Our Week Outdoors – Day Two

The weather was perfect.  There is however, at least one thing that I don’t like about spending all day outside — my sunroom looks like this;

Crammed full of all the things we need for the day.  Now I remember why I don’t go camping – I detest setting up and taking down the campsite.

We have fun once we get outside.  The younger preschoolers favorite toys are the balls – we have 14 so they count sort and organize them into ‘teams’;

And have wild ball games;

We spent some time in the garden learning about the native plants we have that are waiting to be planted in the front yard;

And checked out some of the herbs – mmmm they smell so good;

They like the way the sage leaves feel;

We found a cutworm — ewww — I didn’t have to tell them what to do, we’ve had cutworms in the garden before and we’ve seen the damage they can do.  This one was squished, stabbed and stomped on;

They dug a hole in the gravel – as usual;

They found an earthworm in the gravel too, and moved it to the garden – unlike cutworms, earthworms are welcome in our garden;

She poked a hole in the soil so the earthworm would have an easy route to take home — it appreciated the assistance;

When we went back indoors at the end of the day a very cuddly Mali cat told us she missed having us indoors.  She soaked up all the hugs and kisses;

From Chocolate to Worms

The children need little from me when we are outdoors.  Indoors they sometimes need redirection or assistance choosing an appropriate activity but not outdoors.  Outside they are never bored.  They enjoy a wide variety of activities — sometimes active, often dramatic, always creative.  I should know better than to interfere.

Last week they engaged in an elaborate activity that involved all the children in a variety of roles.  They started a ‘chocolate factory’.  Mmmm. I do love chocolate.  This chocolate however was not your typical chocolate.  This chocolate came from a mine.  So first the ‘miners’ had to dig a mine to find the chocolate;

You see, the top layer of gravel is ‘vanilla’ but underneath the gravel is ‘chocolate’.  I know why, do you?

The ‘shopper’ had the task of working as liaison between the miners and the baker.  The shopper made regular trips from the bakery to the mine to get the necessary supplies.  She always arrived with empty containers but after a little negotiation — using gems for currency – she left with containers full of delicious chocolate;

The bakers were pleased.  They had plenty of cocolate to use in their cupcakes;

I got to pick my favorite — the one with the most chocolate of course 🙂

After I finished my cupcake I went for a walk in the garden and inadvertently ended the chocolate factory game.  You see, in the garden I noticed a multitude of cabbage worms on our broccoli plants.  My expression of annoyance and disgust attracted their attention and I was nearly trampled.

Apparently some people like worms more than chocolate;

I’m not one of them.  Even if they are just ‘baby’ worms and you try to persuade me they are ‘sprinkles’ I still don’t want any.  No thank-you, I’m not hungry anymore.