Terrariums

Yesterday was great fun! There was lots of enthusiasm for building terrariums and thankfully just enough moss, dirt, stones and jars so that most people could create something to take home... I think that the creativity was only limited by the number of jars available and the children would have kept making more if we' have provided the jars and moss for them. Perhaps this one will be worth repeating another time...





Actually, it looked like so much fun that I brought some moss home to make my own too.




The leftover moss was use to make a rather elaborate gift shop, I'm told. It took much of the afternoon to tend it. In between bursts of tree climbing and lunch, of course... Thanks to all who came. Look forward to next time! x

Tiny Fairy and Animal Terrariums

This week my girls have asked to make fairy or animal terrariums. They're a lovely way to bring the garden indoors over winter. You can find a link to a simple tutorial here. If you're coming along to co-op and would like to join in making these, here's what you need to bring if you can...

• a jar with a lid - large enough to fit a small hand inside (and out again!). 
• some small toy animals or fairy dolls or tiny toy furniture... you could make a dinosaur swamp, or a woodland garden, or a jungle!

If you happen to have anything extra bits and pieces around home, things like small stones, moss, dirt, interesting small plants or leaves, bring them too... and some to share if you have plenty! Think creatively and make them as complex or simple as you like.

Hope to see you there! I'll update this post with pictures of the results! 

Fun for all!

One of the lovely things about a gathering of home educating families is the range of ages in children and how they all get along together. There's a certain joy in it... Before the advent of schools and spending all day with children you own age, it was the norm for children to spend their days in mixed-age and family groupings. In my home, I have three children aged 8, 5 and 18 months and they all manage to play together harmoniously for much of the day. They will spend time gravitating towards activities which are more age appropriate for a portion of the day, which we accommodate, but they always reconnect and enjoy time together as the day rolls along.

At co-op, we often see older children working studiously on a particular task, younger children working with the help of their parents... or like my middle child, playing all day and daydreaming... and the tiniest of the lot enjoy spending the day trying to catch up to the big kids, returning for reassurance and cuddles... and the odd nap. Generally there are times when they're all at play together and enjoy that space. The oldest may find themselves acting as leaders, or enjoy spending time with the adults. One of the loveliest things we can do at co-op is provide a space for all children to follow their natural rhythms. To spend some quiet, insular time indoors perhaps, or some exuberant outdoor play with the group... And as parents, we can support them, and each other, in providing that space to make the day roll along smoothly... It's what community is all about!

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If you're thinking about unschooling or home educating your children, but they are only tiny, now is a great time to reach out and find a community to support you and friends to keep the days bubbling along nicely... Eventually other friends may join the schooled ranks, but if you're fortunate, as my family have been, that community will be already strong and supportive. Start a co-op, find your tribe, or come along to ours! 

Building and tinkering

Some inspiring ideas... maybe something we could organise for a co-op meet one day...

Hooray for co-op!

The Hobart Natural Learners Co-op has been gathering fortnightly for almost eight months now. So far we've felted soap, made kites...





Blown bubbles, shared our favourite stories, visited the beach, gone fruit picking...



Made electronic gadgets, played board games, made musical instruments, face painted, made christmas cards, made masks



Built tents,  visited an observatory, spoken with Aboriginal elders, enjoyed some laughter therapy games, swapped our stuff, made origami and melted beeswax...



And spent countless hours climbing the tree and playing in the playground. The field beside our cottage is a favourite place to run off extra energy after lunch... It seems the opportunities and ideas are limitless if the energy and enthusiasm is there...



And with all that combined kid energy, we're bound to have many more magical, fun-filled days at co-op.