A growing body of scientific research shows the many positive effects mindfulness has on the mental health and well-being of young children. Practicing mindfulness ​has been shown to improve attention and reduce stress as well as increase one's ability to regulate emotions and feel compassion and empathy. Habits formed early in life provide the foundation for behaviors in adulthood, and with mindfulness, we have the opportunity to give our children the habit of being peaceful, kind and accepting with themselves and others.

Have a look at the benefits of a mindfulness practice for children researched by the Mindfulness In Schools Program:

​Wellbeing and Mental Health:
As well as helping them to recognize worry, manage difficulties and cope with stress, developing a more mindful awareness also helps children and young people to appreciate what is going well and to flourish.


Concentration and Cognition:
Mindfulness trains us to understand and direct our attention with greater awareness and skill. This may improve the capacity of children to concentrate and be less distracted, as well as their working memory and ability to plan.


Social and Emotional Learning:
Mindfulness helps to develop a greater awareness of relationships and how to manage them, as well as offering a richer understanding of things like self-esteem and optimism.


Behavior:
Mindfulness helps young children to self-regulate more effectively, manage impulsivity and reduce conflict. 

​
At Austin Children's Garden we weave in mindfulness practices into our daily curriculum.  Here are some of our favorite mindfulness practices  - we hope you are inspired to try some at home:

This approach to sharing mindfulness draws on the elements of nature. Often, we reflect on the beauty and serenity of the natural world out there, and overlook our own beautiful nature. This exercise introduces children to ways of seeing the strength and beauty of nature within themselves, offering a short practice to help relax and observe their experience.

​This Nature Meditation is from Mindful.org and the kids loved imagining themselves as the tree, wind, and sun. They especially loved being the sun and sending out love to their family. 

"When we go outside we can see and feel so many wonderful things. Things like trees, and the wind, and the clouds, and the sun.

In many ways we are like these beautiful parts of nature, and for this exercise we’ll be like the tree and the wind and the sun.

Our body is like a tree. It grows and it is strong.
Our breath is like the wind. It flows in and out.
And the sun is like the part of us that is warm and kind.

So let’s lower or close our eyes and sit tall like a tree. We extend our hands way out and stretch our fingers, like branches and leaves. Let’s squeeze our fingers together and then let go and feel them wiggle, like they are blowing in the wind.

And now, with the wind blowing, let’s be like the wind and take a two big, slow breaths. Breathing in . . . and breathing out, blowing out the wind. Breathing in . . .  and breathing out, blowing out the wind.

And now the sun comes out and warms the tree and the wind. As it shines on the tree, we feel our body. Can you feel fingers and feel your toes? What else can you feel—just by noticing?

And as the sun shines on the wind, we feel our body breathing. Can you feel your belly moving up and down? Can you feel the air flowing in and out of your beautiful body?

And with the sun up high in the sky, brightening and warming the whole world, you too can warm the world—with your kindness!

Think of someone who can use a little kindness—like your sister or brother, or a friend, or your teacher. And as you think of them, wish for them, “May you be happy,” imagining them smiling like the sun.

You deserve happiness too. So now wish for yourself, “May I be happy,” and smile like the sun.

And as you smile like the sun, feel your body sitting tall like a tree and feel your breath blowing like the wind.
​
And then gently open your eyes and look around. You are amazing!"

Another great nature-based meditation is this one outlined in the book 'A Handful of Quiet'. For this meditation the kids created their own meditation cards, corresponding meditation pebbles, and designed a bag to hold their pebbles. When children are engaged in the creative process they are much more willing and invested to engage with the practice!

To make the pebbles we used paint markers on these beautiful jade pebbles. Each child designed four pebbles to symbolize the flower, water, sky, and mountain.

We also decorated our bags for the pebbles to give them a more personal touch.

To practice with our pebbles, we pulled a pebble from the bag, matched it with the corresponding card, and then followed the breathing and affirmations on the card. The surprise of pulling a different pebble out of the bag really helps to engage the interest of a young child!

To access more cards to make at home see the blog Keepers of the Future.

When we move our bodies with an awareness of our breath, our senses, our thoughts, and our feelings we are cultivating a mindfulness practice and focusing on the present moment.  In our children's yoga classes this month we focused on the poses that the reflected the nature elements from our Pebble Meditation.

Bring the soles of your feet together and imagine you are a beautiful flower.  What color are you? What do you smell like? What is your flower feeling in this moment?

Now grow your flower by lifting your feet wide in your hands.  How big can you make your flower?

Take 3 deep breaths.  Breathe from your roots to your petals.  Feel the sunshine and the wind.

Breathing in: I see myself as a flower
​Breathing out: I am beautiful, just as I am

With your legs out in front of you touch your toes in a forward bend. Imagine you are a calm clear lake. Can you see the sky and trees in the reflection of your lake? What does the sky look like? Take 3 deep breaths here.

Breathing in: Still water
​Breathing out: Reflecting

Stand with your legs hip width apart and bring your palms together on top of your head like a mountain top. Imagine you are a mountain - solid, strong, and confident.

Breathing in: Mountain
​Breathing out: Solid

Step your legs wide and stretch your arms out like a star. Imagine you are the big blue sky with lots of space in and around you. Take 3 deep breaths here.

Breathing in: I see myself as the big blue sky
Breathing out: I feel very free and at ease

To deepen our connection to our pebble meditation our art projects focused on the themes and qualities of the flower, water, mountain, and sky.

To help young children focus on their breath the kids love this Breathing Buddy exercise where you place a small stuffed animal on your belly and take a deep breath in so you can see your animal rise and fall with your breath.

This is one of the best tools we use in our calming basket if kids are feeling big emotions like anger, overwhelm, or fear.  To read more about how to make and use them check out our previous blog.

We love to use the Mindfulness Bell to begin our circle times and yoga/mindfulness classes. Check out these ​5 Ways to Practice Mindful Listening with a Bell by HeartMindKids.

A dear friend heard we were having an extra focus on mindfulness this month and created these beautiful handmade cards for the kids to learn and play with! Thank you Cory!!

Another great tool in our calming basket is this simple finger maze.  The kids are so focused as they follow the lines to the center with their fingertip.

The word "mandala" is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "circle". Creating mandalas is a mindfulness tool that kids love as they explore circles, patterns and radial symmetry.

The mandalas had us noticing circle everywhere so went on a hunt for circles all over the garden!

Gardening is a wonderful way to practice mindfulness as we focus on our senses and the present moment while connecting to nature and the world around us.

We found a snail on the lettuce leaves and noticed that the snail was a spiral which is a type of mandala! Then we found more spirals on the nature table.

These were a few of our favorite story time books this month!

We loved reading this fun book that inspired us to try foods with a deeper awareness as we compared raisins to grapes, pickles to cucumbers, and cabbage to saurkraut while focusing on all our senses.

Cooking is a natural mindful activity as we explored the tastes, textures, colors, scents, and sounds of the cooking process.

