Pumpkin Patch with GrandFriends

Our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch was this morning and the weather was 

beautiful.

Shannon began by showing just a few of the 39 variety of pumpkins

they grew this year.

Then out to the field to pick our pumpkins.

We were lucky to find the cycle of a pumpkin all in one spot.

A blossom, a little green pumpkin and an orange pumpkin.

We carved one of the pumpkins and started to dig out the seeds.

We'll finish this back at school.

Our grand friends arrived just in time for snack and story.

It was special to be able to share this field trip with the seniors.

After story a few families went with the grand friends to check out the chickens.

As the children chased the chickens the grand friends tried to keep up.

Thank you to Shannon and her family for a wonderful time on their farm.

Parachute Play with Grand Friends

Parachute play with our grand friends.

The children loved the play and the grand friends loved watching them.

A New Year with our Grandfriends

We have started a new school year and will once again visit 

our grandfriends each week.

This year our visits will be shorter.

I open the centre first for just over an hour then whoever wishes

follows me to the seniors home.

I love watching the connections that are being made between all the generations.

We play together for about a half an hour then we have music.

Julia is a music therapist that works at the Lodge.

She joins us every week for about a half an hour and leads us in song

with her guitar.

We are so lucky.

I've learned new songs from her that we sing 

back at our centre.

I look forward to the year to come and introducing

more families to this experience.

Sharing Butterflies with our Grand Friends

Today we took our butterflies to our Grand Friend's home.

Many of our friends from the extended care wing were gathered out in the garden.

We shared a butterfly fingerplay with them.

Then we sat in the middle of them and opened up the butterfly container.

One butterfly flew up and landed on the little girl in pink.

She didn't notice but the rest of did.

 We started taking the butterflies out.

I tried picking them up with sticks but our fingers worked better.

What a wonderful experience to share between young and old.

We had some success lifting and carrying them with sticks.

Then we discovered that the butterflies were happy to be lifted out

on the orange slices.

Meanwhile this little fellow was still walking around the circle sharing his butterfly.

The butterflies were comfortable to stop and rest in many places

on those that watched.

When all the butterflies were released a few children noticed a caterpillar crawling 

on the bottom of the container.

We carefully picked it up and moved it to the garden.

We also noticed a couple more chrysalis still intact.

We'll take them back to school.

This is a favourite time of year for all of us.

Gardening with Grandfriends

Last week we spent some time out doors with our grand friends.

It was on their patio

and we planted seeds in some of their big pots.

Together they prepped the soil 

opened and shared the seeds,

then poked and spread the seeds in the soil.

Then the fun part was watering the seeds.

It took a lot of water and the children were up to the chore.

We slid all the tubs to a sunny spot

and placed a sign that we had made at school.

The looks of happiness shared between the grand friends

and the children, with few words spoken, was wonderful.

Sharing an experience that is common for some

and new for others

but 

pleasurable for all.