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!

***************

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...