Mix together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients then add the dry to the wet while stirring. Scoop spoonfuls onto parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Happy Birthday Mr. Ben!

These chocolate muffins were even more delicious when we appreciated each ingredient and really noticed the sounds of the cracking egg, the scent of the cocoa powder and the change in texture before and after baking.

​See you next time!

Research in neuroscience and other developmental sciences shows us that the basic architecture of a child’s brain is constructed through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues through adulthood. Like the construction of a home, the building process begins with laying the foundation, framing the rooms, and wiring the electrical system in a predictable sequence. Early experiences literally shape how the brain gets built. A strong foundation in the early childhood increases the probability of positive outcomes.

In an environment intentionally designed to provide brain-building experiences for children, the educator is available to children when they need guidance and assistance with new ideas. The teacher’s role is to help create the learning environment and offer support when needed to help children develop new skills and facilitating interplay between children and the environment. The adult is not the only source of input and exploration for children. A well-planned environment will provide children with an array of learning experiences. When such an environment is combined with intentional, brain-building learning activities, children have the best of all possible worlds.

To learn more about how experiences build brain architecture see this video from Harvard University.

​STEAM is an acronym used by educators for learning experiences that link together: science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
​
Brain Building for STEAM includes the following:

Science is a way of thinking. Science is observing and experimenting, making predictions, sharing discoveries, asking questions, and wondering how things work.

Technology is a way of doing. Technology is using tools, being inventive, identifying problems, and making things work.

Engineering is a way of doing. Engineering is solving problems, using a variety of materials, designing and creating, and building things that work.

Art is a way of creating. When it comes to art, it goes beyond aesthetics. The ‘A’ includes the liberal arts as well, meaning language arts, social studies, physical arts, fine arts, and music.

Math is a way of measuring. Math is sequencing (1, 2, 3, 4…), patterning (1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2…), and exploring shapes (triangle, square, circle), volume (holds more or less), and size (bigger, less than). 

At ACG we are always looking at how to create our environment and the experiences we offer to help build a healthy foundation for young children's development. Check out our STEAM inspired projects this month as we explored color and light!

These color cards introduce new shades of old favorites and really expanded our color vocabulary.

Matching card colors with found items in the schoolhouse!

We we took turns picking cards and described how the different colors made us feel.

"Azure makes me feel like flying!"
"This one makes me feel like a fire truck!"
​"Emerald is happy!"

We loved these books to explore more colors, colors in Spanish, and the feelings of colors.

Sorting is a simple math activity that kids love!

"I made a dog!"

"It's a liquid and a solid!!"

"It's turning purple!"

This project is a fun way to explore light, reflection, and symmetry!

The cube changes color too...

... which changes the colors of the blocks!

"X-rays are translucent!"

Which rocks are translucent?  Which ones are opaque?

We took the light cube outside and looked for translucent and opaque objects from nature.

The kids were thrilled to get out the hand drills they learned to use in our unit on woodworking!

"M"

"I"

"L"

"Y"

These were a hit at our Winter Potluck!
​

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Take out the stems of the kale and tear into smaller pieces then wash and dry in salad spinner. Add kale to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with oil. Use hands to massage the kale to soften its texture and disperse the oil. Set aside.
3. Add 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast and 1/2 tsp salt to the kale and toss to distribute, working it into the grooves so it's thoroughly coated.
4. Divide kale between 2 large baking sheets (or more if increasing batch size) and spread into an even layer, making sure the pieces aren't overlapping to ensure crispiness. You may need to bake them in two batches depending on size of baking sheets.
5. Sprinkle the kale with 1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast for extra flavor and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove from oven and toss/flip kale to ensure even baking.
6. Bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until chips are crispy and golden brown. Watch carefully to ensure they don't burn. Let cool slightly before enjoying.

The kids are fascinated with the experience of centripetal force when using the greens spinner!

We enjoyed these at the Winter Potluck too!  So delicious made with fresh lemons from our lemon tree!

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup coconut flour

Spoon into muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool and top with fresh grated lemon zest.

What?? Young children using hammers... saws... drills!?!

​ Yes! Woodworking is a wonderful learning activity that supports whole-child development.

Here are some of the many benefits that woodworking provides:
 ​

• Cognitive/Intellectual: a whole brain activity that provides young children with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) resources and the means to become makers, tinkerers, and engineers through mathematical thinking, creativity, problem solving skills, and fostering imagination.
• ​Social/Emotional: Sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, competence, responsibility, respect for self and others, respect for materials and safety. Builds children's self-image, self-esteem, self-confidence and self-sufficiency.
• Physical: Gross motor strength, eye-hand coordination, and fine motor control.
• Sensory: Stimulates the senses with the smell and feel of the wood, the dusty friction of sanding something smooth, the contrast of warm wood and cold metal, and provides proprioceptive input to the muscles and joints.

​Last month the children were delighted as we introduced them to some basic woodworking skills through hammering pumpkins and pecans, sanding wood, and using wood glue to create unique sculptures in our unit block on trees. Their enthusiasm inspired us to go more deeply into the woodworking process . This is an excellent example of how a natural curriculum emerges in response to the children's interests.

A geoboard is a fun mathematical manipulative used to explore basic concepts in plane geometry such as perimeter, area, and the characteristics of triangles and other polygons.

To make our geoboards we used a ruler to measure out the space we wanted our nails to be, made dots, and hammered our nails on top of the dots. Then simply added rubber bands to make shapes.

How to use a hammer safely:
​

• Hold the hammer firmly on the lower part of the handle.
• Hold the nail towards the top of the nail to avoid hitting your thumb.

​The claw of the hammer is used to remove unwanted nails.

To make our Name Blocks we sanded them smooth, then picked out the letters of our name and safely hammered them into the block.

To make our Counting Blocks we measured out how to space our nails evenly, marked those spots with a dot, and then nailed on the dots. Once the nails were in we added numbers.  We used paper clips to help us count and then used them to explore addition and subtraction.

​This is a clamp.  The clamp holds the wood safely so it doesn't move when we hammer, saw, or drill. To use the clamp screw the handle until the wood is tight.

We made these simple boats with 4 inch blocks of wood. We sanded the rough edges until they were smooth, made a sail, drilled a hole for our sail, then oiled our boats with olive oil to protect them from water.

​This is a hand drill.  Hand drills are much more safe than electric drills as they move a lot slower but they are still very effective tools and they still require safety precautions.

How to use a drill safely:
​

• a drill is like a little spinning knife and it's purpose is to drill holes through materials
• always wear safety glasses
• always use 2 hands on the drill
• hold drill straight
• press lightly, let the drill bit do the work

Use drill bits carefully and respectfully.

This is an awl. Awls are used to make starter holes so it's easier to drill. We also used the awl to make holes for our sails. The awl has a sharp point so use awls carefully and be aware of the point.

​"My boat floats!"

