What are your tried and true methods of getting outside when it's uncomfortably hot?

What are some of the barriers that keep you from getting outside and liking it?

S has found a bit of refuge from the sun in this little playhouse at our botanical garden center.

In our next post of this series, we'll talk about caution and confidence. Taking children outdoors, especially groups of children and those of mixed ages and abilities can come with a set of inherent challenges and concerns. There is a whole world of risky play when it comes to exploring outdoor terrains and with it, opportunities to instill appropriate levels of caution and confidence. How do we navigate this as adults and balance our own sense of fear with our children's need for appropriate and safe levels of independence? 

Stay Cool & Happy Playing!

Mad Science Monday: Volcano Fizzy Science

If the idea of something 'sploding on a Monday morning gets you all warm and fizzy, then this Mad Science Monday post is for you! Whether you are at home with your kids, in a classroom setting or looking for a great take-along for your next outdoor adventure, baking soda and vinegar never disappoint. In fact, last Monday, we took our show on the road at my nature-based play group and held a pop-up laboratory for children of all ages at a local park and sprayground. When it comes to teaching children about science, I often tell parents and educators that you don't need to really teach at all; children are inherently scientific in the way they wonder, discover, observe and explore. Allowing space and time for this to occur naturally is just the fuel that is needed to ignite a lifelong love of learning and to develop the skills necessary for critical thinking.




That being said, a directed experiment or even a set up to explore materials (like those found in nature, or chemical reactions between baking soda and vinegar) can be a great way to bring a little science into your child's life. After a couple of hours of fizzy fun at the park, many children went home slightly colorful from food coloring and begging for more. S was especially interested in making a volcano after seeing a version of this experiment depicted in a Starwars activity book we checked out of the library and after visiting an exhibit on Pompeii at our local science museum with his Poppa last month. Both boys dug right into our blob of potter's clay to build our volcanic mountain. You can also use playdough or even build your mountain from paper mache. It would be really cool to build your mountain outdoors using mud or sand. Since clay was what we had on hand today, it's what we used. The boys smoothed the sides, and pressed a large dent deeper and deeper into the center. I helped pinch up the edges until we were happy with the shape of our mountain. I poured a bit of baking soda into the bottom.

It was time for our eruption to begin! I set out some safety goggles and Y chose to wear his lab coat as well. S discovered he has a unique talent for getting baking soda and vinegar into his eyes last week, so safety goggles are not a bad idea here! We found these at our dollar tree in the hardware/auto care aisle. I filled a couple of empty condiment bottles with vinegar dyed orange with food coloring. I also filled a small container and added a couple of pipettes. The boys got busy with the squeeze bottles first, watching it bubble higher and higher in the volcano until our lava ran right over top!

I can tell you, I've done this experiment many times in my life and it's still fun and exciting! Baking soda and vinegar are inexpensive, easy to obtain and I often call it "self-cleaning" science--it does have a tendency to bubble over, but it likely won't damage your surfaces or clothing. We used a clear plastic file bin to contain the science residue and you can also opt to take this outdoors if the thought of an indoor explosion seems over the top.

 Happy Playing!

This experiment is great for a rainy day. It's a sure to impress an audience if you need an activity for a playgroup, classroom or birthday party. It's budget friendly and pretty fail proof. And the best part? You can do fizzy science again and again and again and it's still fun every time! S and Y have both already requested more fizzy science experiments next Monday--so we'll be back with more! Until then...

A Peek Inside Our Playroom: Late Summer Nature Table

Ah, August. For some, it's the end of the summer. Others are already headed back to school. Here, we are savoring these last drops of the sweet slower pace, but with an eye toward the events to come--beginning kindergarten for S, part-time preschool for Y, some undivided attention for C, and some new adventures and undertakings in my nature based playgroup.

Teachers are busy setting up classrooms. Homeschool teachers are busy setting up learning spaces. And if you're still at home with your crew, you're likely setting up, cleaning up, and repeating daily, multiple times! I had noticed our Nature Table, although holding a collection of several summertime treasures, was still set up from late spring! And here we are, late into the summer, busily investigating the remains of our mammoth sunflowers, reaping this season's fruitful harvest and splashing in the muddy creek in the area where our local chapter of Free Forest School meets up. Yes, we are in full summer swing here!

