Spirals Inspired by Hundertwasser

Spirals....

Inspired by this book:

Harvesting Dreams Hundertwasser For Kids by Barbara Steiff...

I picked it up from the Tate Gallery years ago ready for a day like this...

We made a collection of spirals:

ferns, fossils..

snail shells from a gnome's hat..

and I taught them to make spirals from pipecleaners.

We put these on a display to add to at anytime.

We became foetal spirals...

Made playdough spirals...

Created a spiral maze from lolly sticks for the gnomes to enter.

...and colourful matchstick spirals...

Little Seed followed by pencil markings with do-a-dot pens.

Big Seed created his own with felt pens.

Montessori cylinder spirals...

...with a twist and a turn.

Finger spirals in the sand tray we use for tracing.

Big Seed asked to to painting. I got the watercolours out.

He said he wanted to do a "nature" picture, inspired by what we had explored.

Little Seed is still painting rainbows...he is still exploring those since St Patricks Day.

I painted a spiral...

and Big Seed wanted to do one too.

After any painting activity there seems to be an atmosphere

of completion and contentment. 

Their creativity has been expressed.

They no longer want to do any focussed activities...

It is complete...for today.

x

Shared on  Friday's Nature Table at The Magic Onions.

 

Making a paper box

We made a paper box.

Little Seed learnt about folding paper.

Fold a piece of rectangular paper in half.

Fold the bottom upwards towards the crease you have made.

Do the same from both ends so you have 4 sections.

 See the 4 sections here.

Repeat this process from the sides.

Fold the corners inwards.

Fold edges to make 2 flaps.

And pull the corners so it pops into a box.

Little Seed is taking photos too.

Fill with stuff to tidy the play area.

We used it on our craft area and filled it with precut shapes.

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Bees Are Back....and so are we!

Little Seed has become very interested in bees so I am taking this as our main focus this week.

I am starting the blog up again as a focus now for my second preschool son.

We found a dead bumble bee in the garden and that sparked his interest.

We started with making bees from paper plates.

We made several to fix onto the window.

Then we made honeycomb from an egg carton and painted it yellow.

When it is dry we are going to put tiny eggs made of  rice in them...and watch them grow!

We will act out the worker bees/ drones/ nursing type bees, etc.

We made honeycomb from tessellating shapes

Mellisa and Doug shapes set

Added 20 bee beads from Ebay

Dandelion prints because they are so abundant in our garden.

It reminded me of this post I did a few years ago:

so we made some Dandelion Cookies again.

They were delicious.

By some magic synchronicity..there was a kid's Bee production on at the local theatre.

What a great day for bees!

x

Birds Are Back

Spring is here and the boys are noticing the birds visiting our garden.

I made these felt finger puppets for them.

These are 3 common visitors.

I found this on Ebay. Big Seed likes to sort numbers

or play snap.

This is a lovely book about UK garden birds for children.

They both like finding the birds that they are familiar with.

I have started to get back into themes on my shelves.

Things have been a bit slow lately but as the days get longer,

Big Seed is more engaged after school.

Transformation...a new year a new start!

I have started this new year with new energy.

I have really found this beautiful 2012 workbook and planner inspiring...

from Goddess Leonie here.

She has lots of lovely things on her website and free posters which look

pretty on your pinboard!

Also I have seen this on many blogs and I treated myself...

"Organized Simplicity" by Tsh Oxenrider

and have been motivated  to declutter in a big way.

This is has been a good start to the year.

How has yours been?

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Gingerbread House Party

We were given a stocking full of 'old skool' sweets,

so I was inspired to organise a Gingerbread House decorating party

for the Two Seeds and some friends.

We spent an evening making the houses in half the size of what the recipes stated,

and put the initial of each boy on the houses.

The boys all enjoyed decorating them.

We don't eat sweets in our house ( only chocolate ) but the boys enjoyed picking them off 

and eating the cake.

x

Sights of Christmas In Our Front Room

Honey scented pine cones dipped in golden beeswax with edges of shimmering glitter,

warming gently as they are hung over the fireplace...leaving a sweet scent mixed with cinnamon 

sprinkled on the iron fire

Pine twigs hang across the stairs tied with wool and decorated with red and gold ribbons

bring more Mother Nature into our home.

A lovely bold statement as we walk into our house.

Wispy, floaty angels made from wool watch over the children playing in the front room

Warming fiery red Poinsettia with petals like velvet

 A sweet gingerbread house made by two excited boys

decorated with treats and happiness

Enjoy your holidays

X