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! 

Springtime? Is that you?

Just over three years ago I was truly inspired by the amazing outdoor play experiences that take place over at Learning for Life. 

Their motto is:

 "Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, and snow is exhilarating; there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." John Ruskin 1819-1900

The pictures on Kierna's blog always amazed me. Seeing all the children playing in the mud. And what are those suits that they are wearing? Surely that must just be something they have in Northern Ireland, not here in the USA. So glad that I learned otherwise and discovered our Oakiwear Rain Suits. This is our second spring with them and last week it was finally warm enough to shed the snowsuits.

They keep us dry on the rainiest days. The suits allow them to sit, jump and splash in puddles without having to spend the rest of the morning waiting for their turn to change out of wet clothes. (Not to mention it saves on laundry for parents)

 Kids that would be hesitant to get messy before feel that they have a whole new sense of freedom.

Always proud to be a part of the...

Just Playing? Springtime Water

Where is the water going? 

This was not a structured or planned activity. This was simply the children following their curiosity and me following along.

"Look, its going under the ice!"

And then it is going DOWN the hill.

And into the Beaver Pond.

Here is another article about Channeling Water from Kitchen Counter Chronicles. Bring children outside and THEY WILL LEARN.

We may be "just playing", but....

What are the children doing here?

What do you see?

What learning is taking place?

What skills are being practiced/developed?

Please take a moment to reflect upon the photos. I would love for you to share your observations in a comment. I'd also like to invite you to "hop" on over to all of the other bloggers who are sharing photos of children learning through play this week:

Getting Creative with Winter.

Our mountain has been very slippery for climbing and too hard for sliding down. It was starting to be common to find children just lounging and eating dirty snow. They need to be moving their bodies for the short period of time we get out each day!

 So on Wednesday I took action. Time for some new equipment.

I grabbed my metal spade and chiseled out some holes to create five "ladders," so they could climb up easier. The holes were very small and barely big enough for the toes of their boots.

 I was impressed with their coordination and climbing skills. Soon they had created up-ladders and down-ladders and were crawling all over the mountain again. 

No worries, winter was brand new again for preschool after receiving over a foot of fresh snow the next day. 

This post is linked up with The Outdoor Play Party.

 To check out some other outdoor fun click on the link below. 

Cliff Climbing.

                     

               

Lots of other great outdoor play going on at Learning for Life's Outdoor Play Party.