Observation

Maria Montessori was a careful observer. Being watchful helps to know what our children need NEXT. When I got out my camera to freeze frame the pincer grasp, I was surprised to see all of the different ways 2-year-old "Alleluia" (she has a nickname now!) picks up these Knobbed Cylinders. Try observing carefully today.

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Bugs in the Backyard

GET !

If you have a backyard or access to a park, there are lots of living things to grab a toddler's attention--but you may need to patient and vigilant! In just a few hours of puttering around outside yesterday, my girls saw some amazing things. Eight-year-old Peel spotted the ladybug eggs and then the 2-year-old (she doesn't have a nickname yet!) saw the ladybug.

The bunnies have been really active lately and then the caterpillar was a complete surprise--trying to cross the street after nightfall! Before bedtime we looked up some info on the critter. Apparently it will turn into a Giant Leopard Moth with a wingspan of 3 inches! (Yes, we let him go after watching him for a little while.)

You can go in so many directions with a day like this--take photos and make your own flashcards, create a backyard bingo game, put together a nature journal, start a unit on the life cycle of ladybugs, etc.

Re: the photo near the pink peony: I was once told that peonies only open after a bug crawls across the bud. Is that true?

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Complicated Cooking

What to do when you don't have the time and energy to make a decent dinner? Get the kids involved. Here 8-year-old "Peel" and 11-year-old "Chop" help make borscht.  We used the  Twelve Months of Monastery Soups cookbook.

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Painted Toast

-White bread
-Milk
-Food coloring
- Cheap plastic paintbrushes
- Small bowls
-Toaster
First, put some milk into each bowl. Then color the milk different colors using the food coloring. Next, take a piece of white bread and paint it with the milk using the paintbrushes. Finally, toast it.

Here's some pictures I took:

Before toasting:

After toasting:

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We call this "Tags to Toes" in our house

http://ournaturaljourney.com/2012/04/09/putting-on-a-coat/

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Easy Science Lesson

Our 14-year-old daughter had to do a project for school that entailed taking a picture of an example of refraction, dispersion, or reflection. The picture was captioned:

This image was made using a pair of glasses. These lenses, which are concave, make images appear smaller by bending light (refraction). The light enters the medium of the glass and slows down.

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Kiss the Joy As It Flies By

Our eldest is about to fly the coop to leave for college and our youngest had just started walking well when I took this picture last year. One of the nice things about being "experienced" parents is that you learn what's important and what isn't. You don't waste your time or energy on non-essentials. You appreciate tiny but amazing moments of beauty and joy and you savor them.

If you are a new parent, take the time to get to know several older parents. Watch especially those whose marriages you admire. They may not have homes that are immaculately clean. Their flower beds may be full of weeds (our is!). But I bet they have a sense of humor

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