Part of me is so ready for the season to come. I love Autumn. And part of me is not yet ready to let go of Summer--or all of us being here at home together (even though it is also quite challenging at times).And that part of me likes to plan and set stuff up!  So I've been planning my playgroup's Fall events and today, I decided to spruce up our Nature Table. But let's veer off course just for a minute and touch upon the hows and whys of a Nature Table in your home or classroom...

The Third Teacher: There is a concept in Reggio Emilia based education that talks about the classroom or a child's surrounding environment being the "third teacher" in the room. As early childhood educators set up their spaces right now, many classrooms or learning spaces are set up with a calendar, a space for science, a space for math, a space for literacy... Many teachers will spend time in each of their days talking, singing or chanting about the days of the week, the seasons of the year, the weather outside. And for many this is a struggle. A struggle of maintaining the interest (not to mention the classroom management) of a group of young people not designed for sitting still for long periods of time. Many will wonder why some children "get" it with those pesky concepts of before and after, today, tomorrow and yesterday or why little Billy says it's snowing every single day he is the Class Meteorologist. There is current support and evidence to show that these rituals, while common in classrooms, are not as effective and beneficial to learning as we had previously thought. For most children, the best way to learn about time is to experience it and connect to events in their life. For most children, the best way to learn about the weather is to go outside and be in it. And for most children, the best way to learn to sit still is to move around. Math, science and literacy are all around us, and while having a space and a place for everything is valuable (and necessary) it is also possible for children to develop these skills in all spaces and places quite naturally. A Nature Table, commonly found in most Waldorf inspired classrooms and homes, is a space that can hold it all (albeit on a scale of how much space you actually have). You can experience the season, your geographical location or places you have traveled, local flora and fauna (science), measurement, counting and other mathematical concepts, literacy, vocabulary and more. It is also a space to inspire play and wonder.
Inspiring Play and Wonder in your Nature Table is an act of balance. As with many areas and spaces that adults set up for children, there is the propensity to claim ownership of it, whether intentionally or inadvertently. Oftentimes I set up the Nature Table when the children are asleep. Even once it is set up, I will every so often go over to it in the evening, and arrange something with our loose parts, peg people or fairies. It is a little way in which I communicate a silent message of play and wonder to my kids. And often, when I return a few nights later, I will notice that someone has responded to my playful message and made a change of his own. These little love letters to one another are expressed purely through small world play and it is a whimsical and magical way to connect. That said, I also am aware that my "setting up" this space can also give the impression that it is my space rather than our space. Initially when I first started keeping our top toy shelf as a Nature Table, S didn't even realize he could play with it (and Y couldn't reach it yet). Bit by bit, I've learned to let go of the need to solely control playroom design here. It's not easy because I like a certain aspect of tidiness. But I also have a sincere appreciation for the aesthetics of childhood wonder and play residue. I actually find a child's sense of intention in design to be truly beautiful and artistic.
To encourage engagement with our Nature Table as well as play and movement of materials, I invite the children to choose what we put out, to assist with initial design and set up, to bring things from outside indoors, or from inside to our table. It can be items found from nature or items that are man-made. It can be items that are fragile and require gentle touch. It can be items intended for carrying off the shelf to use (like our mortar and pestle, currently filled with parts of a sunflower). It can be baskets, tins, trays or bowls for filling, holding, observing. Small world play props do not have to be on scale--a bumblebee puppet can be giant compared to a tiny garden gnome. A friendly green caterpillar can be just as big as a Mother Earth pegdoll. Some sunflowers can be artificial; some can be real!


Reflecting the Season is somewhat about what is happening outdoors and in nature where we live, but it is also about what we find interesting and inspiring at the moment.
Last month, the boys were intrigued by sharks. We added a magnifying box with two collected shark teeth to our Nature Table, even though we do not live so near the ocean. And we also added some shells we did find at the ocean while visiting Virginia Beach. And yesterday, while the Sprout Scouts were on first Forest School hike, S found a yellow leaf on the ground. He wanted to know which type of tree it came from. We pulled out our copy of Into the Field Guide: A Walk in the Woods to look up types of leaves and trees. He wanted to know even more about this leaf along with another one we found and an acorn, and so we grabbed another field guide all about trees off our bookshelf at home and set it out at our Nature Table along with our collection of discovered treasures.