To make our airplanes we used a ruler to measure out different lengths of wood, used a square to make a straight guide line, sawed our wood pieces, sanded our wood pieces, made starter holes with the awl, drilled starter holes for the nails, nailed our pieces together, and decorated our planes.

​This is a saw. A saw cuts wood.  A saw has a handle and a blade with teeth. To use a saw safely:

• Only hold the handle, the blade and the teeth are sharp.
• Use a clamp or a vice to secure the wood.
• Make sure your saw is sharp and clean.
• Make a guide line on the wood so you know exactly where your cut will be made.
• Wear safety glasses.
• Start sawing slowly. Apply pressure to the saw as you push downward on the cut, but release pressure as you pull the saw back toward yourself. Find your rhythm. Getting into a steady rhythm as you saw will help you slice through the materials.

To make our sewing sticks we first made our sewing thread by cutting some yard and putting tape on the ends so it will sew back and forth through the holes easily. Then we measured our sticks with a ruler, made a straight guide line with the square, sawed our wood, sanded our wood, drilled the sewing holes into the stick, decorated the sticks, and practiced our sewing skills.

​While the older children measured out an arm's length of yarn, the younger kids enjoyed practicing their cutting skills.

This tool is called a square (even though it is the shape of a triangle!!).
It is used to make straight guide lines on wood for cutting.

The decoration part of the woodworking projects allows for more creativity and individual expression in the pieces!

To make our baby dolls, we used a ruler to measure out different lengths of wood, a square to make straight guide lines, a vice to clamp the wood, sawed the wood, sanded the wood, drilled holes for the nails, nailed the different parts of our doll together, and decorated our baby dolls.

We used a variety of carving knives and tools to get some beginner's experience in whittling.  We started with the most basic and safest technique which is to:
​

• Hold the knife in one hand and the wood in the other.
• Make sweeping cuts away from your body, along the grain of the wood.
• Lead the knife slightly sideways to give the best cutting technique.

​"I made an iguanodon tooth!"

​"I made a birdie!"

Every year we have a fundraiser to support Austin Children's Garden in continuing to flourish as an enriching, creative, thriving, and very, very special place for children to learn and grow.  Inspired by the children's enthusiasm and growth with the focus on woodworking this month we ask our community to help make our dream of a Maker Space Tinkering Shed become a reality!!

Over the winter break we hope to transform our historic outdoor building (built in 1895!) into an awesome and inspirational Maker Space Tinkering Shed for the kids.  Please contribute to our GoFundMe page: 

​www.gofundme.com/maker-space-for-acg

Or donate directly toward the following items:

Child sized work bench (like this one from Community Playthings)
2 sturdy worktables with adjustable legs for different aged groups (like these!)
3-D lazer printer
Free standing stainless steel sink
Electric kiln
Small pottery wheel
Clamp lights
Wood storage shelves
Wall tool storage system
​

Let's turn this beautiful historic outdoor building into a creative maker and tinkering space so we have a safe and equipped environment to take small groups of children for age appropriate maker adventures!

Besides woodworking the kids had several other fun projects this month!

Our pecan trees have been abundant with delicious fresh pecans this year and the kids loved using a variety of tools to enjoy them!

​"I did it!"

November is a natural time to focus on love and gratitude with Thanksgiving and all the time with family the holiday brings so we had many different projects that helped us identify and express what we love and what we are most grateful for.

We made our turkey tails by decorating clothespins with feathers and writing out something that we love and appreciate. Then we clipped them on our bodies and tried to tag our friends by pulling on their turkey tail.

To make our Thankful Pumpkin we took turns writing or drawing what we are thankful for on the pumpkin. It makes a great centerpiece for the dining table!

We love this gentle yoga flow with this sweet poem that inspires gratitude for the earth and each other.

Pick Up Sticks with a gratitude twist.

Learning the letter D through form drawing.

"Star Pose"
​"La Estrella"

"Airplane Pose"
​"El Vuelo"

"Boat Pose"
​"La Barca"

Pretzel Breath - it's one of the trickiest ones to master but it's so wonderfully effective at calming the mind and feeling peaceful.  A good way to learn the arm cross is to:

• Hold your arms out straight with the backs of your hands facing each other
• Clasp your hands together and bring them towards you
• Nuzzle your hands against your chest and take a deep breath

If crossing the arms is too difficult, it's still very helpful to simply hold your hands together and focus on your breathing.

Check out our previous blog Amazing Garden Carrot Cake for one of our fave recipes!

See you next time!

One of our missions at Austin Children's Garden is to create a connection to the natural world which opens up a child's innate sense of wonder, sparks creativity, arouses curiosity, and gives children a deep respect for our environment. 

​We support this connection by offering natural play areas, hands-on science & nature projects, organic gardening, preparation of healthy natural foods, natural non-toxic cleaning supplies, clean energy, sustainable environmental practices, animal stewardship, and ample time for unstructured outdoor play everyday.

Nature-based learning is blossoming the world over and incorporates the following ideas:

• Children learning about their connections to the natural environment through all subjects.
• Children having direct experience in both the human built and natural environment in their own community.
• Children having time to just "be" in nature, to play, to become naturally curious, and to powerfully stimulate their sense of wonder and discovery.
• Children using critical thinking to make decisions about and act for the environment.
• Children using place-based experience to create an inquiry focused, relevant and real world, hands-on investigation of their world.

​Many studies show the positive links between nature-based learning with children’s mental, emotional and physical health and well-being.

​Check out these 10 Benefits of Nature-Based Learning inspired by years of research with the North American Association of Environmental Education:

1.  Enhances cognitive abilities. Proximity to, views of, and daily exposure to natural settings increases children’s ability to focus and enhances cognitive abilities (Wells, 2000).
​
2. Supports creativity and problem solving. Studies of children in schoolyards found that children engage in more creative forms of play in the green areas. They also played more cooperatively (Bell and Dyment, 2006). Play in nature is especially important for developing capacities for creativity, problem-solving, and intellectual development (Kellert, 2005).

3. Reduces stress. Green plants and vistas reduce stress among children. Locations with greater number of plants, greener views, and access to natural play areas show more significant results (Wells and Evans, 2003).

4.  Improves academic performance. Studies in the US show that schools that use outdoor classrooms and other forms of nature-based experiential education support significant student gains in social studies, science, language arts, and math. Students in outdoor science programs improved their science testing scores by 27% (American Institutes for Research, 2005).

5.  Reduces Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms. Contact with the natural world can significantly reduce symptoms of attention deficit disorder in children (Kuo and Taylor, 2004).

6.  Increases physical activity. Children who experience school grounds with diverse natural settings are more physically active, more aware of nutrition, more civil to one another and more creative (Bell and Dyment, 2006).

7.  Improves nutrition. Children who grow their own food are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables (Bell & Dyment, 2008) and to show higher levels of knowledge about nutrition (Waliczek, & Zajicek, 2006). They are also more likely to continue healthy eating habits throughout their lives (Morris & Zidenberg-Cherr, 2002).

