Overhead Projector

A couple of months ago we picked up an overhead projector from the tip shop for $30. What fun it has been!

The children can draw directly onto it using transparencies and see their images on a huge scale, they can also experiement with light and shadows (you will often find OHP's used regularly in Reggio Emilia inspired schools).

Today Finn pulled out his Halloween trinkets and put on a spooky show for Evie who sat in the front row, entranced.

Evie

Darling little Evie. At 2 and a half, she is a quiet contented player. I love observing her in her solo imaginary play, and I love that she is breathing new life into Finn's duplo.

Pirates

The past few weeks have had a real pirate focus for our household. Finn was invited to his preschool friends 'pirate' party so there has been a lot of excitement, inquiry and preparation building up to the big event.

 I was so thrilled to see Finn closely studying an illustration of a pirate hide-out and replicating into his sketch-book, adding an amazing amount of detail.

He is really looking when he draws now- and it has real meaning to him.

He has been dressing up and roll playing..

and drawing endless pages of pirates and ships.




The party lived up to all of his expectations.

How cute are these cupcakes?

Block Work

Evie has long given up her daysleeps, so the days that she does nod off is very precious time to me. So an activity that Finn can become absorbed in for hours is block construction. I put on an audio book (Roald Dahl) My children lead such busy, social and noisy lives- it is so nice for them to have quiet, uninterrupted time on their own creating and thinking.

Mud Pie Kitchen

In a secret part of our garden- daily there is a lot of learning, experimenting and merrymaking going on.  

Recently we set up a mud pie kitchen for the kids (sourcing secondhand a TV cabinet, old pots, pans, metal teapots and spoons). They are usually happy playing with sand, dirt and a bucket of water. But today I added food colouring and cornflour to the fix. They had a lovely time creating slime pies. 

Circus Oz

Over the weekend, we took the children to see Circus Oz  which was an amazing show (we had front row seats which made it even more fantastic). Finn was lucky enough to be plucked from the audience to be part of the show. 

Since the show there has been a lot of circus tricks being practiced and a lot of dressing up. 

Fruit Kebabs

Fruit seems so much more fun on a stick..

 
 

The drive back from Sydney

Oil Pastels

We use these Micador Oil Pastels at the Steiner School I work at, and I also love using them for the kids at home. The colour range is huge and they don't seem to break while drawing like other oil pastels and the colours glide on beautifully smooth and strong. 

They work very well when using an ink wash over the top, creating a resist painting, or using on top a black/dark coloured paper (to create a space or night scene). 

Photographing Children

I have been so inspired by this gorgeous blog http://westoodtogether-ambz.blogspot.com.au/ of an engaged mother documenting daily simple joys in her children's lives by taking beautiful photographs.

Amber generously showed me how to move my DSLR (Cannon EOS) off auto mode, to have more creative control over the photos. Although this isn't the most amazing photo, and I still have a lot to learn, there is going back now..

Cardboard Arcade

So inspiring!

http://cainesarcade.com/2012/04/caines-arcade-short-film/

Perfect Pancakes

A slow saturday morning at home is the perfect time for pancakes/pikelets.

My favourite recipe works perfectly every-time (from David Herbert's The Perfect Cookbook).

For Piklets I just substitute plain flour for Self-Raising Flour, or add baking soda to the flour.

1 Cup of (all-purpose) Flour 
Pinch of salt
2 Eggs (free-range of course), lightly beaten
1 Cup of Milk
30 g of Butter, melted

Sift the flour and pinch of salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre

In Separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs, milk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms.

Grease a small non-stick frying pan and preheat over moderate heat for 1 minute.

Ladle the batter into the pan and cook for about 1 minute, or until bubbles appear on the pancake and the underside is golden. Using a spatula, flip the pancake and cook for a further 45-60 seconds before turning out.