Reflecting the People in your room or home is perhaps the most important aspect of a Nature Table. There's no right or wrong. To some, it is important that everything be natural or to some it might be important that small world props be true to scale or made from only natural materials or that this space contain only generic loose parts and not toys with a single function or purpose. To me, it is most meaningful that the space be one for sharing. And with props and materials contributed by all of us from a variety of sources, we can easily accomplish that. It is not a sedentary spot--just like us, it is constantly in motion. Y wanted to bring a wooden prism looking glass and a wooden window block with a sunflower inside. S wanted the field guide about trees to be there and our thrifted tin with pictures of each season is filled with his favorite collection of flocked bears. I added quite a lot of sunflowers! And at the very end, I nestled a couple of books about sunflowers off to the side to inspire some literacy and shared reading. Our Nature Table is very full. Most of the time, I'm a less is more kinda gal. But I'm also OK when more is more. And shifts and tweaks can happen (and will happen) as play and time go on.
Elements of texture, color and curiosity are fun to play with as you design a space for a Nature Table. This time, I added some silk scarves to the bottom. They give a burst of color and a softer feel than just the wood plank of the shelf. A round mirror creates a flat surface that reflects the props on top of it. It will encourage a different way of viewing objects the children use on top of it. Wood, wicker and the earth tones of sticks, stones, seed pods, cones, leaves and acorns all found outdoors set against the more vibrant hues of some of our toys and props creates a pleasing balance. I know we are "ready" with a Nature Table when we all feel drawn to go see what's different. What has moved? What story is being told? What little love letter is being conveyed?
Movement is a key element in our Nature Table. Although it definitely has an element of stillness to it and even a lure to slow down, it's OK--even encouraged--to take things from it elsewhere for play, to bring things to it as they are discovered and collected. It is a picture in motion of life here as we experience it through each day. It is a celebration of each season, of each person and of our most valuable teacher, the world around us.

Happy Playing!

Play With Your Food: Our Family's Return to the Dinner Table

I will admit it. I have had it up to here with my resident particular eater. Not because I don't fully resonate with it--I was a notorious "picky" eater growing up and so was my husband. And not because I have concerns for his nutritional intake overall. My resident particular eater is the epitome of one of my own favorite childhood storybook characters, Francis in Bread and Jam for Francis. He will settle on one or a few foods for his meals and eat them daily until he grows sick of them. And that is where my feelings came in--empathy for the struggle he must feel when his relationship with yogurt for lunch every single day goes sour or his once beloved cheese toast loses its appeal. It's not anything particularly sensory related. It is somewhat of a control desire. And it probably also is somewhat related to anxiety over trying new foods, although he is not averse to trying other new things in life. Nonetheless, I want to meet his needs around food--both nutritional and emotional. So I decided to make some changes here and start playing with our food.

And by changes, I don't mean a complete diet overhaul. Heck, even I couldn't stomach that. And by playing with our food, I don't necessarily mean tossing mashed potatoes across the room. But in this house, we view food as fuel for energy and healthy growth and we also view food as enjoyment. In order to maintain both, it is important to us that we don't battle at the table and that we are kind and gentle with our own nutrition and with each other's. And then there is my darling son, S. He won't eat a hot dog. He won't eat a chicken nugget. He won't eat any meat right now at all, actually. He will eat a raw basil leaf. He will drink kombucha with seeds floating in it. He does not love chocolate. He does love lollipops. He enjoys helping in the kitchen and cooking and baking together. That does not mean he will eat or even try what we make. He loves to garden and grow our own food. He does not want to try any tomatoes this year. He does want to try a spinach leaf.

