An Intentional, Experiential Day Processed through Play

2/3's of the Way through the Day:  Feeding Seals

As I begin to write this, it is 9 o’clock at night and my seven- and six-year-olds are not asleep yet.  I am okay with that.  They are reading to Daddy after spending more than an hour processing their day their way.

You see, our day was busy – in a good way.  A way filled with living intentionally and experientially.

Slow Morning

In the morning, the kids slept in a bit later than usual while I moved through morning tasks to the rhythm of a refreshing rain.   (Intentional Choice – respecting both the children’s need for sleep and my need for discipline in developing better personal morning chore habits)

Then, Luke and Nina helped me to cook up a batch of homemade GFCF pancakes to drizzle in maple syrup and raspberries.  The pancakes were chock-full of carrots from our local CSA farm, which meant that we benefited from fruit-and-vegetable produce power this morning after the children apportioned our breakfast out fairly among themselves, saving an additional portion for Daddy’s next-day breakfast which included one extra pancake “because Daddy’s bigger than us”.  (Intentional Choices – eating healthy, teaching the children life skills, spending meal time together, considering others)

After breakfast, we had a slow morning of free play for the kids, more tasks for me and, then, a tidy time, before we stopped in at a local school to finish off homeschool reporting paperwork for next year.  The kids brought along some coloring and books to keep them busy while I filled out the form and were incredibly well-behaved and intent while we were at the school.  (Intentional Choices – balancing work and play, being responsible)

Creature-Filled Mid-Day

Notice the only child with a hand up:  Luke!

Then, after an easy lunch at home, we packed food for the rest of the day and headed out to a nearby town’s library for a great program of live digging critters that included a legless lizard, a snake, a tarantula, a tortoise, a fox, a hedgehog, a skunk, a large toad (Jack’s favorite) and a banana-eating groundhog (Nina and Luke’s favorite.)  On the way to the library, we made predictions about what creatures we might see, what colors they might be, what features they might have and why (based on the fact that the creatures were supposed to all be digging creatures.)   The children made some on-spot predictions about the creatures being brown, black, red or orange (mostly to blend in with different types of dirt and environments) and having claw-like hands or feet for digging.  (Intentional Choices – relaxed, yet pointed pre-engagement for learning experience)

I so appreciate presenters who are willing to answer questions after a program!

At the program, Luke, Nina and Jack remained engaged by they Creature Teacher critters and explanations.  Then, of course,  Luke asked to stay afterward to ask the presenter questions.  (Intentional Choices –  hands-on – or eyes-on/ears-open, in this case – learning, plus encouraging inquisitiveness)

Onto "Seal" the Day with More Learning and Fun

One of the Two Seal Pups We Saw

From there, it was off to the National Marine Life Center for “Townsend Day.”  On the way there, I offered the children a snack to eat in the car and verbally transitioned them between the parts of our day by recalling the day thus far and discussing what we were headed off to do for the late afternoon and evening.  While doing so, I inquired what the kids’ favorite animals from the Creature Teacher program were before guiding them to compare their pre-program predictions to what they actually had actually seen and heard at the library.  We also shared surprising and interesting facts.  (Intentional Choices –  gentle learning, respect for one child’s needs regarding transitions)

During our driving and chatting time, Jack piped up with a request to listen to his favorite Farmyard Tales CD.  I complied, and, in minutes,  Jack drifted off to his afternoon naptime.   As soon as I realized he was asleep, I turned the CD player off so Nina, Luke and I could have our usual afternoon quiet time, even if we weren’t at home.  That quiet time, though, was soon filled with Luke and Nina offering further commentary about the critter program before transitioning into their own imaginary tales about the creatures they had seen up close and personal at the library earlier and the ones they expected to see at the NMLC.  (Intentional Choices –respecting children’s requests, encouraging quiet and imagination) 

Jack Inspecting the Crab Tank

Shortly after arriving at the NMLC, we joined a small, but fantastic Behind-the-Scenes tour which began with an update about the four seal patients currently at the NMLC and explanation about the prior seal and turtle patients, progressed with an up-close look at some beautiful turtles, and, then, took us through the hospital portion of the facility, where we got to see the seals – including two new patient seal pups and Townsend, the seal the day was being celebrated for.  Along the way, the kids were able to ask questions, see equipment up close, come nearly face to face with some of the marine life, etc.  So cool!  (Intentional Choice –  experiential learning)

