All posts by rightfromthestart

early education & play, forest schools, learning environnments, Life in the US, outdoor play, Seattle, Uncategorized, wildlife, woods

Spring Babies

May 4, 2016 rightfromthestart 2 Comments

carson

On our walk to school every day, my daughter loves to stop and look at leaves and flowers, to take a short cut through the woods or to save worms stranded on the path. Often there isn’t enough time to stop and share her observations and wonders. It is important therefore, that I make time to walk with her when we aren’t constrained by time.

Last week, when I was out running, we spotted ducklings on the local pond. I decided to take a walk and see what other babies we could find.

Our first observation was a deep, vibrating sound, a little like a honking goose. The sound followed us but we couldn’t see anything. We thought perhaps it was a type of frog or maybe a bug.

We sat on the bank and watched the ducks come in and out of the water.

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As we carried on around the pond, we came across a family of geese.

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We watched them until they swam away. Passing a smaller pond,we decided to rest there a while, watching the birds and dragonflies. We noticed ladybirds on the lupins. Looking closer, we could see the leaves and stems were covered in aphids. On the centre of one leaf was a pair of ladybirds, who proceeded to fight, just like in the ‘Bad Tempered Ladybird’ by Eric Carle.

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As we sat watching the ladybirds, the geese came swooping across the sky and landed in the pond with a splash.

The spring baby theme has continued. We found a salamander with its eggs in a friends back garden, a newt in the drain and a tiny frog in our worm composter.

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The birds are building a nest in our bird box and we expect to hear the babies soon.

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We noticed that the frog spawn has gone from the storm water pond and if you look closely you can see tiny tadpoles swimming.

To top it all off, the horse at preschool finally gave birth to a foal.

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However simple, the wildlife we see around us every day, is a constant source of wonder. I hope my children will always see the world this way.

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This photograph depicts what all childhood should be; full of the magic and excitement of the unexplored. It reminds me of the magical tales of Enid Blyton that inspired me to pretend to run away to the woods, when I was a child. My friends and I would sometimes pack a picnic or a bag of sweets and sit deep in the trees, listening to the streams and waiting for magic to happen.

From Nature and her overflowing soul

I had received so much that all my thoughts

Were steeped in feeling.

William Wordsworth

active learning, early education & play, education, EYFS, imagination, learning environnments, Maths, outdoor play, play, pre schoolers, Uncategorized

Do We Over Complicate Loose Parts?

April 12, 2016 rightfromthestart 5 Comments

WP_20160324_006 For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term loose parts, check out my post on the theory of loose parts. In simple terms, loose parts are moveable objects that can be used to create, explore and discover.

Educators often collect loose parts for their environments. Collections include buttons, feathers, beads, coins, shells and seeds. Loose parts are added to clay and dough, left in baskets around the room, used for weighing and measuring, to create art, on light and mirror tables and added to block play. I think though, that sometimes educators over-complicate loose parts. We get so excited about the different things we can provide for the children and the beautiful ways we can present them, that it is easy to forget the true essence of the theory of loose parts.

I was reminded as I played with my daughter at the park, that loose parts are everywhere. If we as educators don’t provide loose parts, the children will find them. A brick will become a piece of food, a calculator is a telephone, a sheet will become a cloak or torn paper will be money. Playing with loose parts is the way I played as a child, playing shops with empty boxes or filling empty bottles with leaves, petals, dirt and water. For the child, loose parts are everywhere, they probably don’t call them loose parts but they will find them.

For me the theory of loose parts is an attitude to how children play. It is an acceptance that children may use what is in their environment and make their own choices about what to do with it. Materials do not have to be displayed or stored beautifully, they simply need to be there. The following video illustrates children’s natural ability to find and use loose parts creatively.

early education & play, outdoor play, play, Uncategorized

Simple Pleasures

April 8, 2016 rightfromthestart 4 Comments

I believe that sometimes we try too hard to arrange things for our kids to do and it is important to let them be. There are however, some things that I feel we should introduce our children to. The simple pleasures that we had as kids, are sometimes forgotten and lost. If we are going to teach our children anything, lets preserve simple pleasures like these.

