Discovering an Ocean

During the Canada Day long weekend our daughter, son in-law and grand daughter came home for a visit.

It was the first time we could take Our Little One to the beach. 

Not just a sandy beach but an ocean beach where we find crabs, fish, barnacles and more.

We found little crabs, hiding under rocks, as soon as we got closer to the water's edge.

Then we found the waves and the sandy shore.

These little waves were a challenge for her little legs.

Good thing she had help from mom and dad.

Time to explore the shore.

The sand is so much fun to grab with little fingers and transfer to the bucket.

And fun to splash it all off.

Dad found a little fish as he was combing the edge of the surf.

Opa found our Little One as she was running across the sand.

Back at the Little One's home I created an ocean discovery bin for her.

I started with real and toy shells, fish, snails, crabs and more.

I covered those with strips of blue and green, thin vinyl tablecloth.

I stuck in these little plastic trees, that look a bit like floating seaweed, and more shells, fish and shiny flat pebbles.

Time to explore.

Her favourite was the shiny flat pebbles.

The bin is fun but nothing compared to the real live ocean and tide pools.

A Morning at the Beach

It's our first Monday back to school and we spent it at the beach.  While planning for our first month at school I was trying to think of what we should focus on.  It's difficult after a vacation to know what the children will be interested in.  Even more so at StrongStart because we don't know what children will be coming, which have moved away or on to preschool.  So I thought I would plan around what they may have experienced, living here on an island, during their summer vacation.

The beach!

Last week at school I set up a table that looked like the beach.

Blue fabric for water, beige felt for the sand.

Rocks and shells for crabs to hide under.

 This morning as soon as the children hit the beach they were turning over rocks 

and shells finding crabs.  Little green crabs that they easily pick up.

No fear for most of the children.

We were lucky to find two hermit crabs too.

The bigger one was being shy when I took this picture.