your family's most memorable natural learning experiences

[Aurora]

We learn each and every day of course, but what are the stand out excursions or events for your family? One of ours would have to be: house sitting a friend's farm for a few days... we cared for the horses, ducks, chickens, dogs & vegetable gardens. Coming from a suburban rental in which we're not allowed to have pets or large gardens, this was a great opportunity for DS to spend time with the above- he was fascinated!


We smelled each of the different types of grain & pellets for the animals, rummaged our hands through the huge containers, collected warm, freshly-laid eggs, picked fresh produce from the garden (taste testing along the way) and cooked with it, patted the horses and filled their water buckets with the hose, feeding them handfulls of grass (DS loved how the horses snorting tickled his hand)... it was overall just a really lovely few days for us and gave us a good insight into how much work a farm is to run! lol (those of you who live on farms, I really admire you)

[lao tzu]

The other night we went out as a family to a pub to listern to some music. As the music was a bit on the loud side and not a terrabliy good mix for the venue I steered the boys (18 mounths and 4 1/2) outside. After looking at a cool Pontiac and kicking a ball around for ages my eldest wanted to lie on our backs and watch the stars come out. I figured it would be about 10 to 15 minutes. So we layed down all three of us and looked at the dwindling blue of evening sky, we wernt really doing anything except being together which is everything, just shootting the breeze. The eldest one saw the first star and then showed me where it was and then stars just started to apear before our eyes it was really special and they were easy to count. The constelation that comes out first is the pointers to the Southern Cross then the cross emerges, it's easy to identifie as there were no other stars around to confuse with it(the little one takes a while). It was a very special moment for me as I have been pointing out the Southern Cross and the different moon phases for as long as they have been born and that night I felt like I recieved a very special gift. Now I know the proceedure I'm going to find the time to do that again to build on the expeirence.

Oh I almost forgot it's easy just lie on your back when the sun is going down with your right shoulder facing the setting sun and relax and keep looking up.

[Currawong]

:kotc LT

Today I did a lot of gardening with my 19mo. He played in a tub of water for awhile and then he watered the plants I was potting. I asked him to water a plant I had just potted but he decided he wanted to water the 'big plant' not the 'baby plant'. He did some digging too.

My 4.5yo has been making patterns with his cars. Using vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines. He has been looking at a sticker book with patterns in it so I guess this new patternmaking with cars has come from that. The patterns are quite beautiful.

[Quickening]

We have heaps of them. One time I asked DD to please not touch me with her jam-streaked sticky fingers to get my attention (I'm deaf) and she stood there for a few moments before solving the problem. She touched me with her elbow.

Another time on a regular car trip to take DH to work early in the morning, we would see full sugar cane bin trains taking sugarcane to the mill to make sugar. The kids asked what they were and where they were going. Then one time we saw an empty train and DD immediately told her brother "Look! There's an empty train going to get more food for the mill!"

DS's been learning about different art mediums of late after our experiments with clay, homemade plaster and paints. He seems quite the artist, he'll make art with anything that he can. DD got injured one time and dripped blood all over the floor and after helping to take care of the wound, DS promptly went and got some paper and walked all through the blood and smeared it on his piece of paper. He's also partial to making tropical islands with flowers and twigs out of piles of poo - an art medium I really would rather he didn't use!

[Janet]

Go the poo art!! :eager

[Astarte]

I burst with pride when upon meeting a friend or relatives new baby, my young sons say exactly where the baby came from. No belly button, cabbage patch bullshit here :) I think Finleys birth was the greatest natural learning experience they've had.

I love how much Darcy absorbs from Eben and how Finley learns from Darcy. So I guess each of them are quite crucial natural learning tools :lol

[Quickening]

You wouldn't be such a fan of the poo art Janet, if you had to deal with the smell and the clean up : ) I guess its art that is meant to be admired from afar or via photography!

[Janet]

Some of the world's greatest art can be somewhat impenetrable to those who aren't the creator ;) I imagine that once he's all growed up and exhibiting in galleries around the world he'll have minions to do the clean up and you'll be spared. :lol

[SandraDodd]

-=-I guess its art that is meant to be admired from afar or via photography!-=-

But not scanned!

Sometimes it's a problem or something sad that becomes a good catalyst for lots of learning and parental support, and we can discuss possible reactions or solutions, or ways to make others in or around the situations feel safer and more comfortable.

By being analytical about situations with young children, it helps them be good problem solvers for themselves or friends when they're older and problems come along.

[Beltane]

The last Lunar eclipse... laying on a blanket in the front yard (free range hens in the back yard make a lot of poop, hard to find a pleasant smelling place for a picnic rug) and watching the moon slowly disappear and turn a brilliant shade of amber! And I just listened to their take on it... hearing their veiw on 'why' and 'how' this was happening was just adorable. *sighs*

[~*heket*~]

Our stick insects have been a real venture for us. Fascinating little blighters (I know I'm meant to be putting up photos aren't I - d'oh)

I think one of the best things that gets learnt here is when my 10yr old watches me give the 2yr old booby. One day she'll feed my grandbabies booby :cry :D