Stomping in the Mud

Sunday, 23 October 2011

We Remember, We Create

We Remember, We Create
by Rusty Keeler
How do we describe in words
how a child feels when they dip
their fingers
in cool fresh water for the very first
time ?
Can we imagine ?
How can we know the feeling of
connecting with the earth
in youthful delight and wonder ?
Can we imagine ?
Can we remember ?
We are part of Nature
and Nature is a part of us.
We are connected to the planet
in every way.
And the world is alive.
We are surrounded by its life.
We are its life.
Life swims, crawls, flies, stands,
grows, dies.
We must remember life's blessings.
Green plants sparkle beside calm
water.
Raindrops splash.
Sun shines brightly.
As a child we form tiny, deep
connections with the natural world.
We bend down and notice,
ants working in teams,
life flowing through the veins of leaves,
the pattern of the universe in the
face of a sunflower.
All children deserve friendship
with the natural world.
A garden, a flower, a small hill to climb.
We can help.
Joining together, we create our world.
Joining together, we build our communities.
We are Nature.
Our children are Nature.
Are our children in Nature ?

a book written by Rusty Keeler 'Natural Playscapes'
www.planetearthplayscapes.com

Sunday, 16 October 2011

Our First Rainy Day - Perfect For A Rain Walk............

the forest just through our garden gate

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather"
John Ruskin
I really like this quote, we will be embracing it throughout the year.

Recycled playdough, colours from previous weeks mixed together to make rainbow playdough

note the bits of lavendar from our first week of play group

cloud dough again, but just in a different container becomes 'new'

cloud dough appeared everywhere

Saturday, 8 October 2011

Autumn Days Are Coming.....

the birds & squirrels are enjoying the sunflower head

the forest behind Stomping in the Mud

older neighbourhood children at work

autumn sensory table

ready for taking home

thrift store find for one dollar, planting more spring bulbs, next a worm farm

mud kitchen

a favourite spot

the children made cloud dough

"Belonging for young children is being in a place where they feel comfortable enough to play without having to look over their shoulders seeking approval - or dodging disapproval - to explore without fear, to redefine their space and to use materials found around them to create for themselves a sense of order, pattern and structure"
Bev Bos

Sunday, 2 October 2011

Overwhelmed.......

I was overwhelmed last week by the responses from people all over the world. Thank you so much for your support. It excites me to know that others feel so strongly in what I am doing.

"We must advocate for places where children wonder, discover, imagine, construct and learn by trial and error so that from their experiences they can develop their own framework of knowledge and a firm sense of self. We hope to strengthen your commitment to children and to support their right to play"
taken from TUMBLING OVER THE EDGE A Rant For Children's Play
- Bev Bos and Jenny Chapman

Our new table.

New water play / sensory table
my husband was busy last week,

...trying it out!

I was busy making owl babies.

Getting ready to plant!

Spring bulbs in first,

...winter pansies on top.

'Young children learn the most important things not by being told but by constructing knowledge for themselves in interaction with the physical world and with other children and the way they do this is by playing'