Nina the Seal Doctor

After the tour, Luke, Nina and Jack immersed themselves in learning and play in the visitor’s center for over an hour.  Puzzles, sensory play, crafts, exploring x-rays, feeling seal skin, touching bones and teeth, listening to me read about a seal’s rehabilitation, and, their favorite, dramatic play – all while making a new friend for the day, who they were excited to learn was also planning to go to Townsend the Seal’s release at a local beach in the evening.  (Intentional Choice – allowing plenty of time for hands-on play and learning)

Team Doctoring

 Seal Release

Farewell, Townsend!

When the kids came to a natural lull in their play, I suggested that we head over to the beach for dinner and the seal release.  They thought this was a good idea, so off we went for a car picnic and storytime with books I had pre-packed.  (Car picnic because it was sprinkling out, so a beach picnic just did not make sense.) Then, off we went to the beach to be among the first in the crowd that came to bid Townsend farewell as he journeyed back into the wild.  (Intentional Choices – prior planning to facilitate flexible picnicking and reading time, leaving plenty of margin time so as to avoid rushing)

Admittedly, once on the beach, the kids got a bit antsy waiting for Townsend actually to arrive and, then, whined a little when I would not let them cross the temporary barricades that were set up for Townsend’s actual release, which most of the crowd disregarded.  However, they were excited by the actual release – especially when Townsend seemed to be waving at us and, to their credit, also obeyed me by staying behind the yellow caution tape that stood as the temporary crowd control even when the rest of the crowd surged forward.  Likewise, they skipped and ran with delight once I let them move forward after Townsend was in the water.  (Intentional Choices – insisting on patience and obedience and recognizing when it was demonstrated)

Processing through Play

"Traps like this can be very dangerous for a creature."

On the way home from the big seal release, Jack fell asleep, but not Nina and Luke.  They politely asked (really, they actually did not whine!) if they could stay up a bit to play after sharing all the details of the day with Daddy who awaited us at home.  Permission granted, they bounced into the house and told Daddy all about our day.  (How special it was to see Luke on top of Daddy’s lap narrating snap shots of the day.)  Then, they commenced in 100% self-directed creative play to process their day.  (Intentional Choices – encouraging narration for learning, sharing with one another, making time and space for “processing play”.)

Completely of their own accord, Nina and Luke fetched stuffed toys and various instruments to set up an animal rehabilitation hospital.  They even used an old play crown of Nina’s as a demonstration trap to show center visitors how some animals get injured.  (Intentional Choices –  allowing/encouraging unconventional use of “loose items” for play)

Nina's X-Ray Station

Then, Nina took stools, a desk light, a chalk board and chalk to make an innovative imaginary x-ray machine I would have never thought to create.  Whereupon, Luke and Nina took (drew) x-rays of the different creatures, determining what each was ailing from before working the creatures through therapy, giving each medicine or performing surgery on them (which, I noticed, included a pulling-something-from-an-ear-maneuver that hearkened back to a magician our family recently saw). (Intentional Choice – observing, without directing play)

A Bunny ready for Release

When Luke and Nina’s creature patients were well, my little creature healers put each in a carrying case (an old cooler) and released them into the wild (other rooms of the house).  As they did all this, I remained constantly wowed by how the kids used their intellect and imagination to weave together things they had seen and heard throughout the day with things they already knew with things they could only guess about.  Truly, their cooperative play and mutual storytelling and innovation impressed me.  (Unfortunately, I stopped being intentional at this point in the day and failed to capture any of their conversation snippets on paper.   Alas, even as I appreciated all of Luke and Nina’s “processing play”, I failed to fully observe and record it as I moved through a few chores and email checking to wind down my own day.)

