Bread and Yoga

Apologies for the lateness of this post! Last fortnight's co-op was small but so much fun! We organised to use the space of the community hall and held a yoga class thanks to Carinda from Yoga Bugs! She took the children (and some adults) on a yoga journey or two with some very imaginative interpretations of traditional yoga poses, while managing to explain the history and relevance of them in a fun and engaging way. The kids were enthralled! We also made the most of having an oven for the afternoon and baked some bread! Lots of fun and yummo too.

Tomorrow we are having a simple play meet with some paper window star folding, possibly some ice cream churning and an outdoor game or two in the open fields. Hope to see you there! xx

Wildlife Carers at Co-op!

Last time at co-op we had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie and Wayne from Southern Wildlife Rescue.  They came and talked to us about all things wildlife. They even brought along a little furry friend or two!



Everyone was engrossed and entertained by Stephanie and Wayne's engaging presentation and we all learnt so much about our native wildlife. We learnt some amazing facts about what makes our wildlife special. We had a close-up look at wombat poo and a good laugh at some tales of baby wombat antics while patting a gorgeous baby wombat.



Best of all, we learnt how each of us can help our native wildlife if we come across any sick or injured along the roadside or in the bush. We have a checklist now to keep in the glovebox and some activity kits to take home and enjoy as we remember Stephanie and Wayne's words.



We were also lucky to see one of our co-op families taking the next step to becoming wildlife carers, bringing in a baby Bennetts Wallaby for us all to see. Thanks so much to Stephanie and Wayne and to Fran for organising for them to come along!

This Tuesday (October 2nd) , we will have YogaBugs along to give us a free trial class. The weather looks to be lovely, so we can do yoga outside, or I've organised for the big hall to be available to us for the class. If we like it, there's an option to make yoga a regular co-op activity. And of course, if your child doesn't feel like participating, that's totally ok. Please feel free to bring along an alternate activity to share with the group if you like!

See you at co-op of Tuesday! xx

Springtime Explorers at Co-op

We were blessed with the most perfect of spring days at co-op last week. Beautiful sunshine, just the right amount of breeze and lots of open spaces to explore. We went on a scavenger hunt. We collected furry, shiny, sharp things. Flowers, sticks, rocks and treasures...



Then we headed down to the beach behind co-op for a paddle and a play in the sand.



And back to the playgound again for a last play...



We didn't want it to end! In fact the play continued at our house until bedtime. We're looking forward to Tuesday!

This week we are meeting wildlife carer Stephanie. She'll be talking to us about how to become wildlife carers and what's involved... She may even bring a furry friend as a surprise! If you intend to come, please let us know before Monday night (that's tomorrow!), so Stephanie can prepare. Hope to see you then. xx

exploring

Seeing as yoga was cancelled for this week, we thought it might be a good idea to have a wander around the surrounds of the cottage. Perhaps a scavenger hunt and wander through the gully, to the beach, or even a wander up the hill, past the community garden and skate park and down to the beach that way... or maybe all of the above! Some children might like to bring along or borrow a camera and document what they see... perhaps they can email in their photos for a blog post so they can look at each other's photography of the day?



Or perhaps they'll come home with a handful of treasure?

Here's some photography inspiration: Capturing Signs of Spring with Photography (kids, nature and cameras)

And a fab scavenger hunt I'll bring along, here.

See you on Tuesday. xx

Book Week at Co-op

It was a quiet week at co-op this week. Many of our friends nursed colds and tummy bugs at home. But it was lovely to spend some time with those who could make it and read some favourite books. We had Audrey of the Outback, Fancy Nancy and Maisy Mouse for the day...

It would be fantastic to see more people come along to Co-op. If you've been meaning to come along, or you know a friend who might like to come to our Co-op, please get in touch.xx

Activities for co-op

We have lots of exciting new things happening at co-op over the next few months! I'm looking forward to the sunshine bringing people out of hibernation too and having a fab time together. So, here's what we have to look forward to - besides spring!...

After speaking with most of the group, it's been agreed that a better time to go to the Marine Discovery Centre will be the 20th of November... Lots of time to put it in our calendars and hopefully the weather will be sunny and warm, so we can potter on the beach nearby.

Yoga Bugs will be joining us on September 4th for a free yoga class to trial. If everyone loves it, they are also able to offer us a program of regular visits to co-op for as much yoga as we like! I'll have more details of that soon, but you can check out their website here.

Fran has kindly organised for wildlife carers Stephanie and Wayne Clarke, the Coordinators of Southern Wildlife Tasmania, to come and talk to us on September 18th. Here's a brief run down of what they might talk about:

- what we do as wildlife carers and the role of Southern Wildlife

- what you can do to help our wildlife, including dogs and cats

- what to do when you see dead wildlife on the road

- what to keep in your car to help wildlife - pillowcase, etc

- feral animals

- roadkill & roadkill prevention

- who to call

- we also talk about how special some species of wildlife are

- We also have a small flyer that we ask the children to give to mum or dad and ask them to put it in their car so that when they come across any wildlife there are instructions on the flyer to help them to help the wildlife as well as the Southern Wildlife rescue phone number."

If you think you'll be at Stephanie and Wayne's talk, please let me know by email, on facebook or in the comments section below and I'll pass that on to Fran so that they can prepare adequately for the day. 

If you feel like organising something at any time, or if you know someone with a fantastic skill they could share or talk about, please feel free to set aside a day and let me know. It's so great when we all get involved as a community in organising something mutually beneficial for our families. And it's easier than you'd think ;) 

See you at co-op! 
Lauren. xx

Book Week!

