Hooray For Fish

               
Lucy Cousins book “Hooray for Fish!”  has wonderful carefree styled,
brightly coloured fish illustrations.
       
The first time I read it I was so impressed and inspired that I knew we
would have to do an art activity based on it.
 
I cut out a variety of fish that matched some in the book.
 
We used the corn syrup paint again because it is so bright and dries shiny.
 
             
This art activity drew a variety of ages to the table and each approached their painting in different ways.  Some spreading the paint broadly then adding details on top,
 
while others were very specific in their detail.  Starting small and working their way big.

    
They are a great addition to our ocean theme decor.

Spud Harvest 2013

 
We were very excited to get out to the garden this morning to harvest our first tub of spuds.  The plants are drooping now but were still taller than some of the little ones.
     
We dug in to feel for potatoes.  But soon decided it would be easier to pull off the tops first.
 
Once the tops were off we started to dig again.
 
Many hands made quick work at finding the spuds.  We had to dig deep down to the bottom of the tub.  There may be some still at the very very bottom.
 
As we dug we found some of the original seed potatoes that started this adventure.
      
We took our bounty into the school to count them.
 
After a good scrubbing, using toothbrushes, we counted them.  Our first tub produced 42 potatoes.
 
            
After sorting them by size we determined there were more medium sized potatoes than large or small.

Time to cook.
  
       Cut and boiled potatoes for our first taste test.
     
  
From raw to boiled, from garden to taste.  Tomorrow we’ll make potato bread.
Next  week we'll harvest our second tub with our grand friends.

Going on a Bear Hunt

We held our annual Teddy Bear Picnic this week and
I set up a bear hunt again.  But this year it was an
activity that families could individually participate
in all morning not as a whole group.  It worked much
better this way.
 
When they entered, they first had to go through
swishy-wishy tall grass.
 
There were mixed feelings from the children, some were
hesitant and slowly made their way through the streamers. 
While others excitedly went through again and again.
  
Next was the wibbly-wobbly bridge.  And it was wobbly!
 
Each child carefully crossed the bridge in a way that they
felt secure.
 
Next came the Ooey-gooey mud – have to walk through it. 
Squish, squish, squish.
     
Because it’s almost summer time here and no snow in the forecast,
I replaced a snowstorm with a bubble storm.  It was the most popular
part of the whole bear hunt.  There were lots and lots of bubbles all
being caught and popped and floating throughout the gardens.
 
I found a great bubble storm maker (gun) at walmart
(it came with batteries, yay).  It produced lots of bubbles
fast.
 
             
If I was to do this again I would try to find a bubble
blower that could produce the same amount of bubbles
but didn’t require me to be there to work it.  I missed a
lot of the Teddy Bear picnic because so many children
kept going on the hunt.
 
Finally the cave, a dark and tiny cave.  Is there a bear inside?
 
       
                 Many were curious. 
                 Most would peek inside. 
                 Some would not go in. 
   
One brave soul woke the bear and brought him out.