Carpentry Play

The carpentry corner at Playcentre is a very empowering corner for play indeed.

My daughter's creation, "The dolphin diving in the sea"

Full of real tools - saws, hammers, nails, screwdrivers, screws, drills, vice, wood and the complete trust in our little people that they will enjoy the tools in their play.

Our playcentre carpentry corner has had its tools refreshed and the kids know it.  With every tool working as it should the children are relishing each one.

Our role as parent at Playcentre is to provide, observe and extend when and if possible.  With carpentry that can be intimidating for a myriad of adult reasons - safety concerns, limited personal experience even frustration that screws, nails and tools are being tipped out and strewn every where by children!!!

After attending a carpentry play workshop I have had my lenz widened to so many pathways children play through when exploring with this type of play.

My kitchen cupboards and draws are often emptied of cutlery, pots, bowls and tea towels because even with all of the "play" or "toy" equipment provided - you just can't beat the real thing. And why not, it's good enough for Mum and Dad right?  Of course then carpentry tools are viewed by children in the same way.

If you imagine how your baby and toddler play and explore the home kitchen then we can draw comparisons to stages of development in carpentry play :

Experimentation Stage
In the kitchen we might see our children....
                        watching family members,
                                      grabbing for and playing with kitchen utensils
        handling and playing with spoons, bowls and pots
                                                             carting the pot around like a treasure
                          emptying cupboards

                       (sound familiar?)

With carpentry play this stage might look like
               tipping out accessories
                                               chewing on wood
        watching other children
                                                           handling or carrying tools around

Abstract Building Stage
In the kitchen we might notice our children.....
                                                use all the utensils in ways they have seen them used
                         begin to stir in a pot or bowl
                                             put plates or bowls or pots in ovens or fridges
          put their toys in the pots!

With carpentry play this stage might look like
                          hammering nails without help
         controlling saws                                        imitating adults
             using tools for their correct purpose
                                      no plan

Specific Creating Stage
In our kitchen I see this ...
                  child requesting a recipe
                                         understanding that certain types of baking requires certain ingredients

gathers ingredients from cupboards and fridge or garden
                            models Mum and Dad's methods
    insists on variations
                                       
During carpentry play you might see children in this stage...
      Pre planning construction
                               adding accessories
                                          modeling own things
completing and naming their creations
                                                      experimenting

What I love the most about these identified stages is that it begins with experimentation and upon knowing more and understanding more returns to experimentation.  That to me is what is exciting about learning through play and in my opinion what learning is.  How often do you find yourself mastering something, then experimenting once you feel you have reached a certain point?

Ideas for making carpentry more accessible at Playcentre or at home:

Provide the basics if you can - wood (untreated pine off cuts are usually free around the place), nails or screws, hammers, drills, and saws.

Be present during this play - observe, offer language (hit, screw, up, down, together...) provide ideas to enable the child to realise their plan.

Holding a nail can be hard while little hands hammer.  Try starting the nail, put clay or playdough around to hold the nail in position.  This is a much more appealing option than your fingers around the nail while the child takes aim with the hammer.

Wood can be hard.  Bars of soap are a great medium for hammering into - if  the child's goal is to hammer.  Pumice is an accessible medium to saw, drill or hammer into.

Hammering/drilling holes into shells can end in shatters.  Use a masonary bit (has a spade like tip).  Hold the shell round side down and squish into play dough or clay to hold in position.

Tree stumps make excellent hammering tables for toddlers - they are lower, a little more forgiving and provide a large and defined work space.

Once nails are hammered into wood, thread wool around to create a pattern.

With the child's imagination and exploration nurtured by the adult's support through observation, offer of language and scaffolding to make their pathway possible there are no limits - follow their lead.

Carpentry play grows problem solvers, develops fine/gross motor skills, is both scientific and mathematical amongst many other values and most importantly is fun.

A time to thank our friends..even the imaginary ones!

KB baked her first batch of Christmas cookies.  We chose a Belgium Biscuit recipe - delicious and spicey, drizzled with a lemon icing.

It took all day from mixing the dough to cooling, baking then cooling, then icing.  As a treat she got to stay up a little later than usual with Mum to finish these off.

We chatted about giving thanks to those who care for us and for whom we care about at Christmas time.  This included her friends of course.  And she included "mmm", "yay" and "ha" - her imaginary friends.

A month ago these three appeared or at least became apparent to me.  You see I forgot to dry them after KBs shower one evening (I did not know they were there!!).