WP_20160324_009 — Learning to play hopscotch

WP_20130507_004 — Blowing a dandelion clock

WP_20140320_001 (2) — Making a daisy chain

WP_20140726_005 — Burying yourself in sand.

WP_20160404_002 — Making a paper aeroplane

What are your simple pleasures?

parenting, pre schoolers, review, toddlers, Uncategorized

Are Your Kids Fussy about What They Wear? Let Them Design Their Own

April 5, 2016 rightfromthestart Leave a comment

All three of my girls have gone through a fussy stage at some point. My eldest wouldn’t wear anything on her waist and had to pull everything down to her hips and all three have gone through a phase of only wearing dresses. My youngest is the most particular about what she wears. We have a wardrobe of clothes that her sisters loved but for some reason she turns her nose up at.

We were very excited therefore, when we won a custom-made dress from The Patchery in a prize giveaway. The Patchery began when a mum was sewing clothes for her kids. Immersed in the creative process, she thought, “Why can’t this be available to everyone, even if you can’t sew?” And that was the beginning of The Patchery.

To design your own clothes you choose a design and fabrics and then the garments are custom-made and shipped to your address. My daughter chose the kimono dress. She chose her fabrics for the bodice , skirt and sleeves and then chose a different fabric for the back. We went through the design a few times to make sure she was happy.

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Her face was a picture when the dress arrived and she tried it on. “Do you think people will think I’m weird because I have different colours on the front and back?” she asked. I told her that nobody else would have a dress quite like it, so they would think it was really cool. “Could I wear it both ways? The blue side one day and then turn it around to the orange side?” she asked. “Perhaps if we cut the label out” I replied. I think she has a pretty cool idea for making her dress even more unique.

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It turned out so beautifully and the quality is stunning. It is such a great concept, I just had to share it. It makes a wonderful gift for young children. Baby clothes are also available so next time someone I know has a baby, I’m going to order a custom-made outfit. What a special gift that would be.

disclaimer: this is a personal recommendation. I did not receive payment or products for writing this post.

active learning, art, art and crafts, early education & play, EYFS, music, play, pre schoolers, sensory play, teaching, Uncategorized

Art Lessons: Abstract Painting to Music

April 1, 2016 rightfromthestart 3 Comments

WP_20160318_003 One way to ensure that you don’t end up with a wall of identical paintings is to introduce children to abstract art. We used the book The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art as a starting point. The book tells the story of Kandinsky’s ability to ‘see music’ and ‘hear paintings’.

I explained that abstract art is not about creating a particular thing but is about expressing how you feel.

Each child had a pallet of acrylic paints, 2 different sized paintbrushes, a canvas, a pot of water and paper towel to wash and dry the brushes. I showed them how to clean their brushes by washing it in the water and drying it with the paper towel.

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The children began when I played the music – I chose a quiet piece to add focus, Dvorak’s Largo from Symphony no. 9.

Some children were engrossed in colour mixing, while others enjoyed layering colours one on top of the other. Some concentrated on texture and others focused on shape and colour.

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The strong focus on process lead to an interesting discussion with the teacher after class. We lamented the lack of time children in Kindergarten and beyond, to experiment with paint and the impact this has on their motor development. I always feel my lessons should be in at least 2 parts, one for discovery and process and the another to create a product. I wish there was time for the children to practice skills and develop. My eldest daughter attends a school where the whole curriculum is taught through the medium of visual and performing arts – are there any creative elementary teachers out there doing the same?

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active learning, art and crafts, early education & play, EYFS, play, pre schoolers, recipes, science, sensory play, Uncategorized

I Finally Made Play Dough that Isn’t Sticky

March 29, 2016 rightfromthestart 2 Comments

I am terrible at making play dough. For years I have experimented with all kinds of recipes, cold, cooked and microwaved but all of them turn out in a sticky mess within 24 hours. That is until a pre school teacher shared this simple formula with me. Mix 2 cups of corn starch/ corn flour with 1 cup of hair conditioner. Finally a recipe that works!

Feel your skin, it’s really nice and smooth.

The texture is slightly less firm and more crumbly than standard play dough but it has a lovely silky texture and led to some interesting creations.

The first time I made a snowman, it was really good and then I noticed that it kept going down all the time. It’s like a melting snowman.

