It is very hard for me to be grumpy on a spring morning of 75 degrees a breeze that makes the willow tree dance. I took both the morning and afternoon classes to the park around the corner on Monday. And I could not help but just breathe deep and smile. I think it's the same for children--the young love being outdoors. LOVE it. I have no research to base this on, but I truly think that children (and grown-ups) just feel more peaceful outside. Not that this solves emotional turmoil instantly or even prevents any conflict from happening. But there is a contentedness felt outside (particularly in weather from in the 65-75 degree range) that is rarely replicated elsewhere. There is a movement in the preschool world to get kids outside more. See my blog list on the sidebar--seriously awesome educators and parents who all understand the importance of getting kids outside.
Our wet, chilly spring has kept us mostly indoors--which has been fine since we have ample space to run and jump and climb and slide indoors. But I'm anxious for the fenced in space we'll get next week. And I'm pumped about creating a space outdoors where the children are free to still be creative, to exert physical energy, to learn, and of course, to just be content.
We colored eggs with crayons immediately after taking them out of the boiling water. I just put them in an egg-holder cut out from the egg carton and held the egg there. Melted crayon has to be one of the greatest art mediums ever. We got brilliant colors and a marbled look when colors mixed. It was pretty mess-free (not that we're afraid of messes or anything..).
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