My family’s modern day guide to an ancient Pagan holiday. I honestly know nothing about Yule and I don’t think anyone does. That’s the thing about Pagans, there isn’t really much we know about them outside of folklore and speculation. Their culture and stories, like so many others, was driven underground and stamped out by … Read more
Yes Space If you are going to set your child loose with glue and paint and other messy things you are probably going to want to prepare for the inevitable mess that will ensue. I call this creating a “Yes space” because it helps me get into a more open frame of mind that invites … Read more
Bird of the Week Have you ever seen this bird before? I bet you can find one in your backyard. What do you notice about it? What colour is it’s beak? It’s legs? What about it’s wings? The American Robin isn’t actually a robin at all. It’s a thrush and a large one at that. It’s … Read more
A few years ago the Nicola Naturalist Society posted a wonderful series of articles and resources about some of the butterflies in the Thompson Okanagan area which you should definitely check out. I thought it would be fun to post a quick list of what they deem the butterflies you are most likely to see … Read more
What is rough and tumble play? and why is such a hot topic in Early Childhood Education these days? Rough and Tumble play is exactly what it sounds like! It’s full body engagement, running, wrestling, grabbing and pulling. It’s exciting, it’s energizing, it’s fun, and it’s important. Rough and tumble play is what we call … Read more
and Nature Mentors 1. Art of Questioning To answer a question we MUST consider it.By cleverly asking questions we teach children to be more observant of their surroundings. Which leads them to NOTICE and become AWARE of the natural world around them . Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? http://nature-mentor.com/art-of-questioning/ 2. Place-Based Learning When children … Read more
The goal of loose parts play is for children to learn to collaborate and communicate. We as adults & supervisors are NOT problem solvers. The children MUST learn to solve their own problems by talking to each other and making allowances for one another. You can help and coach them along if they are struggling … Read more
AS A BOY, I PULLED OUT DOZENS — perhaps hundreds — of survey stakes in a vain effort to slow the bulldozers that were taking out my woods to make way for Source: Orion Magazine
Twenty education and child care practitioners from across Western Canada were in the Comox Valley last week for a five-day course focusing on how to implement nature-based learning into educational programs. Source: Comox Valley Record
“As Dr. Mark Tremblay, the chief scientific officer of the ParticipACTION Report Card says, we have lost the balance between short-term safety and long-term health. In outdoor play, risk doesnt mean courting danger, but rather giving kids the freedom to assess their surroundings and make decisions, allowing them to build confidence, develop skills, solve problems … Read more