I added some silly putty to it to make this design

childhood, days out, early education & play, learning environnments, outdoor play, parenting, parents, play, risk taking, water play

You’re My Kind of Mum Friend Because…..

Image March 23, 2016 rightfromthestart 20 Comments

A few weeks ago I went for a walk to the park with my daughter. She likes to climb to the top of the climbing frame and play pirates. The game involves roaming the edges of the park for interesting treasures and on this day, she discovered big rocks. She proceeded to pick them up and roll them down the bank, watching them crash at the bottom. The only other child at the park was a little younger than my daughter and after observing her for a while, she found her own rock. She used all of her efforts to lift the rock and proudly show it to her mum. At which point, she was greeted with a look of horror and her mum quickly took the rock away and ushered her to ‘more suitable’ pursuits.

This kind of reaction is very familiar. When my children were toddlers, other parents would often ask me if my children were okay when they climbed a ladder and slid down the longest slide, as I observed from a distance. I have never been a parent to shadow my child’s every move and rarely feel the need to step in.

It is always refreshing to find a parent who shares my attitude. On a recent trip to the park with a friend, I was so happy to find someone who not only didn’t bat an eyelid when my eldest started paddling barefooted in the cold wet mud but actively encouraged the others to join in. When the children threw rocks on the ground to see if they would break , she gave them advice on how to do it safely, rather than stopping them because it was too dangerous.

You are my kind of mum friend because you let all these experiences happen.

FullSizeRender [345550] — It’s fun to stand on the roundabout, when we fell, we worked out how we needed to balance to stay on.

WP_20160322_003 1 — When you are 5 you can climb a big rock without any help.

WP_20151130_001 — I can test the ice if I stand on the edge and throw sticks to see if it will break.

WP_20151124_005 — I explore the size of the ripples as I throw stones into the pond. If I get too close I might get wet and the water is cold!

WP_20151113_002 1 — Mud is good – the squishier the better!

WP_20140501_005 — We don’t need a swimming costume to get wet.

WP_20140123_008 (1) — Who can find the biggest branch?

WP_20130619_011 — Don’t tell me it’s cold, I need to feel it!

FullSizeRender [345562] — It’s okay to play – even when you’re almost 12.

FullSizeRender [345556] — If I ride on my coat, I go faster.

FullSizeRender [345552] — It’s okay to remove your shoes and coat when it isn’t quite Spring.

blossom — Take off your shirt and play with a stick.

getting wet — I’m going to have a shower. I’m getting very wet, now the rain is staying on me.

And when you let these things happen, with a little bit of support they will have the courage to jump.

days out, families, Life in the US, outdoor play, Seattle

A Spring Day Out with Kids at Alki Beach

March 5, 2016 rightfromthestart 6 Comments

beach

You might only consider visiting Alki Beach in Summer when the children want to swim and soak up the sun, but there are many things to do when visiting out of season. Alki beach is more than just a beach, it also has great historical significance. Alki Beach is the site of the landing of the first white settlers in Seattle on a cold, stormy day in November of 1851. Chief Seattle and his tribe greeted them and helped them build their cabin to stave off the cold, wet winter.

You may be lucky and end up with a surprisingly warm, Spring day as we did. Some attractions, like speciality bikes, aren’t available until Easter and the ferry to Seattle only runs on weekdays but in some ways this gives children more chance to stop and take in the simple things. Here are some of the things my children enjoyed.

Build a sandcastle

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The first thing my kids want to do when they see sand is build a sandcastle. They found shells and feathers to decorate it and we had to judge whose was the best.

2. Climb on Driftwood

Alki Beach has an abundance of driftwood and uprooted trees for little climbers.

3. Let the Air Vents Blow your Clothes and Hair

4. Visit the Miniature Statue of Liberty

liberty alki

The Statue of Liberty, a small replica of the original “Liberty Enlightening the World” in New York City, was a gift from Reginald H. Parsons and the Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 1952. The statue has become such a symbol of liberty and courage that it became a place to mourn, to reflect, and to leave mementos after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

5. Follow the Avenue of Stars

Avenue of stars Alki

if you continue along the path past the lighthouse you will reach a stretch of path where all the constellations are marked along the path. Great for an evening stroll as in the spring as you won’t have to wait too long for the stars to come out.