A while ago, when my husband was working later and the boys were melting down each evening waiting for him to get home, I instituted a separate dinner for them. Yes, I am a short order cook. Most of our dinners catered to S's particular tastes and Y, who's quite a bit more diverse in his nutritional approach, would eat what I made. That being said, the two or three meals that are favorites of S are not favorites of Y. He would end up eating a second dinner with the grownups! And I kind of missed the cue that we'd outgrown this method working for us until I asked my sister for some advice. In fact, the boys, although they are hungry in the afternoon when they wake up from nap, were not really needing to gobble up dinner so early. And with school beginning next month, our schedule will be running toward a later meal anyway. Moreover, when my husband does get home now, the boys would love to have both of our attention and connect, but we are busy eating our dinner. It was time to reinstate family dinner here and not just on Shabbos or holidays!

It will likely be an adjustment for all and we are not rigidly adhering to it if there is a day we need some family members to eat earlier or we grab our lunch boxes and picnic at the park. But bringing back the family dinner has helped us to reconnect at the end of the day and there's something at the table for everyone even if it's not one person's favorite every night. I'm not overwhelming anyone with all new recipes, in fact, my husband does almost all of the cooking here right now. [Last time I did all the cooking, I went into labor with C, so I think I'll enjoy this break for a while...] We are setting the table with one [more or less] cohesive meal. There is guaranteed to be something that everyone likes; it is not going to be the same food every single night.

And I recognize that for my little S, that is a huge shift in his feeling of being in control over his meals--exactly the feeling he is trying to assert. So I mitigate that with some playfulness and fun as he and the rest of us join on our journey back to the family table. Among his favorite dinnertime activities so far was an evening of playing with our food and making edible art!

Inspired by the cookbook Salad People by Mollie Katzen (a great cookbook author for kids), I set a platter of cut fruits, veggies, dried fruit, cheese and a bowl of pasta. The boys both had fun designing and eating their way through dinner. S created his own unique combinations of things to try and although I would not necessarily praise them for protein content, the bigger picture was getting him eager to engage with a variety of foods and feeling that he still had comfort and control in that. So did he eat any cheese that night? Nope. Did he eat a sandwich of kiwi on a multigrain rice cake. Yes. And Y was utterly thrilled to have more options at the table, particularly some of his favorites like hummus, cheese and noodles. 

And the fun was not over yet. After we cleared the table, the boys discovered it was still set--for art, Hevre Tullet style, per his book Doodle Cook. You can check out some of our other activities inspired by Hevre Tullet here and here.

We whipped up a batch of Colorful Shape Pasta that's still hanging on the wall across from the dining room table! There are a lot of approaches to family and child nutrition. There are a lot of ways to view food. Is it just fuel? Is it enjoyment? Is it both? I am clear in my own experience with eating and nutrition that I want that to be something my children explore and develop within healthy boundaries at their own pace.

Certainly there are foods that are more nutritionally dense than others. And there are foods that more enjoyable to us than others. We do not say no to sweets and treats here but we do have boundaries around them. We offer desserts on Shabbos and holidays and special occasions and once in a while for no reason at all. And still, there are tears here about treats. In seeing a nutritionist respond to this subject, she shared the one plate approach where everything, dessert included, is set on the same plate at the same time. Out of curiosity, I tried this one afternoon at lunchtime...

S loves to come up with recipe ideas and one day he came up with the idea to make pretzels and put icing on them to "glue" them together into shapes. He was so surprised when I said we could do that after dinner and a little disappointed when he ran out of his portion of icing. The next day at lunch, I heated up a few leftover soft pretzels we'd baked the night before. I put lunch and a pretzel and a small spoonful of icing on each of the boys' plates. S ate his yogurt and all of his pretzel and icing. He came into the kitchen and saw a pretzel still on a plate with some icing on top. He asked what it was. I told him it was my pretzel that I had not eaten yet.
"Oh," he said. "Can I have another pita with cheese?"
I was actually quite shocked he didn't cry and ask for another pretzel and icing!

And while I am not going to shift into providing and offering sweets and treats with every meal, I am reminded that children have a natural intuition with food and nutrition. We do have some strict boundaries around foods in this house when it comes to kashrut or to food allergies/sensitivities. We do set boundaries around appropriate portions and times for eating. But I don't label foods as "good" or "bad." We do talk about foods that are healthier and "give more energy" or help build strong muscles and bones, etc.