8.  Improves eyesight. More time spent outdoors is related to reduced rates of nearsightedness, also known as myopia, in children and adolescents (American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2011).

9.  Improves social relations. Children will be smarter, better able to get along with others, healthier and happier when they have regular opportunities for free and unstructured play in the out-of-doors (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005).

10. Improves self-discipline. Access to green spaces, and even a view of green settings, enhances peace, selfcontrol and self-discipline with children (Taylor, Kuo and Sullivan, 2001).

We started our learning block on trees by visiting all the trees in the garden and collecting different leaves for study and various projects. While we were exploring we discovered so many different insects, baby plants, snails, and interesting rocks.

From a pile of leaves from 9 different varieties of trees our young learners sorted and classified with the different shapes, colors, and scents.

We also sorted the different berries and seeds the trees create!

Beeswax block crayons are amazing tools for young children's artwork. They are easy to hold, made of natural ingredients, and are very bright and opaque. The broad edge can be used to make smooth color and is ideal for rubbings.

We traced some of our leaves then cut out and colored the different shapes.

To further highlight the different shapes and qualities of the leaves we made Gold Leaf Leaves! We painted dried leaves with adhesive and then carefully layered the thin gold sheets on top.

The kids were very impressed that gold leaf is made from real gold!

How old are trees? If you count all the growth rings on the inside of a tree it will tell you how old the tree is. 

We made rubbings of bark from various trees to compare their lines and texture.

An interesting way to pay attention to different branches is to cover them in paint and see what you notice!

We found a caterpillar on one of our Texas Redbud leaves which started the questions: Who lives in trees?  What do they eat?

The first answer was "Birds live in trees!", then "Squirrels", then "Owls!".

"Fruits!", "Nuts", and "Flowers!".

We made stamps from real apples!

We put all the art projects together and created a magnificent collaborative Art Tree!

First we ripped up some of our bark rubbings to create the trunk.

Then we attached some of our leaf rubbings to our painted branches with copper wire.

With a hot glue gun we attached our branches to our canvas.

We made a poster explaining the different parts of a tree, what their purposes are, how trees benefit others, and how can we help the trees.

We used paper towels as a model to explore how the roots fibers and vessels help water overcome gravity by absorbing the water molecules and nutrients. The older Science Friday kids also learned that water has amazing properties partly due to their molecules having a positive and negative side that help them attach to each other and plant roots. This allows them to overcome gravity through capillary action!

The previous gold leafing activity reminded us of Gustav Klimt's famous painting "The Tree of Life".  We looked at a copy of the original painting and then made our own versions with rich gold paint, stencils, and stamps.

We painted with the small twigs and leaves from various trees.

We created unique sculptures from red clay, sticks, leaves, seed pods, and other tree-made items,

We studied our miniature Benjamin Tree as we followed its lines and shapes with colored pencils and beeswax crayons.

The kids loved this fun sensory game!  Find a tree and touch it, smell it and listen. Try to memorize the sounds around the tree, the smell of the tree and the texture of the tree. Take at least 20 steps away from the tree and have your partner blindfold you and spin you around gently.  With your partner guiding you try to find your way back to the tree!

We asked the children "What are all the ways trees help us?" and they quickly answered:

"They give us food!"
"They clean the air!"
"They make homes for animals!"
"They make wood so we can build houses!"
​"Paper!  Books are made from trees!"

We harvested pecans, used hammers to crack them open, and then picked out the tasty nuts for our Pecan Pumpkin Muffins (see recipe at end of blog!).

All this talk of trees really had us noticing all the things around us that originally come from trees. There are so many instruments made from wood... guitars, drums, ukeleles, egg shakers...

The amazing Molly Venter visited us with a music class underneath our beloved Magic Tree!

The kids loved making these wooden bracelets and created some simple patterns.

Need to occupy your little one for a while? Give them a block of wood and some sandpaper - they loved this!

After sanding, we painted some of our wood blocks in preparation of a collaborative project.

After painting, we glued our wooden pieces together with REAL wood glue!

Mr Ben guided us to make a strong and stable base, then we got all creative and artistic on top!

Some of the older kids used vices, hammers, and nails to create their own work!

The younger kids practiced hammering on pumpkins!

One way to support the trees is to recycle paper products.  We made our own creative paper from recycled art projects and leaves and flowers from the garden.

"I did it!"

This month the kids have loved Halloween Yoga - try some at home together!  We included some of the different creatures they might encounter trick or treating in a fun, full-bodied, light-hearted yoga sequence!

Feel the stretch from your fingers to your toes!

Raise your arms up into bat wings with an inhale then exhale into a forward bend as an upside down sleeping bat. As you exhale it's fun to make a screeching bat noise!

Take a deep squat with an inhale, then as you exhale stick out your tongue and open your face wide with a monster roar!

Grow your roots deep into the ground on your standing leg, then balance up into tree pose with crooked arms for a 'spooky' effect.

With your arms straight out in front of you, inhale your right leg up, exhale down, then inhale your left leg up, exhale down.

Sit back into chair pose on an inhale, as you exhale cackle like a witch!

On an inhale come down into downward dog, on an exhale howl like a werewolf!  Stick one leg up and wag your werewolf tail!

On an inhale curve your back up into cow pose as you exhale say "Mooooooo" like a ghost saying "Booooooo" then on an inhale arch up into cat and as you exhale say "Meeoooow".

Sit on your knees. With an inhale stretch your spine long and open your wise eyes.  With an exhale, stretch your chin over your right shoulder and say "hoohooo", repeat on left side.

Exhale down into child's pose.  Curve your back round like a pumpkin.  Imagine you are a jack o lantern and that the light of the candle is deep in your heart. Take 3 deep breaths here, imagining your glowing candle in your heart.

These superfood muffins were loved by all! The kids loved using hammers to prepare the pecans and chocolate chunks. Hammers were a hit this month for so many different activities!

​Step 1.
Prepare the pecans by hammering into small pieces in a plastic bag.  Prepare the chocolate chunks by hammering a 1/2 bar of dark chocolate into small bits.

Step 2:
Mix together 4 eggs, 3 TBS of soaked chia seeds, 1 cup pureed pumpkin, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 cup coconut oil.

Step 3:
​In another bowl mix together 1/2 cup coconut flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice, and 1/4 cup Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener.

Step 4:
Combine wet and dry ingredients until mixed thoroughly.

Step 5:
Spoon mixture into mini muffin pan.

Step 6:
Mix 1/2 cup smashed (or chopped) pecans with 1 TBS of coconut oil and 1 TBS of coconut sugar, sprinkle pecan mix on top of muffins, then bake at 400 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes.

1. Start with free play. Playing outdoors, exploring textures and colors, running and jumping, designing and building are all learning activities in and of themselves.

2. Short focused trips are ok! It doesn't have to be a whole day adventure. Even a ten-minute walk can yield lots of observations. 

