That afternoon, as we were saying "goodbye" to summer and "hello" to autumn by looking for “signs of fall” outside, we noticed that we still had summer items out – buckets, a kick board and some pool noodles. Thus, the fun began: a summer-into-fall “We Play” afternoon.
Here’s how it unfolded:
Here’s how it unfolded:
Nina wanted to jump in the leaves. So, we gathered a bunch together.
Then, when Luke started to help us, he noticed how leaves fell from his rake as he raised it up. So, he decided to make his own trees.
Then, when Luke started to help us, he noticed how leaves fell from his rake as he raised it up. So, he decided to make his own trees.
Yes, this is our boy purposefully putting leaves onto (not picking them from) a rake so he could raise the rake, calling it a tree, and shake the leaves down, thus making his own autumn. What fun he and Nina had doing this.
Then, Nina and Luke asked me to help make an obstacle course. We decided to make it “summer to fall”, with summer items at the beginning and a big leaf pile at the end.
With summer fun in mind, Luke insisted on setting up a kickboard as a diving/jumping board to launch into the leaves from.
With summer fun in mind, Luke insisted on setting up a kickboard as a diving/jumping board to launch into the leaves from.
And from there, the jumping, running and balancing began.
Run through...
after balance through...
after jump through...
we made of our course as it initially stood.
Then, Luke decided he should tweak it. He added a new element to it – the rake. “You have to go around the hulahoop with the rake."
He decided to include a kamikaze jump with rake-in-hand as an additional challenge. At that point, Safety Mama suggested that the latest adaptation to our course might might get a bit dangerous.
Then, to avoid a possible "I-Wanna-Do-It-Anyway" meltdown, I opted for a bit of adult intervention. Jack was laying on a towel, smiling at wind-blown leaves on the branches above his head. A observed aloud, "Look! Jack is laughing at the leaves."
It worked like a charm. The rake was forgotten as the kids gathered different colors of leaves to wave in front of their little brother's face. Then, with giggles, they tried to get him to hold one.
Since Jack is not quite at the grasping stage yet, they gave up after a few gleeful tries and went back to the course, which they decided it needed some rearranging.
I bit my lip as they tested whether the plank worked as well just leaning up and onto an upturned recycling bin as it did balanced on same-level buckets.
And, I was pleased when that test ended as a complete change of focus developed. In deciding to adapt the course still further, they turned the recycling bin over.
They tried putting the plank across it a different way. Then, added buckets and pool noodles into the fray. At which point, Luke’s imagination began a tangent of play. “Mixing. Mixing.” A noodle became his mixing spoon...
...and stirring together elephant enrichment. (We’ve had a fascination with elephants here recently and recently had the privilege of helping to make a real elephant enrichment snack at our local zoo’s elephant day.)
"Then, shuffle it across the balance board.”
We followed his lead until...
He decided to include a kamikaze jump with rake-in-hand as an additional challenge. At that point, Safety Mama suggested that the latest adaptation to our course might might get a bit dangerous.
Then, to avoid a possible "I-Wanna-Do-It-Anyway" meltdown, I opted for a bit of adult intervention. Jack was laying on a towel, smiling at wind-blown leaves on the branches above his head. A observed aloud, "Look! Jack is laughing at the leaves."
It worked like a charm. The rake was forgotten as the kids gathered different colors of leaves to wave in front of their little brother's face. Then, with giggles, they tried to get him to hold one.
Since Jack is not quite at the grasping stage yet, they gave up after a few gleeful tries and went back to the course, which they decided it needed some rearranging.
I bit my lip as they tested whether the plank worked as well just leaning up and onto an upturned recycling bin as it did balanced on same-level buckets.
And, I was pleased when that test ended as a complete change of focus developed. In deciding to adapt the course still further, they turned the recycling bin over.
They tried putting the plank across it a different way. Then, added buckets and pool noodles into the fray. At which point, Luke’s imagination began a tangent of play. “Mixing. Mixing.” A noodle became his mixing spoon...
...then, his blender.
Meanwhile, Nina added ingredients (leaves) to the blender jar (the recycling bin).
And soon enough, the two merrily went from making shakes to food processing pancakes.
Then, there was taste testing...
...and stirring together elephant enrichment. (We’ve had a fascination with elephants here recently and recently had the privilege of helping to make a real elephant enrichment snack at our local zoo’s elephant day.)
After which, noodles, then one arm, then both hands became elephant trunks and the feast was on!
Before long, Luke Elephant turned the entire box of enrichment over his head to get the very last bites…
And, then, the refilling began anew...
some through to help us with all this!
book to learn how to easily make Shampoo Finger Paints with ingredients you most likely already have in your home!
series; and, at least once a month or so, they are saint day picture books. The latter, of course, often asks as inspiration for Saint Day Teas, such as the ones we had for the 
several times last week in honor of 
