Sharing Skills

Much of our talk at co-op lately has been about what skills we have between us that we can pool and share. Realising that creating a culture of sharing and learning is strengthening and nourishing for our group and its members, we aim to draw out those skills as we grow together. Adults learning from other adults inspires children to get involved and learn alongside their parents, or their peers. And finding skills that the children can share with each other is wonderful too! Kids are always so keen to learn what their friends can do…

Last week, one of the children facilitated a Manga drawing workshop while one of the parents facilitated a granny-square crochet workshop. Long held crocheting and manga drawing ambitions were fulfilled! And we got a start on preparing to yarn bomb our tree. By the end of the session, children were learning to crochet too! Some of the crocheting parents were rather keen to learn the art of manga, so we may need a repeat performance of that one at a later date!

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! 

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.