3. Be safe. Preview the space to be explored whenever possible. Point out dangers such as broken glass or thorny plants. Make sure everyone has appropriate clothing for the weather.

4. Encourage respect for nature. Tell children that they need to respect plants and animals just like they respect one another. Be a good role model by being gentle with leaves and insects. Before you go out, talk about whether it is okay to pick flowers or collect worms.

​5. Encourage a sense of wonder. If you don’t know the names of plants or birds, don’t worry. Just make sure students are observing and using their senses. There are plenty of field guides available if students want to try to identify something.

6. Visit the same spot multiple times over the course of the year. Even in winter, there can be interesting rocks, twigs, birds, and signs of animals to observe.

7. Draw and write. When students record observations, they are more focused and have more to think and talk about when you get back inside.

"I sincerely believe that for the child, and for the parent seeking to guide her, it is not half so important to know as to feel when introducing a young child to the natural world. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil."
-Rachel Carson
​

See you next time!

A nurturing environment that is rhythmic in nature ensures a strong foundation that is essential to the healthy development of the young child. Predictable rhythms through the day, week and year provide security and a sense of the interrelationships and wholeness of life. 

Our daily rhythm alternates periods of concentration and expansion, as if in a breathing rhythm where there is inhaling and exhaling. In the inhaling or breathing-in phase the child directs his attention to an activity that basically relates him to himself (drawing, water painting, eating…). In the exhaling or breathing-out period, the child relates mainly to the surrounding world (free play, gross motor movements etc.). For each breathing-in period the child needs a breathing-out period and so a pattern and balance is established. 

In our weekly rhythm teachers strive to give a rhythmic structure to individual lessons as well where we reflect on a subject we explored the days before and follow that with presentation of a new element. Whatever has been taken in on one day is remembered and reflected on the following days. This builds a growing rhythm and a deeper sense of understanding of a subject.

Young children are in deep harmony with nature and our seasonal rhythm connects us more to the natural world.  Nature is a world of rhythms - the rising and setting of the sun, the flowering of trees, the change of seasons... when we provide supporting rhythms for children, we harmonize their being, thereby aiding the development of their inner rhythms of sleep, digestion, circulation etc. Monthly themes, block study, seasonal festivals and celebrations reflect and support our connection to the seasonal rhythm.

We highly recommend reading Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne for inspiration to create more rhythm in your children's life at home!

​“Children depend on the rhythmic structure of the day–on its predictability, its regularity, its pulse…. By surrounding a young child with a sense of rhythm and ritual, you can help them order their physical, emotional, and intellectual view of the world. As little ones come to understand, with regularity, that ‘this is what we do', they feel solid under their feet, a platform for growth. Such a stable foundation can facilitate their mapmaking: the connectedness that they are charting in their brains, in relation to other people, and in their emerging worldview.” (Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne)

We also recommend the blog Rhythms of Play for more inspiration in how to create healthy rhythm and routine in your life at home.


Here's a look at how we learn through rhythm at Austin Children's Garden:


Daily Rhythm

Our daily rhythm is a gentle guide to the flow of our day. We do not adhere to a rigid time structure for the day but we do follow the same order so there is a natural predictability of what comes next. This natural predictability helps promote positive behavior from the children - if they know what is coming next they are more willing to go with the flow of the day:

Art Projects
Circle
Schoolhouse Free Play
Snack
Outside Free Play
Guided Activity
Lunch (Morning Group) or Big Snack (Afternoon Group)
Special Classes: Hola Yoga, Music, Cooperative Games, or Conscious Discipline
Story Time

​With so many new children this month we have been focusing a lot on our rhythm and touring the different learning areas we offer to create a solid platform for growth. Share the rhythm and pictures with your kids to help them build a strong foundation.

As children arrive we have art projects and schoolhouse materials for the children to interact freely with. We have been getting to know all our new friends so we have kept the art projects as a simple introduction to the supplies that are commonly available to create with. Our art projects are process based - please read our blog Raising Creative Thinkers with Process Art to learn more!

In our opening circle we unite as one group, connect with each other through singing and various greeting activities and move our bodies in brain smart ways that enhance our ability to learn.

On the first few days of a new school year we give the kids a tour of our schoolhouse and play gardens so they have more understanding of all there is to discover and play with:

Here are 10 developmental benefits of dress up and pretend play for kids by Sarah Baldwin, author of Nurturing Children and Families.

1. Brain Building
Dress-up and pretend play engages your child’s brain and memory. Dramatic play requires kids to remember what they’ve seen or heard. They remember how their parents behaves when performing household chores when they are imitating her. Or they recall the details of a fairy tale they’ve heard before acting it out.

2. Vocabulary Building
Pretend play builds vocabulary as a child decides what his or her character would say. It gives them a chance to expand their vocabularies with words and phrases that they might have heard in stories, but wouldn’t ordinarily use. Children may then begin to use these new words in conversations.

3. Problem-Solving
Who’s going to be the doctor? Who’s going to be the patient? Children must make decisions when they engage in dress-up and pretend play. They practice problem-solving problems when deciding on what costumes elements and props each character needs to act out a scenario.

4. Empathy
When a child is engaged in role-play, it helps her see the world through another’s eyes which increases empathy – whether pretending to be a parent nurturing a baby, a doctor taking care of an injured patient, or a firefighter putting out a fire. Dramatic play helps children understand the role that helpers play in in our lives.

5. Emotional Development
Children are constantly confronted with scary situations that they don’t understand – whether witnessing an accident in real life, or seeing violent images on TV. Children process their fears through play, which helps them make sense of the world, and overcome their feelings of helplessness.
By allowing children to act out their fears through dress-up and role playing, we are helping their emotional development.

6. Motor Skills
Children develop fine motor skills by putting on dress-up clothes, whether buttoning a shirt, zipping up pants, or tying on a pirate’s bandana
They use their large motor skills when engaged in role-play, whether they are jumping like a superhero, running like a baseball player, or twirling like a ballerina.

7. Gender Exploration
When children choose costumes and characters to be, they are able to explore different gender identities and the behaviors of those characters.
While boys often want to be superheroes, firemen, or pirates, and girls often want to be fairies and princesses, it is normal and healthy for children to try on different gender roles as they learn about the world. A child should never be ridiculed for pretending to be a different gender.

8. Imitation
Children are naturally imitative creatures. They learn about the world by imitating the lives of the adults and others around them. Through dress-up and dramatic role-play, children explore the lives of other people by imitating their actions, feelings and words.

9. Socialization
Pretend play encourages cooperation and taking turns. Children learn how to negotiate as they agree on stories and rules. They develop interest in others and learn how to give-and-take.

10. Imagination
Children’s imaginations are limitless, and have not yet been hardened and constrained by the “realities” of the world. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, believed that imaginative play in early childhood is the key to creative thinking during the adult years.
When children engage in dress-up play, their imaginations are given free reign. There is no limit to who, where, or what they can be.
​

Montessori inspired materials are available to the children to explore and learn with.