Next Tuesday at co-op we are celebrating Children's Book Week. If you feel like it, come along dressed up as a favourite book character and bring along a book you'd like to share with the group. Those who are reading can read to those who aren't quite reading yet... This was one of our most popular activities last year, and a great indoor thing for cooler weather. Perhaps you'd like to bring along a game, activity or food to share from your book? Lets see where the inspiration leads us...

In other news... I'm still collecting names for the Marine Discovery Centre on the 28th. If this date doesn't suit, let me know and we can reschedule for another day later in the year. One family has already expressed a wish to postpone...

Also, Fran has very kindly offered to organise for a wildlife carer to come along and chat to us about what she does... she may even bring a little furry friend along! Stay tuned for more info... xx

Science week update!

 We had an early celebration of science week at co-op on Tuesday.

 We moved a table out into the sunshine and placed a range of kitchen ingredients, balloons and bowls and left it to our budding scientists to discover various reactions, colours and potions. 

It was loads of fun and very messy. 

Afterwards we stretched out, some choosing to play in the playground. Some invented a game of olympics-inspired swing long jump. Some wandered and ran in the paddock and some stayed indoors to read a book... Something for everyone!

If you're up for some more science week activities, check out the National Science Week Tasmanian program here. 

Science week!

During the next fortnight it will be National Science Week in Australia, so we thought it might be apt to undertake some science experiments at Co-op on Tuesday (7th August). Perhaps some old favourites, or something you've not tried yet? Some of them we have tried several times over, but we keep going back to do them again because they are so much fun!

If you are coming along and would like to play with science with us, please feel free to bring along an experiment to share with the group, or perhaps some of the following ingredients:

• Cornflour
• Yeast
• Balloons
• Small plastic bottles
• Bowls (for mixing things)
• Food colouring
• Straws
• Dishwashing liquid
• Glycerin
• Liquid starch
• Clear glue
• Zip-lock bags
• Sticky tape
• Vinegar
• Bi-carb soda
• String

If you are able to bring anything in particular, please leave a comment below, or on the facebook group (to save me from going and buying bulk quantities at the supermarket!!)

We're looking forward to lots of (messy) fun! Perhaps bring a smock or change of clothes and a towel along with you? Hope to see you on Tuesday. xx

Housekeeping...
There is a red folder with a form that we need to sign for insurance purposes at co-op. Please list your family as attending and remember to initial the form each time you attend, so we are covered for cottage hire. Also, there is a little red money box usually on top of the microwave in the kitchen. Please put your gold coin contribution here to cover your attendance. If not enough people contribute, it comes out of our family's pocket. We love spending time with everyone at co-op, but it becomes an expensive exercise if attendees don't contribute. 

Marine Discovery Centre - please confirm your interest in attending the Marine Discovery Centre on 28th August. Our attendance and cost will depend on numbers of people who commit to going. Please leave a comment below, or email or let me know on facebook. Thanks!

Gadget dissection at co-op!

It was lovely to see some new faces at co-op last week.  We all had a great time pulling apart things to see what makes them work. Some of the adults had just as much fun. Who knew destroying things could be so much fun?! You can learn so much when you pull things apart - just ask my toddler ;)



There were type writers, remote control cars, keyboards, heaters, telephones, clocks... all manner of things. All pulled apart enthusiastically. For those too small to join in, there was playdough.



The useful bits from our deconstructive fun, were swept aside for next week when we'll turn them into inventions! Lots of us are looking forward to that.



After lunch and a play and a warm cuppa, we wandered through the community garden to check out the community beds we have been invited to tend while we wait for our own plot *. We managed to stay until 3.30pm, when the sun dropped down behind the hill and it became a little too chilly for the playground. All in all, a fun day!

If you'd like to come along next week and make an amazing invention, please bring along some bits and pieces you don't need anymore, to add to the left over gadget bits. Some glue, tape, hot glue guns, scissors... anything you think might be useful. All would be appreciated! See you then. xx

* There's a working bee at the community garden in a couple of weeks. Please let me know if you're interested and I'll forward the info to you. 

Marine Discovery Centre Visit and a Community Garden Plot!

We've penciled in a visit to the Marine Discovery Centre on Tuesday 28th of August. We'll be participating in a hands on program making art, fish printing, doing a little foreshore study and exploring the touch tanks. It's pitched at K-6, so should fit our large age range nicely. Cost to attend will depend on numbers... If you're keen to come along, please email Lauren at owletmama@gmail.com

Also, we are waiting our very own co-op plot at the community garden located behind the cottage. It shouldn't be too long, but if you're keen to get involved, we've been invited to attend working bees and help tend the neighbourhood plot (which means we can help ourselves to surplus vegies too!). Let Lauren know if you are interested.

Don't forget that if you'd like an update on anything happening at co-op, make sure you subscribe to receive this blog via email (see the little subscribe button top right). Or, you could join our facebook group. Look forward to seeing you at co-op soon!

Dissecting Gadgets

For next Tuesday's meet (July 10th), we thought we'd spend some time getting stuck into looking at what makes things around us go... Pulling them apart, looking inside, playing with tools... Have a look at this article for some inspiration.

What to bring:

Any old/broken appliances/computers/gadgets that you'd like to explore... and are happy to never have functioning again!

Tools for dissection - pliers, screwdrivers, spanners etc.

We'll pop the dissected bits in a box when we're finished and reuse them for the next meet - Inventions!

I'll also bring along some playdough for little ones.

Please feel free to bring along any games, toys, books or activities and if you have something you'd like to donate to the group to keep at the cottage, that'd be lovely. xx

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.