I have since learned that they are girls.  They are very small and can fit in KBs hand.  They are gorgeous as told in one of her palm stories (when our family are in places where there are no books handy we use the palms of our hands together to tell a made up story) one morning... "Once upon a time there were some girls mm and yay they were gorgeous and nice..."  Their front door is on the wall beside her bed - which explains the knocking that we hear in the evening.  They recently celebrated a birthday and quite a birthday party happened at our house with many soft toy guests and two different cakes.  KB is teaching them how to use the toilet and they help her too.  They get pushed on the swing.

Many people believe that imaginary friends appear to help a child get through hard times and certainly research seems to support this.  I thought this too.  I did some research and more thinking about when mmm, yay and ha appeared to my "eyes" and what times they appear to play with KB.

They seemed to appear not long after KB tried to initiate a game of tee ball with a four year old at play centre, with whom she had played a couple of weeks before.  The four year old did not respond despite KBs attempts at asking.  So I wonder if KB needs friends for reciprocal play and in her life mm, yay and ha fill this need between real friends.

Perhaps, they have appeared since KBs sister E joined our family.  KB loves her sister but cannot wait for her to play with her...sooo may be mmm, yay and ha fill this gap.

Or may be as this research suggests, imaginary friends are created by children with active imaginations.

What ever the reason - mm, yay and ha are a part of our family, friends to KB and this year will be getting a gift of thanks from her.

How about those names??!

More Finger Painting Magic!

My nephew plunged into using our Playcentre finger paint - made by his Mumma during his little chicken pox episode recently.

He described his painting as "magic".  I so agree with him.

Here is Kaea's latest adventure with finger paint.  Blue and Kowhai this time.  She is beginning to notice what happens when she blends colours.

And clearly the experience was super as the paint was squidged all over her arms and feet!

"Green Mummy!"

Some parents prefer to avoid "messy" play at home, but in our house it is the best play of all.  Kaea's little senses love it and she seems so refreshed and "earthed" afterward.

This time round her little body seemed to want to get amongst the paint.  So I say bring on summer and we will take the paint outside and see what happens...by then E might like to join in as well!

Finger paint recipe here

All Blacks and the Little Blue Duck

"The little blue duck with a passion to cook, was busily searching her recipe book.  I'll make a pavlova that beaut kiwi treat, lighter than air and perfectly sweet"

These words are read often in our home at bed time from the story "The Little Blue Duck".  To Kaea I guess the pav has been a mystery and a promise that one day we would make one.

And so we finally made one as a contribution to our Kiwi Dinner to celebrate the World Cup Rugby Final.

For every game the All Blacks played we dined on the delights of the "other" team.  From savoury crepes, and fruit tarts, to turkey sandwiches, pecan pie and pancakes, to takeaways (we had those when we played Tonga!).

We beat the egg whites and sugar for 10 minutes as suggested by a few Pavlova websites.

We also built walls up around the outside to stop the flat Pav thing from happening.

Kaea was in charge of the eggs.  "We whipped and we beat till the white of the eggs were perfectly peaked".  The funniest part of our pav making was when Kaea asked to go and find a cow to milk so we could make the cream.  We explained that we would go to the supermarket for cream.... to which she replied "To find a cow".

The outcome of our pav was somewhat like the game really..... a bit touch and go but overall pretty sweet!

so true on so many levels...

Source: madamecupcake.tumblr.com via Rochelle on Pinterest

clever!

Poppies Bookstore Voucher Draw

Have you been to your local Poppies Bookshop?
 

I rediscovered ours in Mount Maunganui yesterday.  With the torrential weather we had in the morning I was so please to find shelter in its warm welcoming surroundings saturated in so many high quality books.

I find it difficult to not squeal out loud with excitement when I find great new and loved children's books - and Poppies know just how to stock them.

Even more exciting is being greeted by a passionate retailer.  Our local Poppies store is hosted by Janice, a wonderfully passionate woman whose infectious love for reading won me over!  Of course she offered us excellent retail assistance and showed us through an interactive book - sans pop ups, technological wizardry or add ons, just plain and simple visual imagery, "Press Here" by Herve Tullet. It will have you pressing, shaking, and tapping away. A magical, whimsical book suitable for young and wise with great imaginations.

