I thought you might be interested in what you’re missing in the course of your day.
Our twin granddaughters are now in pre-school (and yes, of course they’re the most adorable ones there, bar none), a satellite part of the University of Rhode Island, and they keep those kids busy.
Here’s a sampling of their week:
· singing “Row, row, row your boat while pretending to row a boat (fast/slow)
· using different scrub brushes to wash animals and Trolls in the water table
· gluing colored buttons, pom poms and felt on cardboard
· making play dough with Ruby
· building tall towers with ladder blocks and then measuring the height with our growth chart
· investigating floating and sinking with corks and dice
· voting for the choice of book at whole group gatherings
· coping with the disappointment that occurs when you don't get a vote marker in the color you want (I love this one)
· learning how to use stamp pads
· practicing how to tell someone, "Don't touch me!"
· rolling around in the grass and hopping off the backs of the benches
That last one’s a skill I think I’d excel at; coping with disappointment I’m still working on.
But before you consider joining them, below is the school’s justification for the class’s one hour walk outside, NO MATTER WHAT.
"Encouraging a child to go outside in all weather builds resilience, but more importantly it saves them from spending their life merely tolerating the 'bad' days in favor of a handful of 'good' ones - a life of endless expectations and conditions where happiness hinges on sunshine." ~ Nicolette Sowder
That outside in all weathers is a British belief too. Largely because if you waited for "nice" weather's, you'd never leave the house. One friend said, of a day at the beach, if it's not actually pouring down, it counts as a nice day!
ReplyDeleteOr, that last one reminds me of Mother: You won't melt!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, yes! Indoor recess due to rain drove me nuts for years. I truly do not remember staying inside at school when I was a child just because it was raining. Here, we also have kids stay in when the wind chill factor is just too cold, which is a bit more understandable. Frost bite is real, but just being wet is not a big deal. Our kindergarten teachers are fabulous. The little ones spend time in the "forest" every day regardless. They come dressed with rubber boots and rain coats and learn to love all kinds of weather. Dealing with disappointment could be applied to all kinds of age groups, too. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteKids learn so much at Kindy but the important one is how to get along with others no matter what they are like.
ReplyDeleteA whole new world for twins staying at home for Covid times.
DeleteI have learned that lesson very well. If you waited for good weather in my neck of the woods, you would never go outside! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's probably a good idea to get kids outside in all weather. Plus, kids don't mind bad weather as much as we grumpy adults do. :)
ReplyDelete