Kindy Gym Fun

We went to our first kindy gym class today at the local PCYC and Gwen loved it. She's 2.3 now and technically meant to be in the "wonky walkers" class but we took a look at that room and both proclaimed it ok but boring with it's couple of soft gym mattresses, soft tunnel and three large car toys. There was music but there wouldn't be any "instruction" by the minder in the room. I've gotten to know lots of 2 year olds over the last few months and for  the majority of them this wouldn't have been much fun. They are bouncy and inquisitive and love creative play, epically when they are encouraged to pretend to be or do something.

So we went next door.

The Kindy gym class for 3+ year olds had trampolines, balancing beams, ladders, a big soft tunnel, trampolines, a "tower" to jump off onto big mattresses and did I mention the trampolines? For about 5 mins the kids were encouraged to be various animals, jump on a line of hoops and catch bubbles. I joined I on all of this. I did not feel even slightly silly to be the only adult getting into it. While the other mums sat passively around the room Gwen and I actively played together. I’d been ill for the last week and hadn’t been able to do much with her on our park trips and it was great to have the energy again to play.

When it all ended she really didn't want to leave so I made a point of asking the "Leader" if we could come back next week. It really made a difference to Gwen being ok with going, she knows that we'll come back some time soon.

Lillypad Bath

During a recent trip to Nadi and Buppa's place Gwen was fascinated by the lilly-pond and feeding the tiny mosquito eating fish that lived beneath the big green leaves.Yesterday was really hot and full of outside messy projects so a bath seemed like a good idea. I wanted to make it a special one. I scrounged amongst the mess that is my art supply pile and found two sheets of craft foam.

The lillypads looked great floating in the water, lots of toys got to sit on them, swim under them and splash about. It didn't take long before it was discovered that they could stick to the wall. Now I just have to work out how to make the beautiful flowers.

Dinners Ready!

Food is an important part of our daily routine, and the little one seems to need lots of it all of the time. It's amazing how much she can put away and still be ravenous just an hour later. So it's not surprising that one of the first things she did when we started to collect figurines from the markets and local op shop was to role play everyone sitting down to dinner.

More recently the roleplaying has been more centered around issues of hitting, shareing and hugging or kissing things better. For example a recent interaction in the bath between the "Daddy Knight" and the "Space Spaceman" started with the Space Spaceman being poked with a sword by Daddy Knight. The conversation went something like this:

Daddy Knight: (pokes space space man with sword several times)
Space Spaceman: No. stop. I don't like it!
Daddy Knight:(continues to poke, though less vigorously)
Space Spaceman:  Stop!
Daddy Knight: Oh, sorry. um.
Sapce Spaceman: We don't hit people!
Daddy night: (Hugs Space Spaceman) Sorry.
Space Spaceman: Hug! Awwwww. Space Spaceman happy now.
Biscuit Man: Would anyone like some biscuit?
Daddy Knight & Space Spaceman: Yes please! (they take turns to eat from Biscuit Mans little tin)
Space Space Man: lets go and get some soap!
Daddy Knight: Yay!
(All three stomp around the rim of the bath to get washed at the soap dispenser.)

editors note: I have just been corrected. Space Spaceman has now changed his name to Motorbike Man 

A New Song

Gwen has been singing her own compositions for a while now. Sometimes they are repetitions and adaptions of well known songs like Incy Wincy Spider and Twinkle, sometimes she simply sings with made up words and random tunes, asking if we know the words or if we like them. It's wonderful to listen to it all.

This evening I'm excited because at dinner she made up her own composition, a mash up of Fly Away Peter, 5 Fat Sausages and some counting. She held up both hands, all fingers showing and sang:

"Two Five Pumpkins on a plate
One went pop one went yum!"
(puts all fingers down)
no more pumpkins in the garden!"

There where a couple more variations to follow but each started with "two five pumpkins." It was pretty amazing to see her do that sort of maths by herself, and I loved the song.

Real World Tools

I've just started using tools with my 2 year old. We found an old set of shelves during the annual kerbside collection for large items. We've put it on it's side and have been converting it inot a long shelf for all of her things.

