What about a picture walk?

How about a few photos of some of the fun we have enjoyed during March, without any extra words? A photo journal, if you will, of Frog's explorations!

What is another perspective?

There it is, in the distance!

As we walked through the townhouse parking lot, on our walk to the creek, we heard loud, unexpected hammering. Frog didn't like the surprise noise, and wondered what it was and where it was coming from. We stopped and searched, and I held her hand, reassuring. Frog is not a fan of loud noises. 

Poppa found the source of the noise - "There! Look up high on that building, Frog," he directed, "see those workers up there, hammering?" Alongside the townhouse complex is a very tall, twenty stories or so, apartment building. Way, way, way up on the roof, we could see some workers with hammers, making some sort of repair. It took awhile for Frog to follow the direction of our pointed fingers; we squatted down next to her, trying to see the action from her perspective. "Follow the sound, look, look, up high!" She was very excited when she finally saw them, exclaiming "They have hammers!" Her find was immediately followed by more questions, "Why workers up there? Why workers hammering?" and her own opinion, "Too loud." It is surprising how loud the sound's echo was.

The view from the creek

Ever since that day, Frog calls that building "The Hammering Building." She talks about it regularly, especially when we head to the creek. She knows exactly where it is located and now announces authoritatively, mid-walk, "We're going to see The Hammering Building." The Hammering Building is really the only high-rise building in our neighborhood. (We taught Frog that word, too; sometimes she'll add that new word - "The Hammering Building, high-rise.") As far as I know, she associates it only with our house, our neighborhood, though I should ask her parents and make sure - I wonder if she imagines she sees it anywhere else? 

There it is, behind that house!

One day when we picked her up at her house and drove her to ours, we decided to show her The Hammering Building from a new perspective, driving up from a new approach. She was delighted! Being in the car, we were able to drive around the whole building, a "360-view" we laughed. Now, whenever she is with us, she asks, "Will we see The Hammering Building?" 

It's become our own little game - we now try to find a new perspective of the hammering building for her to see. We have found it looming in the distance from a nearby street. We have found it behind some houses on yet another street. We have seen it in the distance from across an athletic field at a nearby middle school. Yes, Poppa, Nana, and Frog enjoy this new game very much!

 Will we see The Hammering Building? 

Should I wash dishes?

 

Is there anything more fun than water for children? Frog's loves to play at the sink, to 'wash dishes.' Throughout the years I taught preschool, I searched for ways that children could just play with water. Certainly, it was a frequent find at the sensory table. I always included children in the washing of things at the sink, at clean up - and even in the midst of projects, there would often be a child or two just playing at the sink. But, nothing beats home for this kind of play - the ability to just linger there, playing in the water, making bubbles, filling cups, emptying, back and forth, fill it, empty it, over and over. This is where my children often were when I was doing prepping dinner, and now my granddaughter has this fun pursuit.

There is such learning in this simple joyous play! This last time, at the sink, Frog poured water out, ever so slowly,
slowly slowly slowly
she poured from a measuring cup, with a pour spout, directly into the sink, 
all the while, watching closely, and she narrates:

"this is like a waterfall, it has a pour, that's where the water comes from here"

These words tell me, she is connecting her play to the small waterfalls she sees all the time in our nearby creek, she is trying to figure out how water works, where it comes from, and more. So much to learn from water!

She is tireless at the sink. 

I am reminded of that colleague - they are in every work environment - who volunteers for extra work and never quite follows through, "Let me do that for you! Sure, I could take that on. Why not let me?" Frog says, over and over, "Want me to wash that for you?" (so polite!) and she'll name a new thing to have in the sink - mixing cups, a saucepan, a spoon. It's so funny to me that nothing ever really gets cleaned, there's just a lot of commotion! 

She is at peace with this play. And so am I.

What if we head to the creek?

We love exploring Sligo Creek park with Frog. We have a ritual where we collect a few sticks, leaves, and/or rocks and toss them into the creek from the bridge. We listen for the sound they make when they hit the water, we watch to see if they float, and, if they do float, we often wander down the path along the creek, watching their progress. 

Frog is curious about everything. We have studied footprints in the mud - is that a dog's? a person's? a bike tire? what is that? We have listened for birds and tried to spot them in the trees. We were very excited to see a woodpecker on a nearby tree. 

For quite awhile, Frog was captivated by berries and we would notice them everywhere - now, nearing the end of winter, berries are pretty much gone. I'm wondering if they will catch her eye when they are back in season, or will this prove to be a passing fancy?

Being out in nature is perhaps my most favorite activity with young children!