Physical Development – Diary of a First Child

I watched you the other day, sitting high up in a tree, watching the world go by. Actually, high up in a tree isn’t an unusual place to find my daughters when there is a tree around. I watched you scamper down again, skirts billowing, underwear flashing to the world, newly ripped tights revealing a red patch of scratched skin you didn’t even notice.

I need to tell you something about girls who climb trees:

Actually, there isn’t a quote I know of about girls who climb trees. There’s something about girls who sit on tables – apparently they don’t find husbands, or so we were told, growing up.

But there’s nothing about girls who climb trees, because girls aren’t supposed to be interested in that.

So let me tell you a few things about girls who climb trees:

(Yes, girls can possibly be substituted for boys too, and no, probably doesn’t apply to every girl, but I’m really thinking about my girls as I write this, so the generalisation of ‘girls’ will do!)Read more: Girls Who Climb Trees

Things We Learn About Ourselves In The Forest

Home / Discovering Nature / Things We Learn About Ourselves In The Forest

February 11, 2016February 14, 2016 by Luschka

After more than ten days of being sick, and sick and tired of being sick, and thoroughly cooped up, I saw the sunshine today as an excuse to layer up and head outdoors. We went to the local Garlic Farm, and after warming up on some hot chocolate, the girls went for a run around on the grass. They discovered horse hoof imprints in the grass, and decided we had to follow them, so off we went, over the grass, down a muddy track, and through the forest, following the hoof marks.

I was ambling behind with Avi (3) and Ameli went off ahead, where I found her high up in a tree, singing to herself a song about how trees should be respected, even though they are not human.

Of course Avi wanted up in the tree too, and I wasn’t going to stand her in way.

Part of the reason I think it’s so important for children to get outdoors, and to spend time in nature, and to run wild in the forest is because they learn how to manage risk. They walk on a log and slip off, they learn. They skid on mud and end up covered in it, they learn. The concept of slippery surface + sudden stops = muddy me is so much easier and less devastating to learn as a 3 year old, than as an 18 year old, fresh behind the wheel of a car.

It’s all about risk management, and it’s important for them to learn in a safe environment. And we are that safe environment.

The Incredible Journey Free Printable Resources

Home / 6 - 7 / The Incredible Journey Free Printable Resources

February 2, 2016 by Luschka

Over the last few weeks we’ve been working on The Incredible Journey – by working on, I mean ‘reading’! We’ve also done a few other activities – a board game and an animal categorising ‘game’. I’ve also made some of our usual printable activities to share with you.

I remember reading The Incredible Journey as a child, and finding it disappointing compared to the movie, and reading it now as an adult I can see why – it’s not as Americanised as the movie – the characters have names you have to think about and they don’t talk as their movie-counterparts do. It’s not a long book, but it’s not always easy reading either. It’s a beautiful story of love, courage, friendship and perseverance and purpose though, and well worth reading together.

Below you will find letter writing practice sheet, a crossword that asks questions about the story (you won’t be able to answer this from watching the movie) and an easy and a difficult maze and finally, a word search. This is a harder word search, because some of the words go backwards.

To download a worksheet, just click on the image. It’ll open a PDF in a new window for you to print.

The Incredible Journey Writing Practice

Children can trace the letters to help them learn the sizing of letters compared to each other, or simply just to practice.

The Incredible Journey Free Printable Resources

The Incredible Journey Crossword Puzzle

An 11 clue crossword puzzle – the answers are at the bottom of the page. I thought rather than use a second page, just pop them on the bottom and fold the footer area over so little eyes can’t see the answers.

The Incredible Journey Mazes

There are two mazes here to choose from – a simple one here and a tougher one. Pictured is the harder one.

The Incredible Journey Free Printable Resources

The Incredible Journey Word Search

This word search is a little harder than the ones I normally do, I think, because the words run back to front and from the bottom up. I don’t normally like doing them this was as I think it’s confusing for younger participants, but it’s how it worked out this time.

If you’ve enjoyed these activities, remember to check the rest of the tag for The Incredible Journey resources

Life Lessons Learned From Ice Skating

Home / 5-6 years / Life Lessons Learned From Ice Skating

May 19, 2015 by Luschka

Our local ice rink has an amazing offer for home educating families, who can use the facilities one day a week, on days when other children are still in school. The rink was recently taken over, so the new owners are now also offering classes for home educated children at less than the price of a cup of coffee.

