We have done such a mix of things this week! It has been a full and fun week for the girls. And it was great to be able to finally catch up with friends that we hadn’t seen since before our holiday. The girls really missed them. Remember to hop over and check out some other great examples of natural learning at Memoirs of a Childhood, Racheous – Lovable Learning, and An Everyday Story. And we also have someone new joining us! You must check out HippyHappyMama! I’m so excited that she’ll now be joining in with our weekly posts and I can’t wait to see what they’ve been up to.

We started the week with a look into the microscope. Miss 5 had been down in the play room looking at her rocks and minerals through the microscope when she remembered something else we had planned to look at. While we were at Fraser Island the girls read in one of their books that sand is made up of tiny pieces of crushed up seashells. So, we collected a little sand while we were there to take home and have a look at. Have you ever looked at sand under a microscope? It looks really interesting.

Everyone had a look. We then got some kinetic sand to see if it would looked different. We found out it looked the same except the pieces were sticking together.

Miss 5 then collected lots of different types of dirt from different places in the yard to look at. Both girls are getting really good at focusing the microscope by themselves now.

You may have seen that we have been learning about beeswax. Lots of youtube documentaries were watched.

Making beeswax candles. You can read more about what we did here.

We found this little bug stuck on his back outside one day and watched him trying so hard to turn over. He would wiggle around before arching his back and then quickly snapping back the other way causing him to fly up in the air. It took him a while before he managed to land right way up and the girls found it fascinating. Miss 5 then got a closer look. She is VERY into bugs lately. She used to squeal at the sight of one but now she’s searching them out and wanting to hold them all the time!

I’m not quite sure what this was about but it went on for a whole afternoon. I was surprised when Miss 5 told me that in one of the containers was a bamboo shark named Bob. Back in April we had an event with our homeschool co-op where someone came out to talk to the kids about ocean life and they got to see and touch many different animals. One of them was a bamboo shark named Bob.

We spent a fun day with friends. I love how they get to hang out with a mix of age groups. There is never any division in the group based on age. Here my 5 year old is making patterns with Jess’s youngest who is 2 and a half.

Miss 5 had described to me this artwork she had wanted to make the day before we went to Jess’s. She wanted to glue shells onto cardboard and then paint them blue and put glitter on top. While we were there she called me over to tell me ‘they have everything I need to make that ocean picture I was telling you about!’

We had a big storm this week!

Before the storm hit we went outside to pack away any toys that were left out. The girls found this guy on the trampoline net and were concerned he’d get blown away in the storm, so had to rescue him.

We watched a documentary we had taped and learned a lot more about some ocean creatures.

Putting the finishing touches on the sculptures they started last week.

Miss 5 was getting in the Christmas spirit and made lots of these little notes to stick around the house.

An experimental painting by Miss 5.

‘I want to wet a piece of paper and then paint watercolours on the wet paper and see what happens’

That led to a new technique called ‘spread paintings’.

‘You paint on the paper and then you do little droplets on top and watch it spread out. Doesn’t it look like it’s alive?! It’s so totally cool!’

Miss 3: ‘Mum, I did this for you. It’s letters. I did W’s and V’s!’

This weekend we put up the tree! And I sorted out our advent calendar activities ready for December 1!

What have you been up to this week? Is your tree up yet?

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Materials we’re using this week

• The girls use this duoscope which we really love. We also have these prepared slides that get a lot of use.
• You can find the candle making kit at Spiral Garden.
• The peg board the girls are using to make patterns is part of Spielgaben.
• The sculptures were made using mod rock.
• The liquid watercolours we use are these.