Today I assisted with two groups of youngsters leading a local Toddler Tales and Trails. The first session was for 0-3 and the second session was for 4-5. It was beneficial to observe the ways in which the different age children were able to engage in activities.
The youngest children just wanted to engage fully, tactically, and with their own choices guiding them in their experiences. They were more impulsive but definitely enthusiastic. They wanted lots of personal connection with the teacher and their parents. They could engage in a short story, they enjoyed the counting rhyme but were mostly into exploration.
Several parents felt bad that their child wasn't able to stay focused, but this early age is not a time for focus. It is a time to be generating a background landscape and just by walking in the woods they were creating a scaffold that will last them far into the future.
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Saturday, July 27, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Children and Gardens are Magical
Last weekend my boys accompanied me as I visited two of the urban garden's from the Seattle Tilth's annual Garden and Chicken Coop tour. Last night a neighbor invited us to explore her yard. Each of of these gardens were amazing. Small pathways through the residential landscapes make marvelous places to explore.
The boys are careful as they have grown up planting their own little patches. Even so- they skip with glee and leapfrog from stone to stone whenever they can. It is clearly a wonderful experience to follow a path and see to what treasure it will emerge from raspberry patch to pea vine.
As I am researching for next week's Nature Playgroup with a focus on Seeds, I found the Magnuson Garden's Website. It sounds wonderful. It is outside our typical radius, but I hope to visit it. It is near one of the most magnificent community gardens ever! Just the description of it inspires me to add to our own family garden.
The boys are careful as they have grown up planting their own little patches. Even so- they skip with glee and leapfrog from stone to stone whenever they can. It is clearly a wonderful experience to follow a path and see to what treasure it will emerge from raspberry patch to pea vine.
As I am researching for next week's Nature Playgroup with a focus on Seeds, I found the Magnuson Garden's Website. It sounds wonderful. It is outside our typical radius, but I hope to visit it. It is near one of the most magnificent community gardens ever! Just the description of it inspires me to add to our own family garden.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Dancing Beside the Street
Most recently I have been reading Biophillic Design and The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life edited Stephen R. Kellert, Judith H. Heerwagen, and Marting L. Mador.
It is inspiring to think of how we can build communities with nature in mind. It is also important to consider how we have community in mind. I feel thankful to our neighborhood's efforts at both of these aspects of life.
Last night was Beatwalk. This event began many years ago in hopes to revitalize the neighborhood businesses. It had great success and we now have a thriving business area. We also have great community. As a child I have a strong memory of going to a street dance in a small South Dakota community. It is one of my favorite childhood memories to remember seeing so many generations of people dancing in the street and the local bar. Yesterday, my neighborhood of Columbia City Seattle had the same event--only the music was different and the crowd not only diverse in ages but also culture. My children and I danced alongside the street (as Rainier Avenue is busy). We met up with neighbors. We heard old school dj music along with marimba, folk and cajun.
Dancing and making together seems to go hand in hand with hiking together. There is room for both and in the city. The challenge is finding the balance of each.
It is inspiring to think of how we can build communities with nature in mind. It is also important to consider how we have community in mind. I feel thankful to our neighborhood's efforts at both of these aspects of life.
Last night was Beatwalk. This event began many years ago in hopes to revitalize the neighborhood businesses. It had great success and we now have a thriving business area. We also have great community. As a child I have a strong memory of going to a street dance in a small South Dakota community. It is one of my favorite childhood memories to remember seeing so many generations of people dancing in the street and the local bar. Yesterday, my neighborhood of Columbia City Seattle had the same event--only the music was different and the crowd not only diverse in ages but also culture. My children and I danced alongside the street (as Rainier Avenue is busy). We met up with neighbors. We heard old school dj music along with marimba, folk and cajun.
Dancing and making together seems to go hand in hand with hiking together. There is room for both and in the city. The challenge is finding the balance of each.
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