Well, this blog is back to my phone photos. In contrast to last week's gorgeous photos, these are a little less magical, but there's still those wonderful kids. It's harder to capture them with my phone, which doesn't appreciate the constant movement of children!
A fun game has been taking place when we're out in the woods, and I'm sure you've all played it at some point in your childhood. I like to call it "Save me (cough, cough), I'm falling!" This is when you have a nice steep hill and someone has made it to the top, and someone else climbing reaches up an arm and says "Help!", and the person at the top says "I'll help you! Grab my hand!" with much drama. Everyone makes grunting, heaving noises and everyone makes it to the top, thanks to the strength of their comrades. My thought is that this is a universal game. I'm happy to see it form here, as it tells me that the children are reaching a point where they can both imagine a scenario of struggle, simultaneously, and work together to make it have a happy ending. It expresses to me the human drive to reach for help and also reach out TO help. Sort of the best parts of humanity, right there in a child's game.
A fun game has been taking place when we're out in the woods, and I'm sure you've all played it at some point in your childhood. I like to call it "Save me (cough, cough), I'm falling!" This is when you have a nice steep hill and someone has made it to the top, and someone else climbing reaches up an arm and says "Help!", and the person at the top says "I'll help you! Grab my hand!" with much drama. Everyone makes grunting, heaving noises and everyone makes it to the top, thanks to the strength of their comrades. My thought is that this is a universal game. I'm happy to see it form here, as it tells me that the children are reaching a point where they can both imagine a scenario of struggle, simultaneously, and work together to make it have a happy ending. It expresses to me the human drive to reach for help and also reach out TO help. Sort of the best parts of humanity, right there in a child's game.
The children enjoyed another story with their friend Old Gnome. This story is a variation on the one last week, in which Hedgie finds a home in a pumpkin. In this story, we have the perspective of Old Gnome, who while cleaning up his garden, discovers Hedgie living in a pumpkin. He watches Hedgie prepare his home, so as not to frighten Hedgie. Then a spider comes and asks to spend the winter with Hedgie, and closes up the hole with a spider web. The two sleep safe and warm inside their "pumpkin hotel" as Old Gnome calls it, with the leaves forming a warm blanket on top. Old gnome leaves out little bits of food for Hedgie to find.
We've also started a new circle, which I only just had enough voice to say on Thursday. Same for the story. The children will hear much more of the circle and be able to enjoy the story more fully now that I have 80% of my voice back! I will tell you many of those verses in the next blog, when we've had more time with them!
A fun time was had making a little "squirrel snack" this week using our hammers and some peanuts! It was a nice exercise in self control, with frequent rewards! The children could not pound too hard or else they would smash the peanut inside, but they had to pound hard enough to crack the shell, then use their fingers to break it open completely!
Also, I noticed children continuing to paint the leaves! Lucky for us, nature is responding in kind!
We've also started a new circle, which I only just had enough voice to say on Thursday. Same for the story. The children will hear much more of the circle and be able to enjoy the story more fully now that I have 80% of my voice back! I will tell you many of those verses in the next blog, when we've had more time with them!
A fun time was had making a little "squirrel snack" this week using our hammers and some peanuts! It was a nice exercise in self control, with frequent rewards! The children could not pound too hard or else they would smash the peanut inside, but they had to pound hard enough to crack the shell, then use their fingers to break it open completely!
Also, I noticed children continuing to paint the leaves! Lucky for us, nature is responding in kind!
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