An uncanny thing about children is there amazing memory. A few months ago the rink was going to be closing down, and Ameli wanted to learn to skate. I told her that if they found a way of saving the ice rink, I’d sign her up for classes. When the press broke the story, she wanted to be first in the queue.

Fast forward two weeks, and we arrived for the lesson today and she was so afraid (despite have skated once before, earlier in the year) that she was crying. Forty-five minutes later and she was pushing a penguin around on the ice like they were old friends.

We both learned a few life lessons from ice skating today:

Just because you were a halfway decent rollerskater/iceskater when you were a kid, doesn’t mean you’re going to pick it up as soon as you get on the ice 20-odd years later
While your body may not remember the way to move forward, and pregnancy and breastfeeding have left you with no sense of balance, your limbs have muscle memory, or something, as you can feel a sprain from 20 years ago flare up every time you see someone else fall over!
Sometimes, some things just aren’t for you. I love the idea of gliding gracefully on the ice with the cool air-conditioned air blowing through my hair. But my arches are high and every ounce of pressure from my body focusses itself on the bridge of my feet and after two minutes I want to scream in agony – I had two home births, one with a 9lb 9oz baby. I can handle pain – but skating in rigid hire boots hurts, hurts, hurts. Some things you can’t just push through, and you have to accept you’re never going to be an Olympic figure skater. And that’s okay.

But on a serious note, Ameli learned valuable lessons today too:

You will never succeed if you don’t try, and if you try, you may actually like it.

If you try and you fall, get up quickly, otherwise you end up cold and wet (or some other otherwise that’s more relevant to real life.) The point is if you stay down, it takes longer to sort yourself out when you finally do get up again, and while you might succeed and never fall again, for a time at least you’re going to carry the consequences of what happened while you were fallen, in this case, being wet.

If you let go and find a suitable support you can go anywhere, and achieve almost anything. Ameli raced around the ice after and with the older girls who all skate quite well already, pushing her penguin at impressive speeds. She had fun with her friends, by letting go of the sides with the right kind of something to lean on.

While it’s easy to walk on the mats with skates on, it’s no where near as satisfying as gliding on the ice, and as long as you’re on the ice, you’re learning to skate, gaining confidence and improving your skills. Life is much like this. Sometimes it’s easier to be somewhere comfortable, and it can feel like the safer, easier option… but that’s not where you’re growing, developing, improving, learning to shine.

Well, maybe she doesn’t know that she learned any of this today. Maybe she just had fun and maybe the lessons were mine.

What Does Not Going To School Look Like?

Home / 4-5 / What Does Not Going To School Look Like?

September 7, 2014 by Luschka

This has been our first week of not going back to school. It’s been quite, well, the same, really.

I’ve been asked a number of times what curriculum we’ll be following, but since Ameli is only four, we won’t be following one for at least the next year. We’ll be doing more of a ‘free learning’ kind of thing, finding out more about what she is interested in, not pushing on the things she’s less keen on, and just getting to know my girl’s educational preferences in much the same way we’ve been doing it for the last four or so years.

I’ve not been worried about how we’re going to approach home schooling, home educating, home learning, or whatever you want to call it. For now, for what would be her reception year, we’re just being, doing, living.

I can’t tell you what Ameli’s first week at school looked like, but here’s a glimpse into her first week not at school.

Monday: Clandon House (National Trust)

Tuesday: Arts and Crafts

Wednesday: LEGOLand Windsor

Thursday: Making healthy snacks

Friday: Chilworth Gunpowder Mills

I don’t know what this week at school would have involved, but I’m pretty okay with how our first week not back to school turned out.

Catch A Falling Leaf

Home / 50things / Catch A Falling Leaf

August 16, 2014 by Luschka

The end of the summer is coming, and pretending it’s not so doesn’t do anything to stop the impending ~~doom~~ winter. I think we may have some exciting plans up our sleeves for this winter, but I’ll have to see how it all pans out before I start sharing. In the meantime, we’re carrying on with our #50things and well on target to get through a lot, if not all of it, this year.

Earlier this year we went to the Whipsnade Zoo for a family day out. It was an early spring day, and the air was thick with cherry blossom scent. Yes, cherry blossoms aren’t leaves, I know, but hey ho, the skills are the same. Catch A Falling Leaf

There’s something about standing waiting in anticipation, spotting a leaf – blossom – jumping into action, grabbing, missing, catching that can’t but make you feel 5 years old. There’s nothing you can do but laugh, and giggle, and shout as you wait and act. The feeling of success as you finally clutch that foliage in your hand.

