Experiencing Ecosystem

The art of gardening can teach us many valuable skills such as patience, discipline, persistence, and a love for nature. We find joy in digging and planting some selected seeds we would love to see it grows. The ownership of the plot may inculcate our sense of responsibility and ensure that we become more able to handle our implements.

The learning of us getting into the mud, as we explore all aspects of the garden, makes it a fun and effective learning journey. The learning experience introduces us not only to plants, but the insects, and birds that are part of it.  As we become more familiar about all the living things in the garden, we are less likely to be afraid of  touching the plants, getting soil on our hands, or being near bugs. 

When we come to watering, it can be a fun as well as a problem-solving experience. Taking control where to aim the hose when the water flows feels funny when we let it loose instead. Sprinklers on a hot day feels so therapeutic to our skin. 

With the weather heating up, it is the perfect time to spending time splashing and frolicking in the water on a hot day! 

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Water is the perfect medium for demonstrating mathematical and scientific concepts, such as volume and weight.  

• How much water do we think could fit in this water blaster?
• How far do we think it will reach?

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According to Early Childhood News, as we manipulate water play materials. we build our scientific inquiry and problem-solving skills, as we begin to understand why and how things happen.

When the soil on the ground interacts with rainwater, the wet dirt attracts us to explore our senses and experience different sensory experiences. Adding materials like sand or pebbles to water allows us to put our hands in different textures (gritty, squishy, slippery, and slimy) as well as experience different temperatures (warm, cool, cold).

Our interest in the worms grow deeper. Sometimes when we walk on the sidewalks. after the rain, we love to save the worms. We build our understanding the worms are trapped on concrete and gently put them back in the grass to have their ways to home sweet home.

Drawing lines to illustrate a map for the worms ​to find its way home has been shared by Felix. 

We too take our continuing journey to further observe and learn from our European Night Crawlers worms by taking taking them out of the container. Honestly, worms are fascinating creatures. We learn that when worms lose one end of its body, it grows a replacement.

We notice their physical adaptation on how worms stretch and contract their bodies while moving around. We are impressed to see when their muscles contract, the worms stretch, they become longer and thinner. 

There are some worms, we manipulate using dough, to become eggs, worms inside their home, and a heart-shaped worm. 

One of the joys of sharing our storybook Superworm by Julia Donaldson invites us to explore yarns and paint. We simply dip yarns into paint and let our stretched yarns to jiggle, wiggle, or slither on our canvas. This is a fun way to learn to painting technique without using brushes. 

Which one is the real Jackson Pollock’s painting :)? Inspired by the dripping technique, introduced by Jackson Pollock, we make connections with our current journey in digging deeper into the life of worms.

On this opportunity we would like to extend our Happy 4th Birthday to our dear Nora ... hip, hip, hooray! May you always be filled with love, joy, and peace! 

We too would like to share how we will miss Lukah & family. Thank you for a beautiful time we have spent together through so much laughter and joy!

Kindest,
Children & Friends.