It is also wonderful to walk into a bookshop who care about children.  There are toys for the little ones, should they tear them selves away from the tantilising books for children on offer.  KB was treated like a real little person in the Mount Maunganui Poppies - and this means heaps to a parent.  Poppies offer story time readings for children, they are great - I have witnessed many children enthralled by the readings.  Now that KB is into books I cannot wait to take her down!!

Poppies at the Mount have recently launched a Facebook page which will include reviews, event announcements, specials and when they will host their children's story times (such fun!).  Join their page to stay up to date and go into the draw for a $25 voucher of reading goodness.  Let them know you found their page through Rochelle at Focussed Lenz.

Other discoveries made and highly recommended reads......

Have you met Lulu?  She came into our hearts around the same time KB started toilet training.  Lulu is a very sassy young lady.  "Lulu's Loo" delighted and motivated KB and continues to do so.  This is an interactive book which captures the essence of toilet training - recognising accidents, triumphs and independence.  The illustrations are a quirky mix of paint and collage.

Lulu is somewhat of a heroin in our house so it was great to discover "Lulu's Lunch".  Another interactive story about Lulu and her picnic.  KB has added this to her Christmas wishlist.

Our two year old would love to recommend these books to other sassy little "Lulu's" out there.  Go track her down!!!

Don't forget to sign up to the Poppies Mount Maunganui Facebook page, mention Rochelle sent you and get your self into the draw for the $25 voucher.

May your weekend find you trapped in a great read!

Celebrating Matariki - A Te Reo Story Table

"Ko wai to ingoa?"  

"What is your name?"

"Ko Rochelle toku ingoa"

"My name is Rochelle"

My beautiful and linguistic sister - Bella, is a teacher of Te Reo Maori and Kapa Haka at a Rudolph Steiner School.  She is full of courage and passion.  Passion for learning te reo - while our family are of Maori descent we did not speak Maori, yet she is driven to learn and share the reo.  Courage to take her passion for learning into a role where she is not a fluent speaker but a wonderful connector and learner herself.  Courage to step into a different school environment one which at times is in contrast to what she has trained for.

Steiner share stories to learn with and from.  So Bella wrote the story of Matai the Moa, an orphan in search of friendship.  The story is sprinkled with te reo with a focus on asking another's name and giving your name in response.

I loved her story so much that I set about illustrating it with Steiner style crafts, with knitting and felt.

Matai lives alone in a tomo (cave).

He ventures outside (ki waho) into the forest one morning.  Matai comes across a small bird, with a long beak snuffling among the leaves under a ponga tree.
"Ko wai to ingoa" asks Matai,
"Ko Kiwi toku ingoa" replies the bird before retreating into his burrow to sleep.

Matai Moa reaches a glade filled with beautiful music.  He peers into a Kowhai tree to see a bird singing happily.

"Ko wai to ingoa?"
The bird replies "Ko Tui toku ingoa",
"Kia Ora Tui, ko Matai Moa toku ingoa, could you teach me to sing as beautifully as you do?"
Tui says she will, but not until she has finished her morning song.

Matai Moa makes his way onward meeting many more native birds.... and the story continues to a very fulfilling conclusion.  The above is an abridged version of her writing, but hopefully will give you some idea of it.

Story telling without expectation is a powerful learning tool and story tables allow our little ones to revisit and retell the story they have heard when they choose.

I love this story too as it relates to the elements of Matariki including the whenua (land), Papatuanuku's gifts, connections with others and knowing who we are and how we relate to others. Ka pai mahi!

While K and I have enjoyed the story at home, she likes to recreate her own version with the props and characters we will also share it at Playcentre as a point from which our session children and parents can learn some reo.  I am very nervous about leading this!

However, if Bella can be so courageous I am sure I can be too!

Celebrating Matariki - Colourful Lanterns

Matariki is almost here!  Winter is officially too.  This mornings walk on the beach in the fine, crisp weather was refreshing and rejuvenating, evoking much reflection and gratitude for where we live, how we live and what we love.  And so is the meaning of Matariki - what an awesome time of year!

"During Matariki, we celebrate our unique place in the world. We give respect to the whenua (land) on which we live, and admiration to our mother earth, Papatūānuku.

Throughout Matariki, we learn about those who came before us. Our history, our family, our bones.

Matariki signals growth. It's a time of change. It's a time to prepare, and a time of action. During Matariki, we acknowledge what we have and what we have to give.

Matariki celebrates the diversity of life. It's a celebration of culture, language, spirit and people.