Daddy and I allowed the kids extra time to play before reminding them that it was bedtime, since it was so obvious that the children “needed” this play as much as they wanted it.  Sure, it was an exercise in fun and pushing bedtime limits, but, more than that, it was an opportunity for them to process their day and to solidify their learning in a way that works for them.  So, it was that it was 9ish when they finally tidied the living room (asking if they could leave some of their machinery and patients out for tomorrow) and headed off to read with Daddy before listening to CD’s. (Intentional Choices – maintain routine within flexibility, honor children's needs and learning styles)

A full day.  A fabulous day.  A day replete with experience and intention become reality.

Waiting for Townsend Atop a Lifeguard Chair

Oh, for every day to be so full of gentle, yet active learning and regular rhythms wrapped around flexibility that accommodates special events.

As I look toward the coming summer and fall, I expect many more days will be like this.  Life is rich when lived slowly with intent.

Do your children also process life and learning through creative play?

Thank You: The Post in Which I Share My Gratitude to Readers and The Journey of this Blog

It’s June 21^st!

That means it’s summertime and the living is easy, right?

The kids experimenting with literal summer balance while Mommy rediscovers a more figurative time.

Well, maybe not that easy.  But, here, it is certainly easier than it was even a week ago.  Paid work contracts have slowed back down to a manageable pace.  Must-go-to commitments for the children and I have tapered off.  Health has returned to our family.  And, we are a two-vehicle household again.  (Yes – praises be – nearly two weeks ago, my husband’s old car died with perfect timing – after many seasonal work and homeschool commitments had wound down and just when the kids and I got sick with a summer bug that begged us to stay in virtual quarantine at home anyway.  If the old jalopy had to pick a time to finally break down beyond repair, a week ago Monday was the ideal time.  It’s the small things in life that make me grateful.)

Indeed, it seems that a life-balance of intention, not urgency, is in sight for me once more and, with it, comes a strong desire to begin blogging again.

Over the past week, the will to blog has been ever-present in my head and heart.  I have been trying to quiet it, but is simply won’t shush.

It prattles on:  I miss reflecting and writing.  I miss sharing.  I miss taking a more active part in the blogging community than “paused blogger” and “hit-and-run reader”.  In short, I miss it all – the learning, the sharing, the growth, the diversion, the discoveries.

So, I am back – at least for now – with great thanks to any of you who have stuck with me during my blogging break and are actually pausing your busy day to read these words. 

THANK YOU!

Truly, thank you to every reader who unknowingly lent me encouragement during the marathon of off-kilter life-balance that was my late winter and spring. 

It warmed me to note when you browsed old posts while the promise of current ones was on pause.  It made me smile when some of you actually took the time to comment on my prior sharings.  And, -wow – it truly lifted me when a few of you took the time to email, message me through Facebook or a blog comment just to see how I was doing and to encourage me both in my pause and in my one-day possible return.

A Quick Look Back at the Journey

When I began writing Training Happy Hearts in 2009, I wondered if anyone would even want to read it. 

In 2010, when book author Hartley became the first of several different folks who asked me to Guest Post on their blogs, I was excited, yet humbled.  It energized my will to blog and opened me up to getting to know so many more great people through virtual communities!

In 2011, I was delighted to build community with fellow “sensory kid” parents as well as Christian-Catholic ones through paying it forward with printables, sensory diet ideas and the Training Happy Hearts in Young Children Series, while also gleaning so much support and developing e-friendships with fellow bloggers and readers.  I also began to dabble more in affiliate links and item reviews in order to “justify" the time I spent on blogging and to help our family out a tiny, tiny – and I do mean minutely tiny – bit.

In 2012, it amazed me to note that the Alerting Activity ABC cards that I had created in 2011 remained such a huge hit with folks, while also seeing that faith-based ideas, like BLESSing cards, and education ones, like my Weather Tree How-To and Round Up,  became popular.  Unfortunately, though, I could not consistently continue to create and share printables and stories about SPD, faith and education.  Part way through 2012, a computer hard drive failure mandated that I take my first longish blogging break.  Granted, my desire to blog could not be quelled for long.  I was back at it within about a month.

By 2013, sharing here at Training Happy hearts was firmly established in my head and my heart as a joy for any “free time” I might find.  However, it also became increasingly apparent to me that I had been allocating too much not-really-free time to being online.  Blogging (and being on the computer in general) had moved from being a delight in balance with the rest of life to being a detriment to it.

