Time & Change

Our annual ritual of embracing transformation, seen through the delicate, ever-evolving journey of butterflies. The ritual begins at the very first breath of life - where transformation is not yet visible, but quietly stirring beneath the surface. We gather around the tender leaves where butterfly eggs are nestled, often no larger than pinheads, delicately places by the mother with intention and grace.

With careful hands and open hearts, we welcome these tiny, almost translucent, the caterpillars stretch into the world, their bodies guided by instinct toward nourishment and growth.

In this sacred moment, we honor not what they are now, but what they are becoming. We appreciate the journey - we simply witness. To crawl. To consume. To prepare for a becoming that cannot yet be seen.

How Many…? How Much Joy.
It begins with a butterfly. Yellow Butterfly enters our space with silence and beauty — a wordless story of hope, courage, and the desire for freedom. 

Nora with thoughtful insight, saying that the butterfly “brings brighter.” Her interpretation adds a layer of meaning, showing how the story awakens feelings of light and hope within her. This story plants something in us — a sense of wonder, of possibility, of stories told in new ways.

Each page becomes a reflection of one's inner world, reminding us that no matter what happens in life, there is always a reason to believe in goodness, in justice, and in joy.

Luka shows his interest in the book by expressing, "Wow!" while his fingers busily follow the fluttering path of the yellow butterfly across the page. His eyes sparkle with curiosity, tracing each colorful illustration as if the butterfly might lift off and lead him into its magical world.

With each page, each one is free to interpret the journey in our own way, to bring own personal memories, thoughts, and feelings into the spaces between the illustrations. It is a quiet invitation to explore the contrast between darkness and light, between fear and hope, between obstacles and inner strength.

When we invite ourselves to cross to the world of drawing, we step into a place where lines become dreams, and colors speak the language of the heart. Each stroke is a doorway, each page a journey - where imagination leads, and anything is possible.

Emily walks us through her narrative of lines. At first, her lines seem simple - just lines. Curved or straight, light or bold, wandering across the page. However, when we look closer, we hear the underlined truth. 
"And there are the caterpillars, this is the towel, this is the lid, and more  caterpillars right here," she says, her finger tracing each part with care. To Emily, each mark means something. 

What we first see as simple now feels meaningful. Because Emily's lines do not just show - they tell. They tell us who she is, what she sees, and how she loves.

Nora's drawings represent her observations on two different moments in time. The one on the left captures the caterpillars from last week - wiggly, curious, always moving. Lines curl across the page, full of energy and little feet.

The drawing on the right is from this week - chrysalises, still and silent. Her lines are more enclosed now, like tiny sleeping shapes hanging in place. Where last week's drawing dances, this one waits. 

Nora doesn't say much, but her drawings speak clearly. They tell a story of change. Of understanding that something magical is happening - even when it looks like nothing at all. 

Fides, instead of focusing on many, he pays attention to the significance of just one. While Nora's fill her pages with clusters of caterpillars or rows of chrysalises, Fides draws a single caterpillar - smiling - inside one carefully outlined container. 

It is not just a caterpillar; it is a living something to him. With gentle curves and careful lines, he gives it a face, a story. He is not just showing what he sees - he is showing what he feels.

In Fides' world, one small life is enough to hold meaning. His drawing reminds us: sometimes, noticing one is just as important as noticing all.

With A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston, we walk through the many characteristics of a butterfly. Not just its colors or wings, but its gentleness, its patience, its quiet strength.

Each page invites us to slow down, observe, and appreciate how a butterfly grows, transforms, and moves through the world. After reading it, Nora retells in her own words how butterflies protect themselves through their intense colors.

Luka, in another way, reads with his eyes following the beauty of the pop-up butterflies illustrations. He doesn't speak much, but his gaze lingers, tracing the folds, the way the paper moves. For Luka, reading is not just about words, It is about wonder. And through the butterflies, he is listening with his eyes.

Kalyan is being effortful in his attempts to read the individual letters of chrysalis. He leans in close, eyes narrowing with focus, his finger moving, "C...h...r..." he sounds them out one by one. Each letter is a small step, and with each step, he grows more confident. 

Through vivid illustrations and thoughtful words, we learn that a butterfly is not only delicate, but also determined. It is a traveler, a pollinator, a symbol of change. Above all, a butterfly reminds us that some of the most beautiful things in life take time.

We bring in another book Pop-Up Peekaboo Butterfly by DK. We are  excited as we lift the flaps up, eagerly guessing which insect is hiding underneath. 

​The colorful pages spark our imagination, and we talk about how butterflies come from tiny caterpillars.

After our story, we move our bodies to pretend we are caterpillars preparing for the next stage. We form our bodies into a J-shape, just like how real caterpillars hang before becoming a chrysalis. ​Emily and Kalyan proudly show everyone their J-shaped pose, curling themselves tightly as they imagine the changes happening inside.

We stretch our arms wide and imagine we have wings. Nora gracefully flaps her arms high and slow.

​Kalyan flaps fast and strong, showing his powerful butterfly wings.

 Emily, as a butterfly, flaps her wings slowly and gracefully.

Nora shares with us a beautiful poem she makes:
"Butterflies are lovely
Butterflies are beautiful
Although you are silent, you can speak with your wings
How lovely your colors are."
Her words makes us all pause and appreciate the gentle, silent beauty of butterflies.

​We end our discussion by creating our very own 'magic caterpillars.' We use markers to draw on tissue paper, roll it over a straw, and carefully squish it into a tiny log. Then, we place the caterpillar on a flat surface and slowly drip water over it.

The magic happens right before  our eyes—the caterpillars grow, move, and the colors spread beautifully! Nora is amazed, saying, "Wow, it's moving!" 

Everyone watches closely as our caterpillars come to life, excited and curious about the transformation we witness. Today, we not only learn about butterflies—we become butterflies, exploring with our bodies, words, and creativity.

Then comes Richard Scarry’s The Best Counting Book Ever — a colorful world full of pigs brushing teeth, cats jumping rope, and numbers hidden inside stories.
We notice how this book is more than just a counting lesson -- It’s a door. So we open it.

We invite ourselves to create our own counting books.
No instructions. Just paper, markers, a hole puncher — and the quiet question:
What do you want to count?
And the answers come.

​Kalyan draws four straight lines and proudly writes the number 4.

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Fides draws balloons, then adds letters, and even creates additions, carefully writing down the total each time.
We see how math lives in our joy.
How counting is expressive.
A tool for storytelling. A way to be seen.

Kai draws ten sharks — fast, fierce, and full of movement.
Each page becomes a reflection of our thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

Emily paints an abstract grey shape, and beside it writes the number 5. We wonder: What does five feel like to her?
Each number carries a personal meaning.
Each drawing reveals a unique perspective.

Through these books, we are not learning about the world, we are building it.
We bring not answers, but space.
Not pressure, but presence.

Kindest,
Children & Friends.