Matariki is our Aotearoa Pacific New Year."  (an explanation from The Maori Language Commission)

It really excites me that we in Aotearoa have an opportunity to reflect at this time of year on our past and future.  Almost six months from our summer New Year celebrations we get a chance to ignite or reignite our aspirations.

Matariki describes the dawning of the cluster of stars also known as Pleiades - the seven sisters.  From the Maori perspective they are a whanau of seven - Mother and six daughters.

This Mummy and her one daughter have been making lanterns as one way of celebrating Matariki.

The lanterns are glass jars, covered in torn tissue paper of various colours and lit by a tea light candle.  Beautiful and simple.  A great result can be achieved by someone as little as K or as old as her Mumma!!

Our lanterns light our dinner table and perch upon our night blue voile.  I have just started making my own voile, inspired again by the Steiner.  K just loves her colourful voile - to dance with, to dress up in, as blankets for her babies, to make huts.......and more!

This weekend will mark the beginning of Matariki celebrations with a new moon.  Why not make some lanterns to light your way while you star gaze or make a star shaped kite to fly or take a walk in our beautiful country and reflect on where we have come from and what our future might hold - our iti whanau will be x

Taken to a Magic Place with Finger Paint

Inspired by my last task for course one of my playcentre diploma, and the wonderful book "Magic Places" I got stuck into making K some finger paint.

Oh how glorious this stuff is!  Silky, thick, rich in colour and texture.

Here is my modified recipe (playcentre ingredients in brackets)

Finger Paint

1c        cornflour         (2c)

1/2 c    cold water      (1c)

2c        boiling water  (4c)

2tbsp     liquid soap      (1/4 c lux soap flakes)

Whisk together and when blended divide into  smaller bowls and add as much or as little of tempura paint as you wish.  This should keep well for a few weeks in sealed containers.

One of the self led learning opportunities finger paint can offer our little lovelies is the chance to interact with and observe colour blending along with texture and pattern making.  So appealing to the senses!

I limited the colour choices to red and yellow so that K could enjoy and observe those colours.  I have noticed that when she paints at playcentre the colours are not as important to her as the feeling of the paint on her skin.  So finger paints offer her the best of both worlds, and the small colour pallet helps her to appreciate colour.

It was truly relaxing to watch her immerse herself in her painting, listen to her language which accompanied her experience, and observe how she used palms, forearms and fingers in a variety of ways.

" scooping, circles, smashing, fingers, push, painting, what's dis one? bubbles, squeeze"

Thanks for the "Versatile Blogger" Award

What a surprise I got when I went to my blogger dashboard this week  to see that NZEco Chick had recognised my young, wee blog with this award!

My initial thought was that it was spam!  Having never seen the award before, and with such few (visible) followers, and my irregular posting I think it was natural to be a little intrigued.

NZEco Chick exists, so does the award of recognition, and on her beautiful blog there is my blog along with others she recognised too!  Super!!

Being the curious kind I wanted to investigate the award further.  Its point of origin is hard to find.  Many other curious recipients of the award have found it difficult to pin point its beginnings.  The award has found its way around the world of blogging over the years.  It is essentially a positive form of chainmail.

The Versatile Blogger award has held varied criteria too.   In receiving the award  you need to share more about yourself, and award a selection of other blogs you love.  This number has varied from three to fifteen from my research.  With the high number of blogs to be awarded you can see the chainmail effect.  However it is the "versatile" blogger award and by definition it is about adaptability.

So thank you NZeco Chick - it is wonderful to be acknowledged by a fellow mummy blogger, especially when you don't strive for recognition.  My blog was born out of the need for connection, reflection and recollection.

Just last week I strolled along the beach reflecting and I realised how grateful I am for the blogging community I have become a part of.  I wanted to post about this gratefulness.  Now I can combine this appreciation with the awardees!  Choice.

There are three simple rules I need to follow in accepting the award:

1.  Thank the person who gave you the award.
2.  Share seven things about yourself.
3   Give the award to up to 15 newly discovered bloggers.

More about me...check out my updated profile here. (coming soon - needed sleep!)

Blogs I am lovin' (I went for the less is more approach here)

Softearth's World 
Marie is a kiwi needle felting crafter.  Her creativity and passion is both inspiring and infectious.  Marie I am so grateful for your kind and encouraging comments on my blog.  Especially by offering a new mum a fresh new approach to my wee girls sleeping patterns - our sleeps time are much more relaxed and successful thanks to your suggestion.