Once I confessed that blogging had taken too large a role in my life, I made a conscious effort to wean my blogging pursuits back to whatever time that more important life needs would actually allow for them.  This meant that in the first half 2013, blogging ended up slowing, more or less, to just keeping my commitment to the THH Sunday Series before, eventually, pausing all together.

Now, after praying... and thinking... and praying and thinking some more – as well as noting that life is getting at least a little more balanced – I am back!  Back with great thanks to those who have spent a moment or more sharing both in my family’s journey and in my personal blogging journey.

I thank you, readers and fellow bloggers, for being just like in-real-life friends – not always actively present, but always there to pick up where we left off...

Truly, thank you! 

21 Days and Counting on Habit Forming: The Post in Which I Explain Why I Have Paused Blogging

Wow!  I realized today that it has been 21 days since I last posted here.  In case anyone has been wondering where I am or if I am still alive, let me explain:

Since the New Year began, I have been extra busy with contract work to help finance our family necessities.  In order to make time for this work without completely throwing my life-balance out of whack or reducing my already lacking sleep further than it already is, some things had to give.   Blogging was one of those things.

I decided I would continue to post at least once a week, but no more than that unless life-balance allowed me extra online time for writing.  Obviously that did not happen often!

Work demanded more attention.  So did a growing realization that multi-tasking is not working in our home.  The kids, my marriage, our house, my prayer life -- just about everything -- suffers when I fail to decide what my priorities are at any given moment and, then, to give those priorities the fullest attention and energy that I can give to them.  

Online time just has not rated as high on my priority list lately -- not because I don't crave it and don't love sharing and learning online, but because I need to honor my call as mom, wife, homemaker, homeschooler and partial provider before blogging.  Slowly, since the new year, I became convicted about the fact that blogging is important to me (and, hopefully, my blog is valued by some readers!), but that it cannot be as important as other things that sometimes get less-than-full attention when I am swept up in blogsophere.  Thus, my step back to once-a-week blogging over the past several months.

And what about my more recent complete 21-day stall? 

Well, the third week in April, my husband and I decided to take the kids on a road trip to visit my husband's family.  That meant shuffling work contracts about before, during and after the trip, particularly after, since I got far less work-from-(my in-law's)-home done than I had thought I would.

In fact, it took me the entire last week to catch up on what I had committed to doing for work while we were away, yet did not manage to complete until we got home.  Okay to catch up on that, and the inevitable laundry, mail, bills, homeschool swing of things... The list goes on.

Finally, this past weekend, I sat for a moment and smiled.  It seemed that things were back to normal here -- or whatever "normal" had become before we left to visit my in-law's.  So, I almost got online to break my blogging haitus.  However, a child called.  A need arose.  A priority asked for me to choose it over blogging.

A pause.  A prayer.  A realization:  It is not time for me to begin blogging regularly again yet. 

Some say it takes 21 days to build a habit.  For me, it appears to take longer.  I know that if I begin my blogging habit again right now, I will impede the necessary habit-forming that other areas of my life demand.  There are simply not enough hours in the day for me to accomplish all that I have committed to doing for others -- as well as that which I have committed to doing (and being!) for myself and for our Lord.  At any given moment, many things call, but only ONE thing at a time can get my full (or nearly full) time and energy.  That thing must be one that is fully ensconced in my call to motherhood.   And, frankly, as much as I love blogging and interacting with other bloggers, blogging cannot be a top priority for me right now.

So, please know that I am alive.  I am well.  I am here.  I am missing writing more frequently, as well as reading others' blogs more regularly.  I hope to get back to doing so before too much longer.

However, for now, I have to maintain discipline.  I need to allow a habit of discerning priorities and attending to them to form before I indulge in the delights fo blogging again.

Wish me luck.  Lift my commitment in prayer.  And, until I am able to write again here, feel free to browse old pieces, to leave comments with your personal wisdom and advice, to make requests for topics you'd like to see me write on when I am able to return to blogging more regularly, etc.

Thank you!

The Altar Gang is a Hit!