6. Search for Signs of Marine Life

seal statue Alki

All along the trail are signs outlining the wildlife you may find. Seal pups are common between June and September but even in March you may see evidence of seals, sea otters or whales in the water. The girls were excited to see seagulls and enjoyed pretending to be seals.

7. Stop for Ice Cream

ice cream at gelarto alki

Not just any ice cream, Italian fair trade, organic gelato from Gelarto

8. Find the Little Lighthouse

lighthouse alki

Lighthouse tours are available during the Summer at weekends.

We’ll definitely head back soon with our bikes, scooters and roller blades for a safe and beautiful place to practice.

books, early education & play, education, reading, review, teaching, Uncategorized

A Book to Encourage Children to Achieve their Dreams?

February 24, 2016 rightfromthestart 1 Comment

Little Banty Chicken is a tale about the importance of dreams and how sharing them helps them come true. Written in the style of a traditional fairy tale, it tells the story of a chicken who, on the moon’s advice, tells his dream to his friends. Each friend encourages him to move towards his dream and contributes to its realisation at the end the story.

Little Banty Chicken and the Big Dream is written by Linea Gillen, a teacher and counsellor for over 30 years and delicately illustrated by Kristina Swanson.

The story is both engaging and inspiring but I found the talking points and activities at the end really captured my children’s imaginations. The key question is “What is your dream?” a question that young children may need to think about for some time.

My-7-year-old knew immediately what her dream was but in a very deflated manner said,

” I don’t think anyone will be able to help me make my dream come true.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Well, I want to stop all the animals from becoming extinct and I don’t think anyone can make that happen”.

This particular dream began after we read an article about the danger of large carnivores becoming extinct in the next 25 years. She often asks how we will be able to stop people killing animals. This is a big dream indeed and doesn’t have a simple solution.

We talked about how this is the kind of dream that can’t be achieved on your own. Asking other people to help could be a way forward.

“But who could I ask? I don’t think anyone will know.”

“Well perhaps not now, but as you get older you will be able to find people who know how to help and work together.”

“You mean like a scientist?”

“Exactly, or groups of people who work together to help it to stop”.

Real, face-to-face communication is necessary for developing essential life skills such as empathy, conflict resolution, problem solving, and more. And when problems arise – when life hurts us – we need real world communities for support. Many adults see asking for help as a weakness and find it hard to delegate. These skills are an important part of children’s social and emotional learning. ‘Little Banty Chicken and the Big Dream’ is a perfect way to introduce these concepts to young children.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes.

art, art and crafts, books, early education & play, imagination, pre schoolers, teaching, Uncategorized

Art Lessons: Designing Monsters with Oil Pastels.

February 19, 2016 rightfromthestart 1 Comment

For this months art lesson with First Graders, I wanted a project that came from their own imaginations and displayed their creative expression.

Knowing that my own children had invented wonderful monsters with charcoal, I decided to make colourful ones with oil pastel.

Some children struggle with inventing a character from their imagination, so I started the lesson with a book to provide inspiration and illustration of shape, texture and size.

sleepy monsters

I chose the book Sleepy Monsters, Creepy Monsters because the text is simple and does not distract from the visual images and the illustrations depict a variety of monsters.

We talked through the pictures, noting features such as eyes on sticks, number of legs, spikes and shapes and discussing the function of these features.

Once the story had finished I instructed them to think for a few minutes about what they would like their monster to be.

Did it have a particular function?

Where did it live?

What would it eat?

Was it a kind or scary monster?

The children then drew their outline shapes on the paper. Once I had checked the size of the monster, the children were given oil pastels to add detail and colour it in. I asked them not to leave any white spaces, except for the background so that they would be as vibrant as possible.

When the children were satisfied with their drawings, they were show how to use a Q tip/ cotton bud dipped in baby oil to blend the oil pastels to a smooth finish, without any white spaces.

Finally they outlined their drawings with a black sharpie to add definition.

The background was applied with a watercolour wash.

I asked my daughter about her monster.

The 2 eyes on the right can turn all the way back, so they can see behind them.

It has spikes to protect itself from people. Monsters are scared of people, that’s why they attack us.

It’s favourite food is carrots.

He is 8.

He likes to make monsters out of pipe cleaners.