Spining Plates

The other morning we overheard Pumpkin, 8, explaining the process of photosynthesis to his siblings. These moments encourage us on our unschooling journey as we don't explicitly set out to teach our children a particular topic or curriculum. It is fascinating to watch how qnd what they learn in their own space and time and from their own sources.

We have had lots of whitespace interspersed with a shopping trip to town with Bean, 9, for party supplies, an evening trip to a friends party, church and a film night at a friends house. Ostly it feels like we have been managing expectations especially with Bean as he is trying to flex his independence but is restrained by siblings. It helped that we had a pizza date during the shopping trip, just me and him. As part of our morning out we also took part in some market research, in which he was very thoughtful in his responses and i gave him half of the cash, which pleased him as he is very money motivated.

Plum, 5, went supply shopping on Sunday with daddy and they made a cake together in the afternoon before going to eat pizza and watch a film at T's house.

Plum still reads Brown Bear every night except now we substitute each of the animals for different ones every night and then we try to remember them all on the last page before we hold hands and go to sleep.

Money, money, money

With daddy being home, there was quite a lot going on today.

I took Bean, 9, into town to buy some presentation bags for his crayons he has made. He packaged them up when he got home We also needed to collect the books that he ordered from the library and he had £20 to spend in the supermarket (as promised a few weeks ago.) We also went shopping for items for our Samaritans Purse boxes. Bean only spent half of the money and bought: monster munch crisps; skips; four chocolate doughnuts; a cake each from the bakery counter; a bag of chocolate coins; He purposefuly bought multipacks and made sure that there was enough for all the smalls to have too.

Pumpkin, 7, had been planning all week to go on a bike ride with daddy. Plum wanted to go to. When it came to it he said he was not feeling well and wanted to stay home. He hadn't moved from the sofa all morning Two very unusual things for him. So, he didn't go on a bike ride and suggested that tomorrow would be a good idea. Pumpkin spent most of the day watching Pokemon until after the medicine kicked in and then he perked up a little and played with Bean.

Plum, 4, went out on the tag along with daddy for the first time and absolutely loved it. They went to the play park together.

Bean, Plum, and Pippin put together their Christmas boxes.
We ended the day with sparklers and stories and Pumpkin falling asleep on the sofa.

Neither of the girls have slept well. They are full of cold and coughing and not breathing well.

I'm glad I spent it with you

Wednesday


We spent today at the Wittering's Beach with Grandma and Pops. It wasn't as sunny as last Friday but it was a great day none the less.
Today Grandma asked me the question, 'so what is he [Bean] learning today?' So here is my reply....


The journey to the beach involved Bean map reading, this mostly involved asking about the different coloured roads and guessing what the symbols meant, We looked these up using the key when we arrived at the beach to see which ones we had guessed correctly. He even spotted a National Trust sign on the roadside on the way there! (Would you like me to give them subject headings, let's call this geography.)


He also spends a lot of time trying to read the speedometer and speed limit signs. This involves reading numbers and understanding there value in relation to each other (Maths)


Today the sand was used for: building castles, which involved digging deep for wet sand; making a flag from a stick and a tissue; burying Bean; and burying the frisbee. The sea was used for: paddling in; exploring seaweed, mostly Pumpkin avoiding it!) pouring water and running through. The beach is a whole day of sand and water play, which is an unquestioned activity in most early years settings, our advantage being having them in their natural habitat. Discovering about materials and their different properties, how they change when you add things to them i.e. water to sand, or how things change over time i.e. tidal movement. This play also involves physical dexterity, problem solving, social skills, communication and a multi sensory experience all contributing to their congnitive development and knowledge (language, science, maths, social development)


Bean also set up a game of cricket using two spades and a stone. One spade was the bat and the other the wickets. Being able to use one item and pretend it is another is not only very useful for when you think you have no toys available and are able to gather together a few odd objects and they become a whole new world but is the same process of thought used in successful problem solving in adulthood (seeing a use for things that they were not designed for.) (Creative and physical development)


Pumpkin continues to be a very sensory learner and spent a large amount of time lying in the sand, head and all! Very messy but soft sand is very pleasing to touch so I could see the appeal, I just wouldn't put my face in it.


Spending a day with family and multiple generations also contributes to their social and emotional well-being. Feeling valued and cared for by those closet to them and respecting and caring in return. Today Bean took 4 pennies each for grandma and pops to buy them an ice-cream. 



We went over to the cafe to buy ice-creams where the boys learnt to select and order and pay for their own purchases, although we did have an odd moment when the shop assistant looked at me and asked if I knew that they had ordered dark chocolate even though I was right next to them when they were ordering. However, instead of merely role-playing the situation they were able to learn from a real life experience. (Maths, communication, literacy, social.)

Unbeknown to me the boys had also been watching the life guards closely and three days later (Saturday) have been playing with the playmobil men and quad bikes and walkie-talkies in the bath enacting what they observed. (observation-science; story telling-literacy, communication, language; memory recall; shared experience - social; making sense of the world around them-humanities.)



And all this was just whilst we were at the beach and I know they learnt far more than I have recorded here. All three smalls slept on the way home and consequently up later again. Pumpkin spent a happy time entertaining friends looking at books and Bean set up the dolls house on his bed having a picnic.