What do Easter baskets, a boy hopping down the hallway, three children that took forever to get to sleep one night and a boy sniffing along the altar this morning after Mass have in common?

The Altar Gang!

Among the things that Luke, Nina and Jack found in their Easter baskets this year, were Glory Stories and Altar Gang Cd's.  

Who knew the Altar Gang would be such a hit?

Since then, not a day has gone by without the children (especially Luke) listening to one or more of the CD's over and over with rapt attention and, at times, raucous giggles.  In fact, the Altar Gang seems to have become woven into the rhythm of our days for the time being.

 

My cue, some mornings, that Luke is awake has been the sound of his shuffling feet and then the Altar Gang character voices emanating from the boys' room.

Then, later in the day, the Altar Gang characters enter into lesson and play time.  The kids ask questions about vocabulary words they have heard; we talk about faith and character truths related to the CD's'; Luke and Nina illustrate visual scenes they have imagined while listening to the CD's; and, of course, there is lots of dramatic play!

Luke as AJ the Aspergillum

The dramatic play began early last week when Luke cracked me up by hopping down the hallway , asking, "Mom, who am I?" only to answer his own question before I could respond to him.  "I am AJ.  I am AJ!  I AM AJ!"

And bedtimes?  Well, it sure is difficult for excited children to fall asleep, so I am about ready to forbid the Altar Gang from the sleep-time CD collection.  But, not yet.  For, as I wrote on my personal Facebook page the other day:

You just cannot go in and be the bedtime ogre when you hear three children joyfully avoiding sleep by dancing, singing and storytelling along to their Easter bunny booty... It is cracking me up.  Keep selling fun, faith-filled CD's Holy Heroes!

So, now you can see how the CD's in the kids' Easter baskets inspired Luke to hop down the hall and he and his siblings to spend hours listening, learning and playing this week.  You also know about how the CD's have affected bedtime.

But what about the sniffing along the altar?

Leave it to Luke and his imagination....

This morning during Mass, the heater at church was knocking.  When Luke heard it, his ears perked up.  He wondered if it was Skiff and AJ, the main characters in the Altar Gang, perhaps trying to get back into the church after some adventure.  Thus, Luke began inspecting the altar, looking for the altar cloth, the candles and whatnot.  He wondered why our church has no consecration bells.  His mind synapsed with Altar Gang story-inspired hypotheses, which led to Luke sniffing along the altar after Mass for smoke, looking for clues that might indicate a mystery such as the one in We've Been Wronged?

Ah, yes.  Our boy (and his siblings along with him) may not have been as centered on the Eucharist as I would have liked this morning, but they were most certainly interested in the altar.  I'll rejoice over baby steps as they are taken!

   

What CD's (or other resources) have ignited your child's imagination lately?

 

(If you receive this post via email and cannot see the linky, be sure to actually click over to the blog to read browse the rich catalog of ideas there.)

Please note: Links to Holy Heroes in this post WERE NOT affiliate ones, but now they are, because WE LOVE HOLY HEROES AND WANT TO SUPPORT THEM while helping ourselves a little, too!   Links to Amazon within this post and others are affiliate ones. Should you choose to click through one to make an Amazon purchase, we may receive a small percentage of the sale. This does not cost you anything, but is a choice we thank you for making. Anything we earn from Amazon goes straight back into training up our children and to much of what we share with you here. 

Sharing Easter Joy (Plus a Free Printable)

Ready to go egging!

It was after nightfall last night when the children, Mike and I went on a mission to share Easter joy.  Since that mission was a secret one and would have been exposed by camera flashes, I opted to avoid photographing much of it.  However, the memory will remain strong in my mind -- and the meaning even stronger in my heart.

First, we snuck across the street with quick, quiet footsteps and excited, yet hushed giggles to "egg" a neighbor's home.  Then, with Daddy driving our getaway van, we hit a nearby friend's house.

Later, as the children dyed their own Easter eggs, they chattered about what our neighbor and friends might think when they wake to find they've been "egged".

The children were excited to share both literal sweets and the more figurative sweetness of the message:

 

We are so glad He rose and wish all a joy-filled, blessed Easter!