It’s a great way to burn energy, and to laugh together, play together.

It also costs nothing!

And while catching spring blossoms is imbued with the hope of warmer days, catching autumn leaves are indicative of chestnut roasting, mushroom foraging, and berry picking – there’s nothing not to love.

And while you’re having fun, the kids are learning hand-eye coordination, action and reaction and that mama can run and laugh and play too.

Get out there this autumn, and chase the leaves.

Catch A Falling Leaf

We’re completing the National Trust’s #50Things campaign because, well, it’s great. This was number 33: Catch a Falling Leaf on their list. You can see the full list here.

Five Reasons Kids Must Roll Down Hills

Home / 2 - 3 years / Five Reasons Kids Must Roll Down Hills

August 7, 2014August 7, 2014 by Luschka

When I was studying to be a Rhythm Kids and Baby Massage instructor, I was surprised by a fact that has always stuck with me: in our age of health and safety and what ever else, kids no longer roll down hills like they used to and this is a very big problem.

Five Reasons Kids Must Roll Down Hills

Rolling does a few different things for a child’s development. It aids in:

Vestibular Development which they need to improve their balance
Midline Crossover helps us become physically better coordinated and mentally with the act of thinking, and later reading.
Sensory Development, which helps in creating understanding of the world – like up and down, and danger or hazards and risk taking.
Gross Motor Development as we build strength
and proprioception, the tactile understanding of space.

Big words, and I’m sure you’ll agree all valuable skills that we never really think about, but just take for granted.

Of course, you can learn most of these thing in other ways too, but rolling down hills is just so much fun.

My friend Yasmin and I threw caution to the wind and joined them in rolling down the hills one day. I can’t remember the last time I laughed as much as we did then, and I think the suited men in their meeting in the fancy building behind us were secretly wishing they could do the same! (Or really glad their wives would never do anything like that!)

YouTube Direkt

Tell me that didn’t bring a smile to your face!

No, there is definitely value to rolling down hills. It’s good for kids, and it’s fun.

I heartily recommend it!

Five Reasons Kids Must Roll Down Hills

We’re completing the National Trust’s #50Things campaign because, well, it’s great. This was number 2: Roll down a hill on their list. You can see the full list here.

Lessons Learned From Climbing A Tree

Home / 4-5 / Lessons Learned From Climbing A Tree

July 31, 2014August 16, 2014 by Luschka

I don’t climb trees. Actually, I don’t know that I ever have. It’s not that I was ever stopped from climbing trees, but I’ve always been a little afraid of falling out of them. My daughter does not have this problem! And no one ever told her that climbing trees is for boys.

I think it’s great that she wants to climb trees. I think it’s wonderful that she wants to see as far as she can see.

Do I get nervous when she’s climbing? Of course. Do I pray silently every moment she’s dangling between earth and sky? Absolutely. Am I about to stop her? No chance.

I loved this paragraph from Risky Kids on what climbing trees will teach a child:

Scaling a tree teaches them vital lessons, such as dexterity, risk assessment, focus, and planning. They have to decide how high they’re comfortable climbing, the best way to get there, which branches look sturdiest, and figure out how to get back down. A successful climb builds confidence, gives them a sense of freedom, and helps them appreciate nature. An unsuccessful climb has the most valuable lesson a child can learn: how to pick themselves up and get right back at it again.

So many things to learn from climbing a tree! That’s the ideal, isn’t it? Learning through play, learning without knowing it.

We’re completing the National Trust’s #50Things campaign because, well, it’s great. This was number 1: Climb a tree on their list. You can see the full list here.

Literature To Crafts: The Fish With The Deep Sea Smile

Home / 2 - 3 years / Literature To Crafts: The Fish With The Deep Sea Smile

July 14, 2014 by Luschka

It’s been absolutely ages since we’ve had a chance to read a story and do crafts from it, but the opportunity presented itself today and I grabbed it with both hands.

A few weeks ago we were going to make an ocean diorama, so we painted out a box in shades of blue and green. Our plans didn’t quite work out – my girls aren’t fond of colouring, what’s that about? – so we abandoned it, but I still had the box, in hope.