The Nature Table offers a way for the children to connect to the natural world and reflects the rhythm of the seasons.

The safe place is an area where the children can go if they are having big feelings and have the space and tools to practice self-regulation.  For more details on how we use the safe place see our previous blog:

http://www.austinchildrensgarden.org/blog/archives/02-2016

To start off our day together in a positive way we like to focus on social emotional learning while we have snack - we practice our grace and courtesy at the table and discuss ways we can be kind and helpful.

In outside free play the children play and explore in our 1/4 acre of lush gardens and natural play areas.

Strawbale Playground

This is our quiet sacred space for imagination play, gentle art activities, and yoga or music classes.

We love building with these awesome hardwood construction blocks!

​These little fairies LOVED playing in the rain!

After free play we have some kind of guided activity of gardening, literacy, math, cooking, sensory exploration, science investigation, or a special project.

We planted broccoli, carrot seeds, and lots of herbs!

To learn more about sensory play, check out our previous blog - Learning With Our Senses:
http://www.austinchildrensgarden.org/blog/archives/11-2017

Exploring addition, subtraction and number sense with the Rekenrek.

Learning math with our bodies!

​Simon Says: "Obtuse Angle!"

To learn more about the many benefits of cooking with kids read our previous blog:  ​http://www.austinchildrensgarden.org/blog/archives/11-2016

Our lunches use a lot of the vegetables and fruits we grow in our garden as well as other local produce which helps us to stay in balance with the rhythm of the seasons.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Maple Sweet Potatoes, Dinosaur Kale, Apples, and Tangerines.

Mac n Cheese with Navy Bean and Garden Herb Soup, Kid-Sliced Strawberries, Apples, and Carrots

Ask the kids to sing you our song before we snack or lunch together - "Give thanks to the mother earth..."

​Cleaning up together!

After lunch (morning program) or big snack (afternoon program) we alternate special classes - on Monday and Tuesday we play Cooperative Games and on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday we alternate Hola Yoga, Music Class, and Conscious Discipline/Mindfulness Activities.

"Hola Cielo"
​"Hello Sky"

"Hola Tierra"
​"Hello Earth"

"Reir como una mariposa"
​"Laugh like a butterfly"

"Crecer fuerte como un árbol"
"Grow strong like a tree"

"Brilla como una estrella"
​"Shine like a star"

We love singing, rhyming, and playing instruments together while learning about steady beat, rhythm, melody, and song-writing.

We show these breaths a lot and that's because we practice them a lot!  By practicing the steps of the safe place and the feeling buddies at regular times we have the tools for self regulation when we really need them.

After Special Classes we enjoy enjoy a closing circle with books and 100% fruit juice popsicles to finish our day!

Every 4 to 6 weeks we have a theme that we focus on in our project time.  Some of the themes follow the rhythms of the seasons, some emerge from the children's interests, and some from the teacher's passion.

This month, in addition to learning about the environment and the rhythm of the day, our theme is focused on kindness, cooperation, and creating our school rules.

We love these books to inspire some great conversations on different ways we can be kind.

The kids love playing this game where they roll the ball to a friend and say the friend's name. Once we have the names down we say something we like about the person we are rolling the ball to.

Our school 'rules' are agreements we make so that we can learn and play safely together.  

We loved making these sweet Kindness Cookies together and then passing a cookie to one of our friends instead of gobbling one up.. everyone still got a cookie when we shared!

To make these simple coconut cookies mix together the following ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes:
​

• 3/4 cup coconut flour 
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Kindness Jar is a practice that helps us to spread kindness in our community.  Any time we see someone else doing something kind or helpful we put a pompom in the jar.  Once the jar is filled we will have a fun celebration!

In honor of the International Day of Peace on Sept 21st we learned about the Appeal of the Nobel Laureates where Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, and other Nobel Prize Winners created the Better World Pledge.

As we listened to the story we created pictures of acts of kindness and talked about a kid-friendly version of the pledge:
​

We read about the incredible Moringa Tree and how it offers superfood nutrition and yet grows in dry harsh climates. It is used extensively by the Peace Corp to help combat nutrition in impoverished countries.  We planted several in our garden together!

Here are 52 Acts of Kindness for Families with Young Children from the blog Moments a Day.  What lights you up to practice more kindness with your children?
​

​1. Bring some fresh baked cookies to a neighbor
2. Give away old toys to younger children
3. Leave a treat for the mail carrier in your mailbox
4. Give some flowers to someone feeling unwell
5. Make happy notes on the sidewalk with chalk
6. Take paints and paper to share at the local playground
7. Feed some birds or ducks – or animals at your local zoo
8. Organize an afternoon of games for your neighborhood
9. Give popsicles to outdoor workers (those in construction or gardening, perhaps)
10. Take icewater and cups to the playground to share with others
11. Hold a Lemonade Stand to donate to a cause you support
12. Hold a “dog wash” to raise money for an animal shelter or zoo
13. Wash cars to raise money for a cause you support
14. Rake leaves (or do gardening) for a neighbor
15. Take baked goods to a teacher
16. Take snacks to staff at the local Hospital
17. Babysit so that a couple can have a date
18. Donate DVDs to the local Hospital
19. Donate toys to the fire brigade for children in emergencies
20. Have a family round of shoulder massages
21. Pass out stickers to children waiting at the doctor’s office
22. Read inspiring stories to a group of children
23. Donate books to a doctor’s or dentist’s office
24. Meet someone new at the shops or in a park
25. Take a treat to a bus driver
26. Educate yourself and your neighbors about recycling
27. Invite another family over for dinner
28. Cut coupons and put them in a neighbor’s mailbox
29. Take a Thank You card to the local librarians
30. Drop off “good morning” notes for early risers in a hotel
31. Draw a picture of your community for the Police Station
32. Open the door for people entering a shop or restaurant
33. Bring a meal to a family in need (recent birth, sickness, or loss)
34. Write a poem for someone you love
35. Make “Be Happy” notes and put them in mailboxes
36. Vacuum the house of a family who just had a baby
37. Learn a joke to tell to a check-out person
38. Tape change to a parking meter or vending machine
39. Make a list of things you love about someone and send it to them
40. Leave a happy note in a library book
41. Create a movie theater afternoon for your neighborhood
42. Send a postcard to a distant cousin or friend who moved away
43. Pick up trash around the neighborhood or at a park
44. Sing for the elderly
45. Make a phone call to a friend or family member far away
46. Go on an errand and smile at everyone you see
47. Blow bubbles (and take extra) to the playground
48. Volunteer in a local animal shelter
49. Take cans of food to the local Food Bank
50. Donate old clothes a local organization
51. Introduce someone who just moved to your town to new friends
52. Let someone go ahead of you in line at the shops

This has been a fun month of STEAM learning as we explored force and motion with Action Art, Simple Machines, and learning all about levers, wheels, inclined planes, gravity, magnets and more!

We love the book Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg to inspire kids in Action Art!

