Montessori Materials and Waldorf Play

We are trying to get things more set up more like our house was in Germany, and beyond that even more Montessori friendly. I got some great finds at Hobbly Lobby, natural material baskets, sea sponges for painting, and some great tempra paints. Big little had a great time painting with sponges, and little little has enjoyed mouthing them and feeling the textures.

I got Creative Play in the mail a few days ago and am loving it, it's a Waldorf based book that explains the development behind the play, and is full of diy toy projects to promote playful learning with your children. The "Standing Puppet" below is far from perfect but the boys are loving it! It promotes play based on observation, and gives the boys an outlet to play out there emotions and situations that happen through out the day. Its a great way to work through any situation they are having a hard time dealing with, or understanding!

Love

Lying in bed last night holding hands with the hubs I was overcome with the best feeling a feeling that comes in moments like this or in the Temple. It's complete peace, and overwhelming love and joy. Nothing makes you feel quiet like it can. My life is full of moments of overwhelming love, and joy, often truth be told. But peace is not something I always feel. Generally I feel it on a daily basis in moments of prayer, or when I cuddle one of the boys but it's generally not quiet this strong. Life has been up in the air lately and its moments like this that make you feel so much more connected to our loving Heavenly Father. I know some out there don't believe in a power, and even many that do believe in only a vengeful God. Life can be so full of turmoil and sadness that it's sometimes hard to see how we could be as loved as we are. Moments like this, or just simple things make me realized how loved we must be. Even with all the hurt and doubt, and pain in this world, it is amazing how if you look you see so many good things, even just the beauty of nature or of children. It's heartening to know that true love does exist, not just in the form of man and woman, or mother and child but from Creator to created.

Brothers

Brothers! I adore these two, I cannot believe how lucky I am to be their mama. Having two is so amazing and exhausting, (so so exhausting but only some days). Most days my crazy amount of love for them is so energizing I can hardly sit still. I love that they have each other, that one day when I am driving them crazy that they will know they always have a confidant, a best friend. They will always have someone to play with, someone to confide in, and someone who they know will love them no matter what. Sometimes mom and dad aren't what you need, but a brother and a friend is. My sisters are some of my best friends in the world I love them so much and am so happy that my boys will have someone there for them like I always did. I am so interested to see how a brotherly relationship goes, it's already so different than what I experienced with my sisters. I didn't get to know my brother until later in life, and I absolutely adore the relationship my hubs has his with awesome brother. Watching them wrestle already, and tickle, and just interact with each other makes me soul soar.

Yoga for Kids

This morning after a monster smoothie and a stack of stories the boys (little little joined in on downward facing dog when the stories took back up after yoga on top of the books of course) and I, took it upon ourselves to have some morning yoga. At the moment we are using Yoga Kids, it has a lot of great poses, but I would say its a little more advanced than my unbelievably inflexible little man is quiet ready for. Nevertheless he went through and choose each pose or series of poses he wanted to try went for it. We worked on breathing and holding the pose for as long as he could (apparently anything over three seconds deserves an Olympic medal). Yoga has always been a great life changer for me. You feel so much better, both emotionally and physically when you add it into your daily routine. (Especially when I was pregnant and so full of aches and pains.) We are working on being as healthy as we can body and soul and this is a great way to work towards that goal. Plus nothing is cuter than seeing your kids strike a pose and have a deep breath or two. Here are some of the benefits for children;
"Children derive enormous benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. Doing yoga, children exercise, play, connect more deeply with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them. Yoga brings that marvelous inner light that all children have to the surface."

Books!

As I type I am anxiously awaiting for my copy of "Simplicity Parenting" to arrive. A book on how less is more for your child, from enviorment to schedule.I have hit the point where I want to know about anything that coensides with Montessori philosophy, playful learning, and anything and everything that is good for our children. At the moment my amazon cart is waiting to be slowly emptied with these fantastic books. Some are about respecting your children more as human beings and less like inferiors, others are about allowing them to learn in their own way and their own pace no matter how unconventional (or irrational to the adult mind) I can't wait to read them all! I am especially excited for the yoga books since big little Loves to do yoga with me. I'll let you know how they turn out as I go!

Understanding the Human Being

4,962,571

Scribble Art

Sleepy Little Yoga.

Little Yoga

Creative Play

My first Mobile!

I have finally added a mobile to my Etsy shop, now to finish the rest of them!
Hot Air Balloon Mobile

Sensory painting

Since little little eats everything (see below posts to know I literally mean that) I decided to make the boys some edible finger paint, since he also has a gluten allergy I found a great recipe for gluten free paint here. Mixing on cold water first made mine clump, and made the strainer necessary. I used only 1.5 cups of cornstarch and added more water in the end for a little thinner paint. Here is the recipe

* 2 cups of corn starch (I as said, used less)
* 1 cup of cold water (go with warm cold makes cornstarch clump like mad)
* 4.5 cups of boiling water
* Liquid food colouring

Method:
Pour boiling water in with corn starch., I'd forgo using cold water at all and just use more warm, separate into jars, add color and stir. It has custard like consistency. It will keep which is great so you don't have to make every time you want your mini garbage disposal to paint!


Little little loved the feel of it, and of course ate some. He seemed more interested in putting his feet and "walking" (think mobile downward facing dog) across his brother and cousins paper's. He did however end up with a beautiful modern print :) Big little's preferred medium at the moment is sand dollars, so we have a few more to display that are a rainbow of perfection. It's so much more fun for kids to paint when they get to feel the texture and truly explore the paint! (Big little played with it and then decided it was gross, and wanted a brush. Always the kid to want clean hands!)