We read The Fish With The Deep Sea Smile by Margaret Wise Brown (currently £5.16 at Amazon UK/$7 Amazon US), which is a story about … well, endurance, I guess, because I couldn’t really find many other lessons in it. But endurance is a valuable skill and in this story, the fisherman search high and low for a fish with a ‘Deep Sea Smile’. They don’t find one for ages, but come across many other fish in the meantime: there’s one with a strong jaw, one with an electric tail, one with eyes on sticks, one with terrible claws and even one with a laughing eye.

Literature To Crafts: The Fish With The Deep Sea Smile

The ability to see something through, in this case finding the fish they were looking for, is valuable, and uncommon in our quick-win society, so I think it’s a great life skill to talk about.

I also love the illustrations in this story. They are done by Henry Fisher, and if I was to have a book illustrated, I’d love him to do it. They are so beautifully done. The pictures don’t really do it justice – especially the electric fish (second on the right below).

To bring our book to life, I cut the parts of the fish from coloured paper, and put the different parts of the fish together in piles so the girls could ‘build’ their fish from the given parts.

I must say that I love our finished product. In all honesty I’m not always ‘yay’ about the crafts we do, and we’ll keep them on display for a while before letting them ‘disappear’. I really do like this ocean diorama though. I have no idea where we’ll keep it, but it’s cute, bright, colourful and the fish are so friendly and fun.

It’s a great reminder of the story, which the girls thoroughly enjoyed.

*We received this book as part of the Parragon Book Buddies program. You can find Parragon Books on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. You can find this book on Amazon UK here or Amazon US here.

Literature To Crafts: The Fish With The Deep Sea Smile

Disney Frozen Themed Shrinkles, Ice Play And DIY Jewellery

Home / 2 - 3 years / Disney Frozen Themed Shrinkles, Ice Play And DIY Jewellery

June 22, 2014June 29, 2014 by Luschka

Our ‘Ocean’ Playlearning theme didn’t really go down well this week. The girls just weren’t interested, and I’ve been working long hours on top of it all, so I just let it go (see what I did there?) and decided to follow their lead. That lead took us to Elsa and Anna – the two sisters in the Disney movie “Frozen” that has taken seemingly everyone by storm!

We’ve had some gloriously hot weather, so I decided it was time to turn our new found Frozen frenzy into fun and crafty activities.

1) Make Disney Frozen Shrinkle tokens

2) Create a Frozen ice block for excavation

3) Make jewellery out of the ‘jewels’ from our digging

Shrinkles* are a staple craft product in our house. If you use the right kind you can print directly onto it saving yourself loads of time and effort.

I Googled Frozen Edible Toppers and printed off one of the groups of images I found there. The ones with the white background* came out better than those with the blue background.

We cut out the circles and used a hole punch to make a hole in each one.

A couple of minutes in the oven, and our Shrinkles become disks.

The kids had fun playing with them as tiddlywinks/coins/whatever else came to mind for a while, before I took them away for part 2.

Disney Frozen Themed Shrinkles, Ice Play And DIY Jewellery

In an ice cube tray, pop tokens and beads, and fill with water and freeze.

Once they’re frozen, fill a container with the ice cubes and top with cold but not frozen water to freeze again – this is so that the beads and tokens will appear throughout your whole ice block, not just all lying in a layer at the bottom. I found that if we used a really big block the girls lost interest before it was all chiseled away. A soup bowl size works well for a four and two year old though.

Disney Frozen Themed Shrinkles, Ice Play And DIY Jewellery

Once solid, removed the ice blocks to the water table outdoors and gave each child a garden shovel to use for ‘excavation’. They had a blast banging and knocking and discovering their treasures.

Disney Frozen Themed Shrinkles, Ice Play And DIY Jewellery Finally, I took blue and white wool – we were out of string, and the wool was sparkly – and made bracelets, a necklace and a ring.

We took a string of each colour and held a side each. Ameli turned to the right, I turned to the left and we twisted the string together. When you let go, the string snaps together, twisting to make a perfect ‘friendship bracelet’. For the necklace we did that, and just added two beads on the end threading one through the other to attach it.

For the bracelet we threaded the disks through carefully before letting go of the two ends to snap it all together, then just moved them around so that they were placed properly all the way around.

For the ring we use a much smaller amount of string, and a single bead.

Ameli loved it. I had to get her to take it off for bed time, but with the firm promise that she could ‘be Elsa’ again tomorrow.

Does it tie into any learning goals? Well, no. But the kids had fun.