We started of with sanding down some edges. Traditional sanding blocks are too big for her hands, instead we wrapped a bit of sand paper around a branch block, or what some call a tree chip.

Then we pried off some of the extra moldings around the bottom with a hammer and chisel (I hold the chisel as it's razor sharp) while Gwen hits with the hammer.Then we salvaged a few extra screws and de-nailed the moldings.

Yesterday we bought the wood to add extra shelves and together we chose some paint to colour the shelves before we screw them in.

I love seeing her become so involved in something so real world, using skills that I too am only really learning for the first time.

How to Colour

"What colour should we make this playdough?"
"Here you go!" says Gwen presenting me with a suitably coloured texta with which to colour it.

Rain and Whiskers

Gwen has been obsessed with whiskers ever since Halloween this year with our neighbor stopped by on her way to a fancy dress party dressed as Puss in Boots. I helped her apply her whiskers and almost everyday since then Gwen has insisted on them. If they are not forthcoming she comes up with her own whiskers solution.This might mean some chalk, texta or paint.

It's been raining a lot lately too, which means we're a bit more experimental with the paint.She's been getting into body painting a lot and particularly favors black paint with accents of yellow and pink pastels.

She has also discovered my goggles and loves to recite the "Rain is Falling down" song as she jumps in puddles.

Mixing Colours

A neighbor was throwing away this amazing piece of packaging styrofoam. They seemed a bit mystified as to what we might want to do wth it but where happy to part with it before the garbage truck arrived. We got it home and I filled it with food coloring and water then provided Gwen with a big bowl of water and a cup then left her two it, watching from a distance.

A lot of these sorts of activities are hit and miss, I'm still not sure what she'll enjoy and what can be dropped in a moment in favor of something wildly more facinating. This one was a hit, she spent a good hour mixing colours, adding water and swirling things around. And she kept coming back to it all day. By the next day the play was more about breaking it up, standing in it and watching little specs of styrofoam float around, by the third day she was over it, but it was fabulous while it lasted.

The Not So Boring Walls

The problem with renting is that you can't have interesting walls. Unless you look at it a little differently. Sure you can't nail things into the wall, or paint it without having to factor in repainting them once you move out, but with a few adhesive sticker hooks and some blu-tak you can make the white space so much more interesting.

I've been collecting feathers, seedpods, bark, paper wasp nests, and some of my texture photos to hang from the string lines for awhile now. I change them around when the mood suits. The bird images below are from an old calendar I snaffled at the Lifeline Bookfest. Similar pictures of Australian wildlife fill Gwen's walls and our bedroom as well.

 

 There is also a string line for Gwen's artwork and pretty pictures we find along the way...

 

...but not all artwork is quite so portable.

An Average Morning

What do you do on an average morning? Gwen gets up at about 5am. Hubby and I often take it in shifts so we are allowed a little more sleep, but some times we can't due to an early shift at work or early start at uni.

This morning, after dropping daddy off to work at the ungodly hour of 6:30 am we

• Had the second part of our breakfast.
• Drew spiders and webs.
• Played with coloured water, tipping and mixing and splashing it all over the lawn.
• Painted some sheets with heavily diluted acrylic paint, a paint brush, gum nuts and hands.
• Had a long bubbly bath in which all humanoid toys plus horse, cat and rabbit all had their hair washed. Gwen aquessed to the indignity of a hair soaking.
• Reading a book in bed.
  
• Watching Dirt Girl World while consuming untold quantities of fresh pineapple, cheese and pasta.
• Put on some washing together.
• Chose some seedlings (corn, cucumber and butter beans) and directed where to put them.
• Drew more things while mummy dug.
• Watching a little bit of Playschool while mummy was on the phone.
  
• Became a pussy cat with the help of drawn on whiskers and a beautiful long tail.
  
• Had a visitor picking something up from ebay and proudly displaying chickens.
• Milk & Bed.

Wow, just looking at that list it's no wonder I feel worn out.