The world is full of don'ts and while we've all heard it at one point or another, today I'm taking the don't right out of don't play with your food. If separate dinners work for you; do it. If serving one meal and one table at one time works for you; do it. If making a poodle or a choo choo train or a kiwi sandwich on a multigrain rice cake works for you, do it. And if coloring on your placemat sounds like a great way to spend time at the dinner table, do that, too!

Bon Appetit and Happy Playing!

Nature Play: Bringing the INDOORS out...

I love to be outdoors. I run a nature-based playgroup because I think being outdoors is wonderful for children and for adults and for the community at large. But the fact of the matter is that not everyone loves to be outdoors. And not all children are intrinsically drawn to nature-based play. Several years ago I had one such child in my class. He loved Lego. He could spend the entire day building and acting out detailed play monologues with Lego people. But when it came to going outside, he just wasn't that into it. It was hard to set aside his indoor play and hard to engage in outdoor play. I did not feel, as a teacher, that it was my job to make him feel differently; some people don't love to be outdoors. But I did wonder if perhaps he just hadn't found his sweet spot there quite yet.

Nature is abundant in play materials and ideas, but for more and more children, it is uncharted territory. Gone for many children are the days of being tossed in the yard to play until dusk. Gone for many neighborhoods are the landscapes of our childhood. And outdoor play experiences in and of themselves have changed from a child-led, open ended experience to more organized and directed activities like sports. For some, the outdoors is what you walk through to get from inside one building to the inside of another. And my own personal mantra is to Think Outside; No Box Needed. But that does not mean that outdoor play and experience must be "one size fits all."

For my little Lego loving friend, life changed the day we first carried a plastic bin of Legos outside with us. At first, it was a stationary activity in which he sat and built and played. Some others joined in as well. But soon, Lego cars and trains took trips around the playground and Lego men were hiding inside plants and behind large leaves and eating found chestnuts or sipping soup from acorn caps. A bit of the indoors being brought outside allowed for the outdoors to infiltrate in.
Even at home, we had a collection of Mega Blocks that S and Y had stopped playing with inside. Hauling some out in a large plastic crate to our backyard gave them new life and purpose.

And although I had already planned and scheduled my remaining summer season playgroup events, I decided to sneak in a Pop-up and Play event today at one of our local sprinkler playgrounds.
 Lego, Duplo and Megablocks are such amazing and versatile tools for play. Our guests ranged in age from a few months old through adulthood. We hauled buckets of Megablocks to the sprinkler area. We set a table with bins of Legos, clipboards with invitations to draw blueprints and sketches. I used some of the materials from Pocket of Preschool's Summer, Beach, Camping & America STEM I Can Build set and even just plain graph paper, markers, colored pencils and crayons. One family arrived with Lego books! On the ground I set out a picnic blanket with a bucket of our Duplos. And then I stood back and watched in wonder as I so often do at these events. (I also chase after my kids, feed them copious snacks, play a bit myself and schmooze a lot.) The incredible thing to see is how children of all ages played and worked together, side by side. And how the building toys were used in novel ways (you can fill up Megablocks and pour them out and utility buckets always make great helmets). And since most of our building toys were purchased secondhand (which I highly recommend with expensive and quality toys like Lego and Duplo and Megablock), they didn't come with particular pieces or instructions. It was incredible to watch imaginations at work. And the level of concentration and focus even very young children utilized in exploring.

Going back to my little Lego loving friend for a bit... I would not have been upset if he never loved playing outside as much as he loved to be indoors with a bin full of Legos. But I also didn't want him to internalize that going outside meant leaving his love behind and potentially miss a chance to engage a child in the wonder of nature. I don't know whatever happened with him after he left my class and whether he ended up traipsing through the forest or heading back inside to build our future skyscrapers and bridges. But I do know that Lego was a tool for connecting him to his experience in our playground and nature space. And similarly, it was a tool today to connect children and adults of all ages. And when it comes to nurturing the powerful role of play in childhood and throughout life, I think it is very important to access all of the tools we can--both inside and outside of the box.

Happy Playing!