Don't forget.  Easter begins today.  It's not too late to "egg" someone yourself.  If you'd like to use the poem I penned to do so (which was inspired by the many I have seen online in the past), please feel free to do so.  You can find it here.

 

(If you receive this post via email and cannot see the linky, be sure to actually click over to the blog to read browse the rich catalog of ideas there.)

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An Impromptu St. Joseph's Day Tea and Play Date

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 Last Sunday, we set the table for our friends to come join us for a St. Patrick's Day liturgical tea and play date, only to discover that they could not come.

So, we prayed, feasted and enjoyed without them.

Then, on Monday, as the children got in some sensory calming swinging after a morning filled with appointments, my cell phone rang.

It was our friends, wondering what we were doing for St. Joseph's feast day, since they had missed sharing St. Patrick's day with us.

"Um, St. Joseph's Day?"  I responded.  I had gotten so caught up in St. Patrick's day and then busy with our Monday appointments and lessons that I had forgotten the following day was St. Joseph's Day.

"I'm not sure yet."  I decided.  "But, you're welcome to come over."

And so it was that my intentions for the remainder of Monday were hijacked by the excitement of planning a rather impromptu St. Joseph tea and play date for us all.

I have been rather into the idea of making our home one of hospitality despite it being one of mess and clutter, so the idea of living that intention superseded other plans for the afternoon and carried on into Monday morning.

As I went about chores, I thought about what we might be able to feast upon.  When the children allowed, I searched for St. Joseph and carpentry printables online.  For a lesson-time tie-in, I created a short St. Joseph-related prayer for handwriting/copywork and prepared some measuring activities.  As Family Work Time, we switched out the St. Patrick's day toys and activities that we had in our living room for construction theme ones in honor of St. Joseph's occupation.  And, of course, we did more than one Tidy Time!

Was it ever worth it!  What a delightful afternoon with our friends on Tuesday!

My friend Karen came over with her two youngest children, two beautiful statues of Joseph to decorate our table with and a heart for celebration.  Greeting her and her smiling kiddoes, were Luke, Nina, Jack, me and the impromptu St. Joseph's table we had jerry-rigged using a foot stool, a square basket and a small box for layers, with pillow cases and table cloths to disguise them.  (No one said our table had to be perfect.  Just pleasing to us and our guests, which it was!)

Afternoon tea fare included:

• a flowering lily staff made from sliced pears, baby spinach and the leftover Aleia's Gluten Free Almond Horn Cookies that we had bought to be our St. Patrick's staffs and Irish shillelagh's last Sunday (as well as to go along with the book The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh).

• a plate of cut fruit to remind us that saying "yes" to God and being obedient like Joseph brings much fruit into our lives.
  
  

• a bowl of grapes, because I have heard they are often on "real" St. Joseph's Day tables and as well as a small plate with a simple "cross" of grapes that Nina made, which she said was to remind us of the three persons in the Holy Trinity, the three persons in Jesus' earthly family and the three times that Joseph was visited by the angels.  (Wow!)

•  some hummus and veggie sticks, to round out the food and, with imagination, to represent, again, Joseph's staff flowering with lilies.

Before digging into it all, the children impressed  Karen and me with their knowledge about Joseph.  Then, we listened to the St. Joseph song on Sing Bible Prayer Songs and prayed the St. Joseph prayer from Prayers to the Saint. My friend's youngest son also added the sweetest personal prayer.

After polishing most of the food off, the children enjoyed playing carpenter in the living room...

...as well as doing playdough carpentry with with golf-tee nails, hammers and saws at the kitchen table.

My friend's daughter, with Nina and Jack as "helpers" rose toy the challenge of putting printouts of Holy Hero's The Story of St. Joseph coloring book in the hallway in a logical order, and, then, narrating the chronology of Joseph's life.

 

And, of course, there was coloring!

 

Karen told me that she had been expecting just a bite to eat and a story and that her kids were never going to want to celebrate a feast day without me again.  That's okay by me!  I have Karen to thank for getting me re-inspired to celebrate St. Joseph's day in the first place.  And, her and her kids are awesome people to pray and play with.

In fact, we found ourselves over their house for an impromptu visit on Friday to visit their new baby chicks...