Mousehouse
A crafty and home keeping blog by Megan.  Megan shares her crafting and eco steps in a beautifully presented blog.  She also connects her followers to other fantastic blogs and ideas.  She has established the Crafty Stitchers group here in Tauranga.  Megan, as a mum of three and as busy as you are I have appreciated your encouragement and support here in the blogging world.

Greedy for Colour
Another local blogger!!  Kate shares her crochet crafts and patterns with us.  They are oh so funky and colour bleeds from this blog through word and image.  You really brighten up my day - and make my list of crafty aspirations longer and longer!!

Midget Magic
A local old school crafter - crafting long before the blogosphere appeared.  Maree entered the blogging world recently with the encouragement of moi!  Her eye for colour and ability to quilt like an artist paints is impressive.  Her crafts and quilts capture the true essence of the recipient for which they are created.  Maree is an international blogger now, an ex pat and I am really keen to hear more about her international adventures in crafting with her hands, and crafting the potential of the children she learns with.

Olive and Esther
A quilting artist based in Australia.  Creative Spaces connected me with this blog and I am thankful for the wise words of encouragement reminding me that art comes in many forms in response to my cake crafting - in particular my retro caravan cake.  Megan is another nurturing mum who weaves her creative eye and passion and love for her family into her blog in an always attractive way.

EcoMILF
"Daily insight from a Mumma taking steps toward a more sustainable, compassionate and conscious life". Your blog is a source of motivation for me, you live your philosophy as strongly as you are able and this helps keep me on track as I try to focus my lenz on what is important to me.  I am enjoying the Steiner pathway you are journeying on as my family begin their own Steiner journey - this is especially valued as only one other person in my community shares these values as well as my sister who lives a province away.

Thank you fellow bloggers!  If you choose to accept the award that would be wonderful.  If not, please accept my gratefulness for what you have given to this beginning blogger x

Please visit and follow these blogs, you will enjoy them!

Children's Play Resources

Painting
This area was set up using easels and mostly paints of primary colours with brushes and paper.  I have also contributed to this station on other occasions by cutting the paper into the shapes of the session theme for eg egg shapes for Easter, or if the children are choosing to paint body parts then placing tote trays of paints on the grass along with long sheets of paper to step along.

Eve was the first child to find her way to the painting after being busy at with play dough on this particular session.  She was attracted to the colour blue and used large strokes up and down the paper.  Eventually she moved away from the brush and used her hands, dipping them into the pottles.  Eve chose to use just a limited palette.

We discussed her painting.  I asked her questions about the colours she was choosing, how the paint felt, and offered connections - "blue like the sky today", and how the paint colours changed as new colours merged with others.

My daughter is going through a sensory stage with paint ( between 20 and 23 months of age) preferring to use her hands by dipping, and now using a paint brush to paint her hands, fingers or arms to then paint on the paper.  I think she would enjoy body/face painting next as she is starting to notice this on others.  During this sensory stage she appears immersed in the feeling and tends not to talk about it rather observes the cause and effect.   During her painting time at this stage I am a listening and observing participant allowing her to enjoy that which she is focussed on.


The responses to tasks one and two of module 1.1 were completed during and up to May 19, 2011.

Introducing Playcentre..completing course one!

We love Playcentre...here is a little introduction to Playcentre from my new perspective.
I would love to hear your thoughts about Playcentre...

Easter Biscuits and Rupert Rabbit

 

I love Afghan biscuits - mostly when others make them.  Our friend Lee makes the most amazing Afghan's with caramel hidden under the icing!  Oh my gosh!  These helped me through the first few days of breastfeeding - so delicious.

She shared this idea with us too - Afghan's topped with mini easter eggs.  I must admit I was reluctant to make these as no Afghan measures up to the Caramel version and I often end up with the mixture which becomes too crumbly to eat.  Fortunately, K adds the magic touch when she bakes (many touches actually!) and they turned out just right.

It is quite challenging for a nearly two year old to decorate this type of baking without the eggs being mysteriously redirected to her mouth rather than the biscuit.  I guess you might expect that from a little girl deprived of many sweet things - she has a boring old Mum!!  K did struggle to eat her bikkie at the end of her hard work - over the sugar I think?

We have had a wee visitor turn up too.  He is a little shy.  Rupert the Rabbit is warming to the camera.  I will tell you more about him when he relaxes a little!