Outside Day - March

This month we headed to a park that was new for many of our families.  The park is close to my home and I walk through it everyday.  I like this park for several reasons; it’s close to my home, it’s great for letting my dog socialize with other dogs, it has a meadow, creek and forest.  And the forest has some wonderful big, old trees.
                      
This tree was the inspiration for this month’s Outside day.  To me it looks really old, so old that maybe a Leprechaun might live there.  That's why we held it on St. Patrick's Day.
     
A couple of weeks ago I asked my husband to design a door for an opening in the base of the tree.  I painted it and added an Irish prayer on the inside of the door.  All set for today.

But we didn’t start our morning at the Leprechaun Tree.  No we did a few activities before getting there.
     
                             
We are a drop in program and families are welcome to arrive at any time so I created a map of the park so they could find their way around to all the activities.  This is our second purposeful use of maps this year.  The children are very interested.  I'll have to think of how to build on that interest.  But back to our activities.
                           
  
 
 
The first activity was to find a walking stick and decorate it.  They used markers, strung beads on wire and tied ribbon on to add colour.

When the sticks were ready we headed out of the woods to the meadow where there was a StoryWalk® ready.  I’ll post about that soon.
   
Since it is St. Patrick’s Day we searched for gold.  The first we found was in the creek.
                
We had to walk through ooey-gooey mud then cross a small wobbly bridge to get there.
                 
But it was worth it to see the excitement as the children found the treasures in the water.
       
Many of the gold rocks went right in their pockets, while others were gripped tightly in their hands.
                       
With gold in hand we followed the path around the meadow till we came to a trail that I call “The Leprechaun Tree Trail”.  There are several big trees with high roots and crevices that things may be hidden in. 
                   
Since it wasn’t raining today and we wouldn’t be finding a rainbow I suggested we look around every tree and hole that maybe we would find some gold.
   
   
The children were really enthusiastic in their looking.  Sticking their heads into the holes and looking around the trees.
       
Until one of them found a ‘can’.  When he pulled it out we saw that it was a gold pot.  “Maybe for treasure”, one suggested. 
  
    
The next big tree was the Leprechaun Tree.  When the children walked around it they saw the door and quickly opened it.  Inside they found a bottle of clear liquid.  We put it with the gold pot and checked around the tree for other doors.
                             
        
                    We found one big door and five wee ones.
  
Then we were off to find our last big tree.  And it is really BIG.  We measured it by seeing how many people was needed to make a full circle around the tree.  It took a lot of us.
   
This tree held a surprise.  Little green rocks were hidden in the crevices and under leaves all around the tree.
                     
Once they found their special rocks we brought out the gold pot and the bottle of clear liquid (vinegar).
   
           
They dropped the rocks into the pot and I poured in the vinegar.  It started to fizz and bubble and we couldn’t see anything inside.  So we used a stick to stir it until the bubbles fizzled out.
                
When I reached inside I found golden coins, one for everyone.  What excitement!  They went back to the tree to find more.

    
One last stop was planned for out Outside day, a visit to the duck pond.  But the ducks weren’t there so we had a snack and story.
                 
We were finishing our snack when the ducks arrived.  Honking as they landed as if they were apologizing for being late.
   
It truly was the luckiest St. Patrick’s Day to spend it together with so many adventure loving families.

Making Rainbows with our Grand Friends

This morning was our monthly visit with our Grand Friends.  We waited outside to meet them when they arrived on their bus.   It was very exciting to see the bus.
                   
We took their hands, walked them in and settled at our tables to make rainbows.
               
Each person had their own bag of Fruit Loops to thread onto their yellow pipe cleaner.  The Grand Friends had their own too but some were very happy to chat with the children about what they were doing.
                  
I was surprised that most children did thread the loops on to the pipe cleaner before eating them.  I had predicted the opposite.
                      
There were a few that disregarded the pipe cleaner and went straight to eating.
            