Then, we snuggled on their couch to read Joseph's Story, which is a favorite St. Joseph's day book of mine, which I had not been able to find on Tuesday.

 

Now, time to stop all the feasting and to get back to fasting, as we enter Holy Week.

May your Holy Week be richly blessed!

 

(If you receive this post via email and cannot see the linky, be sure to actually click over to the blog to read browse the rich catalog of ideas there.)

Please note: Links to Amazon within this post and others are affiliate ones. Should you choose to click through one to make an Amazon purchase, we may receive a small percentage of the sale. This does not cost you anything, but is a choice we thank you for making. Anything we earn from Amazon goes straight back into training up our children and to much of what we share with you here.

Planning a Sense-able St. Patrick’s Day Tea and Playdate

source: Wikimedia

Yesterday afternoon, while I was balancing work, housekeeping and kids, I glanced up saw the date on the calendar.  March 16^th.  Argh!  That meant that St. Patrick’s Day was less than 24 hours away and I had yet to prepare for it.

Before I knew it, all thoughts of working and de-cluttering around the kids while Hubby was out at a commitment were hijacked.  My main intention for the afternoon became to throw together a plan for a sensory-smart St. Patrick’s Day Liturgical Tea and, if all went well, playdate.

So, I whisked the kids into the car to make it to the library before closing.  There, we scooped up whatever St. Patrick’s Day reads had not already been checked out.  Then, I referenced some of our past sensory friendly St. Patrick’s day story-and-play activities and the St. Patrick’s Day playdate ideas I shared at Catholic Mother’s Online two years ago.  And, finally, I thought about what we might wish to eat and do as a family, and, hopefully, with friends, this year. 

This is what I came up with.  Feel free to borrow last-minute ideas to enjoy during your own sensory-friendly St. Patty’s Day celebrations today!

Decoration

• Light a green (or blue) candle with a picture of St. Patrick taped to it.  (Although green is associated with St. Patrick’s Day, St. Patrick was originally depicted in blue.)
• Decorate table with shamrock cut outs or real shamrocks, since legend had it that St. Patrick used a shamrock to teach about the Holy Trinity.
• Put a drum and a bell on the table, because legends refer to St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland with either a drum or a bell.

GFCF Tea Time Fare

Luke and Nina at St. Patty's Family Dinner, 2009

As I already mentioned, I am late with St, Patrick’s Day preparations, thus both time and budget constraints demand a relatively simple menu. 

Since we don’t consume food dyes in our home, many quick, easy, yet cute, modern St. Patrick’s Day menu ideas are out for us.

Many traditional Irish foods won't work either.  For, unlike me, our children are not potato lovers.  Plus, we serve only gluten-, casein-, additive- and preservative-free food at home.

But, that does not mean we won’t be feasting.  Based on our grocery shopping run and whether our friends will be joining us, our menu may include any of the following: 

• Shamrock Peppers and Eggs, like those found on Catholic Cuisine, to remind us of the Holy Trinity.
• A Fresh Fruit Rainbow made from sliced strawberries and raspberries, clementine segments, pineapple cubes, green grapes, blueberries, and purple grapes, which we will tie into traditional Irish lore as well as God’s promise to Noah (which we will mention despite it not being 100% thematic to the day, since reinforcing Bibe stories is useful no matter what day it is.)
• A GFCF Pot-o-Gold Soup, inspired by the recipe found at Spoonful.com, to remind us of traditional Irish lore as well as the idea that true bounty comes from the Lord, much like the ingredients in our pot will

OUR ADAPTED RECIPE:  Melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or ghee, if you tolerate ghee) in a pan and sauté 1 finely chopped onion in it.  Once the onions are transluscent, remove from heat.

Meanwhile, peel, core and dice 3 medium apples.

Add chopped apples, 2 boxes of defrosted organic squash, 1 cup of apple juice (or cider) and 3 cups of stock to the onions.  Bring to a boil and then simmer 25 minutes.

Puree with a bit of salt, pepper and cinnamon, plus 1 tablespoon of raw honey or maple syrup.