These collaborative Splatter Paintings are a creative way to explore gravity and amazing to see how the splatter technique really captures the feeling of motion.

Marble Painting is a hands-on way to learn about the effects of push and pull with force and motion!

“We all know that children prefer to be active, and action art incorporates the child’s need for activity with the always important need for creativity. The art experiences are based on the philosophy that children will learn from the process of creating, and that the finished product is the result of that process, not the goal.” ~ from the book Action Art by Mary Ann Kohl

We turned our table into an inclined plane by raising it on one side, then dipped toy cars into paint, and raced then down the canvas.

Paint on one side of the paper, then fold in half, use a rolling pin (wheel and axle!), and reveal your symmetrical art!

Did you know you can make a toy car with a clothespin, a straw, 2 bread ties, and 4 buttons?

We got this idea from the wonderful book 'I Can Make Toys' by Mary Wallace.

Decorate your clothespin with markers, paint, stickers, glitter....

Attach the buttons to either side of the straw, creating a wheel and axle!

Attach the front wheels in the front part of the clothes pin. Older kids can use a hot glue gun to secure the back wheels in place.  Younger kids can use tape or have an adult help.

Race your cars down an inclined plane!

Fun catapults made with popsicle sticks, a spoon, and rubber bands.

Ready, Set, Launch!

We made this Cherry Picker powered by syringes filled with water.

We love this Magformer Car Set!

We also love this Tegu Magnetic Car Set!

The kids were sent home with a challenge to create a protective box that would protect an egg from being cracked from the highest point in our playground.

They came up with so many great original ideas - old wrapping paper, a ziploc bag of water, ball moss...

"Ready, Set, Drop!"

The kids were delighted to find out if their egg survived the drop or not!

These Cinnamon Coconut Apples were a hit! And a great way to pack apples for snacks!

Add 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of coconut sugar, and 2 tsp of unsweetened shredded coconut to a bag of sliced apples.  Then "shake shake shake" the apples until they are fully coated.

These Yogi Dice are a fun way to inspire some motion with yoga!  Roll the dice and do the poses that roll face up!

Flying Locusts!

Flying Airplanes!

Hissing Snakes!

We measured the distance of the slide, then we timed to see how many seconds it would take for a toy truck to get from top to bottom, then calculated the speed by dividing the seconds from the meters.

We created our own inclined plane to play on too!

In our Monday math class we created our own money, set up a store and cafe with price tags, and calculated the totals for our goods!

We have been hunting for rhino beetles,

counting and planting seeds,

and tasting fresh figs!

Hi Y'all!  Sorry for the delay - Morna has been in Mexico to develop our bilingual yoga program for kids - so Ben has been standing in on the blog :)

In our first water activity the children explored the 3 water phases: solid, liquid and gas.
Then they painted water color pictures that remined them of the 3 phases.

We did experimental trials to see if salt changes how fast frozen water can be melted into a liquid. Each group of kids had a block of ice to melt. One group had fresh water to pour over the block. The other group had water with a high concentration of salt dissolved in it.

The salty water meted the ice block much faster!!

We also learned how to measure the volume of water in mililiters!

We did a series of cool experiments that explored the property diffusion. I think diffusion is cooler than magic, because it explains how seemingly invisable things can move around, cause weather and keep us alive!! Diffusion is the movement of molecules from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. If you put food coloring in a jar of still water eventally the coloring will move all around the jar until the color is all spread out!! Wow the molecules are moving!

Next we wanted to see if we could get the molecues to move from one jar to another. What do you think - can they do it?
The kids folded up paper towels to act as a syphon from one jar to another!

Will the yellow and blue water molecules move to the empty jar?
What color will the water be in the center jar?

5 year old after 45 minutes "Wow the molecules are really moving!!!"

After two hours the levels are almost equal!

After 24 hours the levels have become equal and reached equilibrium!
Nature likes to be balanced!! Science is even more amazing than magic!!

We also did a classic experiment to see what would happen to the carbon dioxide dissolved in water when Mentos candies are introduced. The kids worked in groups to develop trigger mechanisms that would allow the Mentos to be released into the carbonated water as quickly as possible.

The kids really explored whay happens when they mix and create with the primary colors!

We also explored using this prism to see how sun light has every color of the rainbow in it.

See you next time!

"When my dad took me camping we were part of an ecosystem!"

Our ecosystem in a bottle experiment tested to see if the plants really need sunlight to grow. 
The ecosystem that thrives will have its lid closed. The growing plants in the sealed ecosystem made oxygen for the insects and the insects made carbon dioxide for the plants!! 
Add soil and compost to each container. One container is transparent, the other is opaque.

Add 4 black eyed pea seeds to each container and sprinkle compost on top of them.

Add water to each container.

The transparent container THRIVED, and became art inspirations!
The entire water cycle is occurring in the sealed bottle.

The seeds that did not receive sun did not thrive.
PLANTS REALLY DO GET THEIR ENERGY FROM THE SUN!!

Basil can handle the heat! Lets plant some to make pesto pasta!

Don't forget to water!

"Save the people with the slide!"

To celebrate the summer solstice we made yummy banana muffins for the potluck!!
Add 2 very ripe bananas to a mixing bowl.

Add 4 eggs.

Add one half teaspoon of baking soda.

Add one half cup almond flour.

Add one half cup coconut oil

Add one quarter teaspoon of salt

Add one third cup honey.
Mix
Put in muffin tin.
​Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins or until firm.

Making potions is one of our favorite activities to inspire children in hands-on science activities and start to develop scientific inquiry.  Here's a great selection of items for your potion table at home:

After the fun of mixing together a lot of different elements we began to break down the potion making experience into simple (and fun!) science experiments:

​

(we transferred our test tubes to larger ones to enjoy the reactions more!)

To further explore the chemical reaction we trapped the carbon dioxide released from the baking soda and vinegar and blew up balloons with the gas!

In art class we have been enjoying a lot of process art based activities!  To learn more about Raising Creative Thinkers with Process Art check out our previous blog.

Use a straw to blow watered down tempera paint to create unique colors and shapes.

Have a lot of paint on your paper? Make a print!

Use rice with watercolors to create interesting patterns and textures.

We made face masks of our favorite circus animals!

Dancing Gorillas!

Stretching Giraffes!

Roaring Lions!

Ms Hannah led us in some fun parachute 'circus tent' games!

Ms Hannah also taught us some hula hoop moves!

We designed our own popcorn bags and made fresh popcorn!

It's amazing how much kids love to watch popcorn popping! But maybe not as much as they love to EAT the popcorn :)

Ms Symone and Mr Noah gave us an amazing juggling and acroyoga performance for our Circus Party! Thank y'all SO MUCH!!

Even some of the parents joined in!

We have been planting butternuts, watermelons, sweet potatoes, and lots of sweet basil.

We spotted a Monarch Caterpillar feasting on the dill!

