Between seasons.

Today I was so happy to step outside and realize that it was already warm at 9am. Lately we have been waiting until late morning, or even early afternoon, to put on all our gear and head outside. Papa Mike and I discussed, and then scrapped a cooking project in favor of heading outdoors to play instead. Called all the kids to get ready to go, and were met with replies of:

"No."
"We don't want to."
"There is nothing to do outside."
"We don't like playing outside."

But. We're a nature based preschool! How can you not want to play outside?

I quickly gathered up some of my favorite "curriculum" books, and called a group meeting on the orange circle rug. We talked about how we are in-between seasons, how it's not really cold, cold winter, and it's not really warm, warm spring. We talked about what clothes we need to wear to play outside in this weather. And then we talked about things you can do.


I showed the kids different photos of other children playing outside. Kids digging, building, sliding, running, jumping, creating, gardening, and more. Then everyone had sometime to look through the books and talk. Soon the birds were excited. They started making plans, and talking about their ideas. We made lists of supplies they might need, and Papa Mike told them if he had the equipment they needed.
Got ready, went out, and played ALL morning. The birds were creative, active, hilarious, and soooo wet and muddy. Sam has been talking about "waterwheels" all day, and Luna, Cooper, and Wren attempted to build a few different types of waterwheels. Big Oscar figured out how to blow bubbles in all the puddles. Different marble and ball runs were built. Many supplies were dragged all around the yard, buckets, planks, rope, cars, wheels...And most were reluctant to come inside at the end, thank goodness. Hoping we sparked ideas for continuous play and creations in the coming not-yet-spring weeks.