• An Fruit and Veggie Irish Flag inspired by the one on Catholic Cuisine.  Our will be made with carrots, pea pods and sliced bananas and will work to remind the children that St. Patrick is patron to Ireland.
• Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies, which we created last week and discovered actually cook up with green centers.  (Luke has been waiting fro St. Patrick’s Day to try these again!)
• Liquid Gold (a golden-colored 100% juice or smoothie I find on sale).
• Crispy Kale (any excuse for this crispy green goodness works here)
• Green Tea (which the right color, even if it evokes the wrong continent for the day's focus)

Prayer

As always, the children will likely make up their own prayers.

As far as formal prayers go, I plan to help them pray the following from the Liturgy of the Hours:

God our Father,
you sent Saint Patrick
to preach your glory to the people of Ireland.
By the help of his prayers,
may all Christians proclaim your love to all men.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Activities

Playing Snake Freeze

Depending on if it is just us or if our friends can make it, we will enjoy any combination of the following activities:

• Blue to Green Tactile Fun:  Ask anyone what the color of St. Patrick’s day is and you will hear, “green”.  However, St. Patrick was originally portrayed wearing blue. Thus, because I am not prepared enough to make homemade playdough or pud, we will explore how to change the color blue to green using shaving cream and food coloring on trays.
• Nature Faces for Proprioceptive and Tactile Input:  We’ll talk about how the people of Ireland went from sad because they did not know God, to happy because they did, through St, Patrick’s teachings.  Then, we’ll go on a nature walk to find items that can be used to create happy “nature faces”.
• Read Alouds for Auditory and Visual Input will include any of the books we own, or that I was able to snag from the library, including:

Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland

The Story of Saint Patrick's Day

The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh

• St. Patrick Four Corners for Fine Motor and Proprioceptive Fun:  We’ll team up to create four images related to St. Patrick – a bishop trampling on/driving away snakes, a shamrock, a Celtic cross and a baptismal font.  Then, we’ll use these to play a traditional game of Four Corners using these instead of numbers.
• St. Patrick’s Stick Freeze Game for Auditory, Proprioceptive and Vestibular Input and Body Control:  Legend says that St. Patrick carried an ash wood walking stick with him as he preached, and that whenever he began evangelizing, he thrust it into the ground.  At one place, it is said that his good news message took so long to get through to the people that St. Patrick’s stick grew roots before he was ready to move on.  We’ll bring this legend to life by playing a dance-freeze-pray game.  To play, we’ll turn on some tunes while everyone dances. Then, we’ll turn the music off and have everyone freeze, rooted to the ground.  Before we the music on again, everyone will have to recite a common Catholic prayer.
• Singing Shamrocks for Auditory Input and Fine Motor Control:  We’ll teach “I’m a Little Shamrock”, adapted by me from “I’m a Little Teapot” and, then fashion shamrocks using three green hearts with symbols drawn on them for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I’m a little shamrock see my leaves.

Count my petals if you please

One for the Father, One for the Son,

One for the Holy Spirit.  God is three in one.

• Snake Freeze for Auditory, Oral-Motor, Proprioceptive and Vestibular Input:  One legend says that St, Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland using a drum.  Another says he used a bell.  We will let our St. Patrick’s choose between these with that person laying down next to the drum or bell. to “sleep”, making snoring sounds if possible (for that extra deep breathing, which can be so good!)

The other children will be snakes.  They will line up a ways away from St. Patrick and, on their bellies or on their feet, move toward the sleeping St. Patrick, of course, being encouraged to make hissing sounds.

When St. Patrick wishes, “he” will reach for the drum or bell to beat or ring it.  All snakes will freeze and stay frozen for as long as St. Patrick maintains the beating of the drum or ringing of the bell.  Then, St. Patrick will back to sleep and the snakes will move forward again.

Play will continue until a snake steals the drum or bell or touches St. Patrick.  That person will get to be St. Patrick next.

• Throw The Snakes Out of Ireland for Proprioceptive Input:  Legends say that St. Patrick is said to have thrown the snakes out of Ireland, so we will use a hula hoop on the grass as an island, put a number of small plastic snakes in it and take turns getting on the island to throw or kick the snakes out.

I expect it to be a full, blessed feast day here today and hope yours will be, too.

What are your favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes and activities?

 

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