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!

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

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.