Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here
The Week That Was

The week that was…Natural learning

Natural learning | Happiness is here

It’s been another brilliant week here! We’ve been out and about exploring with friends and family and learning everywhere we go, as always.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

The girls have been receiving postcards from their grandparents who have been on holidays overseas. On each one they’ve written some facts about the place they are staying and the girls are loving learning about it! I’m so grateful for supportive and thoughtful family members.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

A the start of the week we explored a new creek with friends. It was such a beautiful day. We always have the most fun in the most simple places. Just exploring and learning at our own pace. The kids explored all around, collected bugs, did some artwork, got messy, and played for hours.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

There was even some maths going on. Here they are measuring how wide the creek was.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

I shared recently how much my girls LOVE Julia Donaldson books and someone commented that the Gruffalo features in every one of her books. We had never noticed this! Miss 5 was very excited and collected all the books, spending a long time searching until she found him.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

Don’t you just love how children spell words when they are learning? Can you tell what this says? Miss 5 was using the ‘Plants‘ app on the iPad. ‘Mum, I wrote wattle because it looks like a wattle tree’. Natural Learning Week | Happiness is hereWe only use the iPad for educational purposes and this is another one of our favourites called ‘Barefoot World Atlas’. The girls love it. They can explore all over the world and there is lots of different things to click on to learn more. They particularly love exploring Africa at the moment.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

Early one morning we went outside and were lucky enough to see a mother and baby magpie looking for food. They stayed and let us watch for ages and the girls got to see the mother feeding the baby.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

After they flew away, Miss 5 ran to get her journal to draw what she had seen.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

A flying fox in the back yard, made from string. Used to transport their toys from the top to the bottom of the hill. And a little reminder to me to never assume what they are up to. I looked out to see them unraveling a heap of string and it seemed like they were just putting it all over the yard for no reason. I asked them to wind it back up and told them that they shouldn’t be putting it anywhere. Turns out they were making this.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

A plan for a fairy house by Miss 5. You can see on the right she has drawn what she wants to make. A cube shaped house with no roof and a little door. Then on the left she has drawn the pieces layed out how they would fit together. I was really amazed by this. She has even drawn the door so that when it stands up it will be the right way and match her picture. Some pretty good abstract thinking for a 5 year old.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

There is always lots of pretend play here. I have to say, these silks were the best present I bought them last Christmas. They seem so simple but they have gotten SO much use. They are one of those things that are out every single day. I got mine from here. Natural Learning Week | Happiness is hereThis week we had a day out with the girls Nan and Uncle to the Art Gallery, Museum, and Science centre. There was an exhibition about patterns on at the gallery which the girls enjoyed.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

Miss 3 has loved dinosaurs for a very long time, and she couldn’t wait to see them at the museum again. Her eyes lit up as soon as we walked in.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

Making waves at the science centre.

Natural Learning Week | Happiness is here

The favourite thing. Making this ball float in the air.

Natural learning | Happiness is here

Miss 3 wanted to plant a seed from an apple she had eaten to see what would happen.

That’s us for this week! What have you been up to?

Want to see some more natural learning? Check out Memoirs of a Childhood, Racheous-Lovable Learning, and An Everyday Story.

Comments

Jess - Memoirs of a Childhood
October 26, 2014 at 8:15 pm

So many things I loved seeing about your week this week! The magpie drawing, the creative spelling, our girls measuring the creek… you take such beautiful pictures 🙂



October 26, 2014 at 8:52 pm

I adore your creek! Oh how I wish I could find something like that here. We did spend a lovely day at the river but to be able to let the kids wander through the water like that, knowing they aren’t going to drop into deep water, would be so wonderful.

Watching the magpies would have been another beautiful moment. How wonderful to have seen them feeding. I wonder if the girls will be inspired to learn more about this.

Beautiful week 🙂



October 27, 2014 at 7:11 pm

What a great week! Love the flying fox!
When I worked at the Sciencentre in Brisbane, my favourite thing was the ‘floating’ ball. We’ve made one at home with our vacuum (which has the vent in the top) and a balloon. I don’t think they understood Bernoulli’s law but we sure had fun!
S



Suki
October 30, 2014 at 3:46 am

One of my favorite things to see are the different options you (and the other lovely ladies) take on outings. A measuring tape! Brilliant yet I would not have thought of it.



November 7, 2014 at 7:38 am

So many great things happening in your week!! The world of apps and iPads isnt something I’ve explored as yet! But do like the idea of having one (once my girls are a little older) for educational things, I would love to hear more about the different apps you & your girls like sometime?



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