Sometimes I Just Ignore the Children.

Confession #1: Sometimes I just ignore the children.

Confession #2 : I am not actually ignoring them. 

They just think I am (if they even notice at all).

I think outdoor play at preschool is such an important time for children to be "away" from adults. If I look busy to them, than they figure it out. They do their OWN thing. Work out their OWN problems. Use their OWN words with each other. They don't shy away from their imagination because they don't like the spotlight of an adult's attention.  This goes back to my post from a couple weeks ago about "Letting the Wander." 

The illusion of being away from us.

I often wonder when people drive by the preschool and I am off on my own shoveling snow or moving rocks if people think I am not paying attention to the children. I assure you that I am fully aware of the games they are playing and I'm usually trying to create some sort of invitation to add to their play.

Today was one of those days. There was a small crowd and they were playing happily on our GIANT snow mountain (made by the plow truck). They were playing ninjas and I thought that ninjas probably need places to hide. 

Without them really paying much attention to me or me to them, I started digging holes. It was a great way for me to get in some exercise too, while they were busy playing. *Local readers are probably thinking I'm crazy for doing extra shoveling this week just for fun.

 The holes quickly became very popular. As they started to "take over" the hideout I was digging, I would just move to a new space and dig another slightly different one.  Before I knew it the game had changed. Everybody was part of the ONE game, even from their separate hideouts. *I won't bother to try and explain the game, as it is most likely too complicated for adults to understand. Something about teams and ninjas and the leader of the just-born team members. 

Photo Op.

At the end of play time, each of the children ran to hide in one of the holes, to see how truly hidden they could be from the parking lot.

Where did the children go? 

Popping out of their hideouts when I called their name.

Please visit the Outdoor Play Party to see how others have been playing outdoors lately! 

14 Photos from 2014

2014 was full of wonderful adventures.

I was inspired to put this together after seeing Amy's post at Child Central Station.

Water. Ice. Snow

Take children into the woods and they will learn. Guaranteed.

I am always reminded how much learning Nature has to offer, when children are given time to explore without the distraction of toys and equipment. 

Check out more outdoor fun at the

Outdoor Play Party Link-Up 

Welcome to October!!

This week we experimented with fruits and vegetables. We sampled papaya and starfruit. We also picked apples from our playground apple tree and made applesauce. We used our "wavy chopper" to chop up the apples. I cooked them while they were sleeping and then they used the food mill to make them into sauce. We had so much fun with it, that we did it again on Friday.

Other Fall Fun....

Apple "Stamping"

Dry Erase Pumpkins 

Pumpkin Babies

International Fairy Tea Party 2014

This is the second year that we have participated in this growing event created by Fafu and Interaction Imagination. You can see our photos from last year here. 

Of course I always have a lot of big plans on pinterest, but it is a busy time of year and I need to remember to start preparing ahead of time!!  When the day arrived I decided to keep it simple and stick with an Autumn colors theme. We talked a lot about what colors we find in autumn. In the morning we made crowns covered with Fall-colored scribbles and paper scraps and fake leaves. Outside they walked around with their tape covered sticks to add collections from nature. 

Then we prepared the feast. Leaf shaped peanut butter toast, with red and green fairy sprinkles. We picked apples and grapes from our playground. I added a tiny bit of juice to the water to make pink "fairy juice."  

While they ate their picnic, I read them "Wild Child," by Lynn Plourde.

They made "soup" with the leftover grapes and apples and offered it to the woodland creatures.

If you have a blog post about your International Fairy Tea Party Celebration, please add a link into the comments. :) 

This post will be added to the Outdoor Play Party.

Check out some of the other outdoor fun going on around the world!