I watched my kids pull this little wagon around the yard for quite a while last week before I realized they were on a mini nature walk. Each plant was carefully chosen:
They all took turns selecting plants to collect:
And each plant was carefully examined:
I will always be amazed at children’s ability to enthusiastically explore the world around them!
Even though, sometimes, this enthusiasm means they dump five pounds of flour on the kitchen floor, and then run through the flour into the dining room and then the living room to find the perfect toy to play with in the flour. All during the maybe five minutes it takes to put Lily in her crib…
I’m linking this post up to Show and Tell at ABC and 123.
Learning Laboratory is a celebration of internally motivated learning and discovery. What self-directed learning are you loving in your home? Please link up, including the button (see left sidebar for code) or a link back to this post. Last week Kelly linked up a garden visit, and Natalie shared a way to help even the youngest learners have a say in their curriculum! You can read more about the theory behind this weekly series here.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
I also love it when the kids direct their learning and do something spontaneous! Thank you for joining us at Show & Tell on ABC & 123: A Learning Cooperative!
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It always happens when you put the baby in the crib! Who (apart from a mum with a bub) would have ever thought that a gigantic mess can be created in a matter of seconds?!?! Then the part that always gets me going is that it took little time to make the mess and a whole heap of time to clean it up.
These are such precious pictures of your three children exploring and displaying that sense of awe that makes you smile.
Kids are pretty amazing, aren’t they?! The moments of beauty and the moments of disaster. Now that it’s all cleaned up at least you can laugh about it!
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I love the fact that your children are playing and discovering with a wagon. We had a wagon growing up and both my children and now grandchildren are making many wonderful discoveries with their wagons. Wagons can also turn into trains, planes, ships at sea and spaceships not to mention as some of our grandsons have gotten older they have helped grandpa haul firewood, branches after tree trimming and potting soil from the car to the storage shed. Wagons are one of the best purchases for children and a toy that can grow with them. Thanks for your post and for visiting us at waddleeahchaa.com. :) joyce
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I love these pictures. But why is Lily walking? I swear she’s still a newborn!
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Your kids are so sweet Mary Anne. I love these pictures of them. You can tell they are all working together and having fun too.
This is the best post, such a wonderful memory you captured. I really love this.
.-= Susana´s last blog ..Homeschool Week 14 =-.
So cute! Abby is always working on some creation. Right now, it’s making unicorn horns for her animals that don’t have one. Apparently, we’ll be having a Unicorn Festival tonight?
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Yeah the first several days after something like that happens it’s hard to see it as funny, but then afterwards……..
Love how they took turns, my kids sometimes do okay with that.
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@Ticia – Turn-taking is hit or miss with my kids, too, although they seem to do better with all aspects of getting along when we’re outside.
I love the natural enthusiasm kids have! Kaia is cracking me up this morning. This is a girl who has played with dolls for less than 5 hours in her 5 years of life, but today she has created a doll out of a spare piece of wood she found under her bed. She’s drawn a face on it, added yarn hair and paper clothes, and talks to it like it’s her baby!
@Maile – That is awesome!
@Elisa – Me too! She is a proper “kid” now =)
@Natalie – Definitely a bit of both, and it’s all pretty funny now. The two hours I spent cleaning everything up were less funny, but at least it was a nice day so I could send Emma and Johnny outside and Lily slept through the entire thing.
So exciting! I love to see Lily walking around and taking part in the learning, too. :) :)
.-= Elisa | blissfulE´s last blog ..kiddo quotes =-.
OK, I didn’t know whether you were laughing or crying over the flour. I think I’d be doing a bit of both. I agree – the excitement of discovery is so contagious. Anna was super excited when she discovered that our little lemon tree (a present from friends) produced its first lemon. I didn’t see it at all, and she noticed it right away.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..Back Together =-.