We had a smaller group today, fewer grand friends too and I think that gave the children and seniors more quiet to chat and connect.
                       
Earlier in the morning we made Irish Soda Bread Muffins.  Since it was such a small group not many wanted to help bake but this little girl worked right through the recipe and kept track of their baking.  We took them with us to share with our Grand Friends.
                      
We enjoyed a story and sang lots of songs.  As the Grand Friends were leaving two of them expressed how much they had enjoyed themselves.  Next month we will be visiting over at their home.

There was an Old Woman

There are many, many variations of the old story “There was Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly'.

At Valentines I came across this blog that has a free printable for the items for "The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Rose".

At the same time that I found those I also saw this idea to use an old baby wipes container for the woman.   Mine looks a bit different.
                      
                        The children love this interactive version. 
     The pictures mounted into milk jug caps fit nicely through the opening.
             
          Since that was a success I decided to use the same container for
                 There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Clover.
               
Before beginning I handed out the pictures and asked the children to look at
   their picture and I told them to listen carefully for when it is mentioned.
            
             When they heard their item, they fed the old woman. 
           
And tucked inside the container waiting for the very end is the rainbow.  The children are surprised when it comes out every time.  I guess I have great slight of hand.

Sticking to the St.Patrick’s theme I made another version of the game Little Mouse.
                   
                       A clover hiding behind a coloured pot.

A Nature Walk = Writing a Book

We went for a walk in the woods with our big buddies this week.  It started with this new book I was introduced to called On My Walk by Kari-Lyn Winters.
                 
                        The text is minimal but rich in it’s rhythm.
       
We read the book together then split our big group into two.  One group went into the woods behind the school and the other went to the small woods beside the school.  That allowed more space for the children to explore.
                      
Each visit I notice that more of the little buddies are becoming relaxed and comfortable with their big buddies and are willing to go a little farther apart from their grown up. 
           
The little buddies carried their nature bag that held a clip board with a book similar to the one we read. 
 
 
 
       They spent their time recording what they saw, heard and smelled.
     

Planting Shamrocks

Last week I planted some clover seeds, first time ever, hoping that they will grow before St. Patrick’s Day.
           
                 Amazingly in just three days they sprouted.
              
This week I set up a planting centre so the children could plant their own container of clover.
            
  
     They prepared their cup by printing their name then filling it with soil.
 
         Sprinkle on the seeds, then watering.  A friend watches patiently.
               
The she takes her turn to plant a cup of clover.  There is a calmness in planting.
  
Surprisingly within two days the seeds began to sprout.  It didn’t seem to matter if the seeds were put under the soil or on top.  They are both showing signs of growth.
              
                           Each day more children plant a cup. 
                   We will have lots of clover for St. Patrick’s Day.

Painting Daffodils

         
This table was waiting for the families to arrive yesterday and by the end of the morning it looked almost the same.  Only two people attempted to draw the flowers.  I’m concluding that pencil crayons weren’t of interest to the children.
                          
This morning I decided to add paints. Using a pill box, that has four compartments, I filled three of them with yellow, green and brown paint.  The interest was almost instant.
      
It was interesting to watch the children paint, to see what they noticed.  Which colour did they start with?  What lines and shapes did they make? Did they use big, loose strokes or small and controlled?
                     
            I listened as parents encouraged and commented on what they saw.
     
With a little encouragement some of the grown ups were happy to share the experience and paint too.
                       
Spring flowers are displayed around our room, brightening it a bit during these foggy days we’ve been having.

Jack and the Beanstalk Sensory Tub

                    
Our tub was filled with a homemade beanstalk, book, beans, gold pebbles, rocks, a cow, a hen, mother doll and a little boy doll.  Oh and our castle was in the bin since I couldn’t figure out how to safely attach it to the top of the beanstalk.
                 
This tub gave the children another opportunity to learn the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and play with the characters and props.
                 
                       
Although the main interest was the beans.  Filling the cups and pouring them out.
              
   Having the book in the table offered families a chance to read it together.