Circus Act

I have been dying to do something fun with the kids using this super long piece of climbing rope that my friend, Natalie Kane of Semillitas de Español gave me.  Today was the day!  

We worked together to wrap the rope from tree to tree in order to create a climbing "ropes course."

The kids were thrilled (and so was I)!!

Each child enjoyed it in a different way.

The kids found their reflections in the sliding glass door and played, "An audience is watching us!"

  This  led us towards creating a circus, where each child took turns doing tricks- walking the tight rope, etc.

There was even musical accompaniment and dancing!!

One child wanted to be blown out of a cannon.  Hmmm....we'll have to work on that one.

Investigating...

We decorated mason jars to give to Cancer Connection for a project called Jars of Hope:

I had to limit the materials used because apparently most of the jars they've received have decorative pieces falling off of them.  Tissue paper is so beautiful, though, isn't it?

Say What You See, Modeling Compassion

This morning the kids were intrigued by the pile of wood scraps that were previously on the patio and are now on the hill next to the compost pile.  Climbing, grabbing, ... one child started throwing the pieces over the fence into the neighbor's yard.  It was the perfect situation for using the techniques I've been practicing in a Language of Listening Playtime workshop.  It is a very simple thing and it works so well:

1- SAY WHAT YOU SEE-

"You're moving those blocks!  You're so strong!   

Connect with the child based on what is happening in the moment- what you see.  Identify the desire behind the action.  The child really wanted to grab the chunks of wood and move them.  Consider how the child must feel while throwing them over the fence.  Strong, powerful, productive.  

2)CAN DO-

"You can't throw them over the fence.  You CAN move them into the wheelbarrow!!" or

"You can't throw them over the fence.  There must be something we can do with them.  Hmmm....How about this wheelbarrow?  <Excitedly> Let's dump the wood chunks into the wheelbarrow!

They loved that idea!  They loaded all of the wood into the wheelbarrow.  It was a tight space and there were five children.  It was a great opportunity for them to practice negotiating and communicating their needs and desires. Excuse me.   Watch out for my body.   I don't like that!  

A couple more thoughts from today...

MODELING COMPASSION (as opposed to forcing an apology) gives the child a chance to see how to treat a person that gets hurt.  I immediately turn towards the injured one to give my attention to him.  Ouch!  That really hurt.  You didn't like that at all.  And then I might turn to the one that hurt and say, Can you check on him?  Can you ask him what you can do to make him feel better?  I don't insist on apologies because children memorize the words "I'm sorry" quite easily, and while it makes adults feel better to hear the child say it, it doesn't feel good to the injured one unless it is said with genuine compassion.  And compassion cannot be forced.

BE ON THEIR TEAM- When you encounter resistance (Ex. You want child to get dressed, child wants to play hide and seek), the first thing you do is CONNECT with the child where she is in the moment.  And then let her know that you want to help her get what she wants.  (Ex. Excitedly, You want to play hide and seek!  You want me to find you! <Start getting into the game and then pause>  

Let's put on clothes so we can play hide and seek.  Come on!  Basically, you're connecting in the moment about what the child wants BEFORE you turn your efforts toward what you want.  Once you develop a connection (by acknowledging the child's desires and playing in her way) the child is much more willing to do what you want.  Playful Parenting is a great resource for tips on how to use play to make the frustrating transition moments much easier (and I have a copy in the lending library).

on Wednesday...

Harvesting sugar snap peas-

washed them,

 

sampled them, 

made 'em 'pop,'

tore them open

and nibbled the little peas inside, 

mixed them with pickled carrots and made a salad.

 

The kids built a web.

They were supplied with a big, wooden dowel rod, string, scarves and sheets, and rope.

They went to town.  

They worked on making it for quite a while-

expanding the web,

weaving,

pulling,

wrapping.

It became a space that they passed most of the morning hanging out in.

They talked about black widows, lizards.
They negotiated for space, for turns climbing the tree.
  
In one game, there was no mama.  There was a big sister, a brother, a lizard, a ga-gat.  One kid insisted there had to be a queen, but noone wanted to be the queen.
We talked about how to be safe with string and rope.  It's not for your neck.  You can wrap it around your arm but you can't put your head through it.  Be careful not to trip on it.  It was a great way to learn how to navigate around string and rope.
It was all of these things and more!

Glimpse from Today

lifting rocks, lifting the heaviest rocks they could find

practicing placing them carefully down instead of dropping them

washing the rocks in water, watching the water rise as more rocks were submerged

playing with water

pouring with funnels and other utensils

drying the rocks in the sun

 making rock pancakes

rocks are treasures

digging holes for rock treasures

painting rock treasures with acrylic paint,

mixing paints at the table

making the paintbrushes talk to each other:
"What's your name?" "I'm Ga-ga." "I'm Super Black and White." "I'm Super Name."

"What are you making?"  "I'm making all the colors."

Working Big!

Offered through the Austin Tinkering School...

Working Big! 
<a spring break camp>

March 12 – 16, 9:00AM – 1:00PM
Ages 3 to 8
$200

A spring break art camp

 inspired by the book, Working Big, by John Lidstone. 

One full week of exploring art in a big way-

 Big materials, Big spaces, Big movement, and Big ideas!
Air, light, & water bring art materials to life 

as we discover ways to shape an artful environment,

 and define new spaces and places to play.

Email info@austintinkeringschool.com for more information.

End of January

Block Prints

Salt Dough Sculpting 

"This is a snake that eats frogs." "This is a snake that eats tools."

Making a Book

She later shared it with us at circle time.

Hawk dancing after reading City Hawk.

The chickens started laying eggs!  The kids have been playing lots of games about eggs- laying eggs, hatching eggs,... 

Can you find the one brown egg in the coop?

These are lizard eggs.