While we make at least a dozen different recipes here are 2 of our favorite garden pestos:

Blend together 2 cups basil, 1/2 cup garlic olive oil, 1/2 cup sprouted pumpkin seeds, and a few shakes of Himalayan salt.  Yum!

We LOVE this Roasted Garlic Olive Oil by Texas Olive Ranch we get at Wheatsville!

Blend together 2 cups fresh parsley, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup walnuts, and several pinches celtic sea salt. Yum again!

See you next time!

In a world where we are preparing our children for all kinds of unknown professions, it is important to engage children's curiosity and their natural joy for learning.  This love of learning along with communication skills, self regulation skills, and the ability to problem solve leads to life long success no matter the profession.  Some might think that learning these skills will only happen behind a desk in a typical school environment, but Dimensions Educational Research Foundation's research tells us that children who spend time in well designed, nature filled classrooms with many opportunities to engage with open ended materials and loose parts develop skills across all learning domains.

​For generations children have used found materials in their play from rocks and sticks to tin cans and wire. In his article “How NOT to Cheat Children: the Theory of Loose Parts,” the British architect Simon Nicholson coined the term “loose parts” to describe open-ended materials that can be used and manipulated in many ways. Environments, he believed, offer many ways for children to interact with variables such as gravity, sounds, chemical reactions, concepts, words, and people. “In any environment,” Nicholson writes, “both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it”. When children play and create with loose parts, they can move around, making use of any or all of the found objects, devising spaces and structures that can entertain them for hours. They become more creative and flexible in their thinking while satisfying their ever-growing curiosity and love for learning.

In our blog this month 'Learning with Loose Parts' we are highlighting how we introduce and incorporate loose parts into our learning environment with lots of ideas and projects to inspire families to include loose parts in their art and play environments at home.  We love to focus on loose parts in April as it's Earth Day month and so many of loose parts are found objects, nature materials, or recycled items - who needs plastic toys??

When first introducing loose parts we like to provide 3 different open-ended items for the children to to create and play with along with the invitation of "I wonder what we could do with these...".  Here are a few combinations of what we explored:

"I'm making a boat, a big boat for my whole family."

"It's sparkly!  I love glitter glue!"

"It's a robot with a robot motorcycle.  It goes fast and it has super powers!"

"Look at my magic wand!"

Once the kids were clearly comfortable with 3 materials, we started introducing 5 materials to expand the experience.

Buttons, Wire, Tape, Paper Clips, and Ribbon

After lots of exploring loose parts that the classroom provided, we wanted to investigate what it means to children when they have sought out, discovered, and collected materials themselves.

Each child went home with a paper bag with their name on it and instructions for what types of materials to look for to further study how materials can fuel ideas and thinking.

We gathered in a circle and invited the children to empty their bags one at a time and share any stories or thoughts about the items they collected.

​TOTE, CARRY, AND PILE

• Picks up loose parts and explores it.
• Transports loose parts from one location to another. 
• Drops loose parts into containers.
• Gathers loose parts in a container.
• Pushes containers of loose parts from one location to another.
• Can shovel or scoop up loose parts.
• Can pour loose parts from one container to another.

SHAPE & FORM

• Lines up loose parts make a vertical or horizontal line.
• Stacks 7 or more loose parts.
• Orders loose parts by some common attribute (color, size, shape, texture, etc.).
• Sorts loose parts by common attribute (color, size, shape, texture, etc.)
• Moves loose parts into racing or flying.
• Names the loose parts creation or use.

 
ATTENTION TO DETAIL

• Creates enclosures with loose parts.
• Builds structures vertically and horizontally.
• Writes and/or draws about loose parts creation.
• Creates intentional structures with clear purpose or idea.
• Creates detailed settings with loose parts.

SYMMETRY AND ASYMMETRY

• Has a distinct theme to the play with loose parts.
• Uses loose parts to help define play role
• Uses loose parts to create and execute an elaborate idea.
• Can transform any loose part into a specific use and purpose in a larger play theme or theory. 

After the organizing stage we created open ended projects with one type of part at a time and then participated in projects where we used all the loose parts together.

Working with wood scraps and recycled paper materials invites experimental building, thinking in three dimensions, and thinking about space.

The freedom to experiment invites creative and often collaborative solutions.  When the children first started constructing they had no definitive goal in mind, but as the process developed they began to form a consensus of what they were making together. They titled this "Our Spaceship Boat!".

We classified our nature items into categories: things that came from plants, things that came from animals, and things that did not come from living things.

We also explored how we could use our nature items in play - rocks became homes, leaves became airplanes, and avocado seeds became birds eggs.

As the children continue to explore the "metal things", the objects gleam and glisten and the children begin to notice subtle differences in shape, color, and texture.  

The children are delighted to see how easily objects can transform into facial features.

Exploring circles!

Once the children seemed fluent in the different materials we began some theme-based yet still open ended projects.

To make the beginning structure of the robot we wrapped floral foam with tin foil and connected the pieces with small bamboo skewers.

"My robot can turn his head!"

Then we added all kinds of found materials.  Most objects can easily be inserted through the tin foil and into the foam.  We used glue and stickers for other designs.

To extend the project, some of us made drawings of our robots too!

The children were delighted to continue to find items they had personally collected as well as new objects they had never seen before as we engaged in the different projects.

The final collaborative project was to create the alphabet and the numbers 1 to 10 with our collected and sorted loose parts.

One of the children brought in fresh dandelion flowers from their garden at home so we made our scrumptious dandelion cookies.  Check out our previous blog for the recipe.

Some other simple loose parts to introduce to children are:

Velcro Rollers

To celebrate Earth Day we created a collaborative piece where the children formed "earth beads" and decorated our window with them.

We have been incorporating more mindfulness activities into our yoga classes:

Magic Massage
Self massage is restorative.  Magic Massage stimulates the blood flow to the brain which helps improve concentration skills, while the muscle massage soothes and releases tension.

Washing Machine

Allow your arms to be loose and floppy so that they wrap around the front and back of your body as you turn side to side.  Notice if there is something you would like to wash out - anger, hurt, feelings, worries? As you swing from side to side, imagine you can feel those things being washed out and away from your body and down into the ground.

Volcano

Such a fun way to release tension, negativity, or excess energy!  With your hands in front of your heart notice if you are carrying around any anger or excess energy inside.  Let it bubble up out of your heart into your hands.  With an exhale forcefully explode your volcano, making the sound "Pssssh!".  Imagine the hot lava leaving your body and mind.

Do My Best

Lift your left knee to your right elbow.  Lower and switch sides.  As you continue from side to side repeat the following song:

"Opposite elbow,
Opposite knee.
I stand up strong, 
just like a tree.
I use my mind,
and body,
and breath,
To focus myself,
and do my BEST!"

This movement crosses the midline of the body and coordinates the information flow between both sides of the brain.

And we've been doing some old favorites too:

Singing Stars

Planting and watering baby lettuces we grew from seed :)

And picking and eating fresh carrots!

See you next time!