Sunflower Investigation

There is something so incredible about giants of the garden and even a small space is the perfect size for a few mammoth sunflowers to tower over you, attract pollinators and spread joy (not to mention pollen and seeds...). Last year was the first time I ever planted these jolly giants. When they had finished their glorious reign in our front garden, we brought the heads in to dissect and explore. We saved hundreds of seeds. Seeds to share. Seeds to save. Seeds to plant again this spring and sunflower season has officially hit. Our blooms are gracing our garden in various shades and sizes. Some blooms were prime for cutting and gracing our Shabbos table last week. As those began to fade, I decided they should make a final stop before the compost heap--to two curious horticulturalists in training!





We've explored sunflowers here before and S in particular remembers dissecting the large flower heads last year. Both of the boys love to look outside each morning and note which buds have blossomed and how many bees are on the centers of our opened flowers. (We counted 4 bees on one today after a rainfall!)

Even a goldfinch blessed us with a well camouflaged visit to one of our sunflowers last week!

And when it comes to learning about plants and garden life, there are so many books and directed activities. My favorite way, however, is to get hands on and dig right in.

There is something so wondrous about standing below a giant flower and looking up at a leaf that is bigger than my head. There is something so amazing about a flower opening up after months of waiting and watching. It lasts comparatively as long as the blink of an eye. The center of the sunflower houses hundreds of tiny little flowers and behind those, hundreds of tiny little seeds--that given the best of circumstances and luck will perhaps one day bloom into another jolly giant of the garden. But until then, we have these early days of August. A wistful and whimsical time. The garden is in harvest. The sun is still hot and it's the peak of summer. But mornings and nights begin to cool a bit. School supply lists are arriving and Fall is around the corner. So we savor the sunlight just a little bit longer and play just a little bit harder to squeeze every last drop out of these summer days at home. And the garden follows us wherever we go. In the front yard, out the back door to the back yard. In the kitchen, in the playroom, in the mud caked on to our garden clogs. This is summer! And admittedly, the play residue is all around us. Cleaning up is maybe not the first priority with all three Sprout Scouts at home with me each day. But it starts to look almost like a work of art after a while, reminding me that we were here. We played until we were carried in like footballs, screaming and kicking and covered in mud and sand and who knows what else, because no matter how many nights we've done it, bedtime is always a surprise...

So head out to your own garden. Deadhead your flowers without fear or remorse, because before those wilting blooms head to the composter and return to the earth, there are young horticulturalists at play. Ready to dissect. Ready to observe. Ready to grind and pour and mix into fairy tea and sunflower soup. Come take a peek in our own little whimsical world of wonder as we carry our sunflowers on one final journey, perhaps in a football hold, screaming and kicking and covered in pollen, because no matter how many years they have bloomed and wilted, the compost heap is always a surprise!

Sunflower Investigation

Gather some trays, bowls, mortars and pestles, tweezers, magnifying glasses, scissors and sunflowers...it's time to investigate and explore!

If you're feeling especially ambitious and brave, I encourage you to add water, mix some sunflower paint, try pounding the petals into paper or fabric...

Or take it outside and open up your own Sunflower Garden Tea House...

Sunflowers, coneflowers and even cut herbs made their way to the picnic table, ready for action...

...and here's some action now! Y is busy measuring and pouring water and plants parts into the perfect pot of tea...

Just add water! The sensory table was filled and some dishes and flowers were ready for tea time...

S wanted to clip some oregano to add to his soup

C had such a blast watching the excitement. She is so happy to be in the garden with us!

S is busy washing and collecting herbs for his grill and his soup stock...

Y is helping to wash herbs and flowers as well. 

S cuts some freshly harvested oregano...

We finally made it inside (I bribed them with a smoothie) and Tatty is home, so I headed out to tidy up a bit before the pending storm. And that's when I find the most beautiful bits of play residue. A bowl with just a bit of water Y poured in, a silver spoon, a measuring cup and a 1/2 teaspoon along with some fresh cut mint and lemon thyme and lemon balm...

...and just a few remnants of those jolly golden garden giants, mid-grind in our mortar and pestle... 

Happy summer, happy gardening, happy harvesting and, as always....

Happy Playing!