As we wandered into the back paddock today, the weather sultry and the possiblity of rain in the air, a sound came into our play that Daisy instantly recognised as not part of it. 'Wass 'at?' she asked and the other children tuned in and listened. 'Thunder,' said Dawn and there were murmurs of agreement as we listened some more. The rumble continued and got steadily louder. The children still wondering, turned towards the sound as it got closer. Some looking up and some down as they followed their senses in the direction it came from.
All of a sudden the garden gate opened and out through the gate came a few of the farmers pulling two large wheelie bins each behind them. It was time set up for the farmers market in the moring and the echo of the empty bins over the earthy path had been the source of the 'thunder'.
Innocently the children watched and kept listening and as the bins were wheeled out onto the grassy field and the noise almost dropped away ... ... a few little faces looked up into the sky as if checking that the thunder hadn't just stopped for a moment.
Bit by bit the children realised that the farmers, their bins and 'thunder' had all been part of the one thing and we continued to play with this new awareness between us.
Daisy did not loose a moments focus in her endeavour to find out about the thunder. Her question, 'Wass 'at?' opened the door for that discovery for all.
Such a privilege to witness the awesome innocence of young children learning naturally, as they immerse themselves in play and life.
A while later, as we sat to picnic in the barn, Dawn with her feast layed out and surrounding her ... ... ... enjoying eating her nuts, looked up and said, 'Ta-nell-errr (I have as many names as children I spend time with), All ladies that work at childcare are vegetarian." I said, "Are they Dawn, are the ladies at your childcare vegetarian?" Her reply, "Yes, that means they don't eat meat." I added, "I know Dawn, I'm vegetarian too."
She took a moment to consider and then resumed, "Ta-nell-errr, All ladies at childcare and (with a little fumble about how to share her enlarged world view), and ladies....um lady, um one...um and lady that looks after children at the Childrens Farm are vegetarians", and smiled.
Not for a moment did she loose her focus on sharing her world view with me and the moment it expanded, she included this larger perspective with what she already knew and generously shared again.
Not for a moment did she loose her focus on sharing her world view with me and the moment it expanded, she included this larger perspective with what she already knew and generously shared again.
Imagine a two year old standing alongside a goat. You get a close up view of their eyes, their ears, their horns, their face, what their mouth does when they chew, every little nuance. You can hug them pat them, look underneath and of course, see their tales and their bottoms.
George was really excited by the goats and showed no fear in being amongst them all and noticing every little thing he could. To his great delight, he got to see all things up close and when he'd noticed all he could about one goat he was watching, he turned round and was looking straight into the bottom of the next.
This goat obliged George's fascination by immediately, showing what happens at the other end and pooing at his feet. George, initially surprised, soon found it totally funny and made sure everyone got to see this fascinating thing that the goat he was with was doing.
Tail up, close range view of the droppings emerging, wide eyed wonder on all faces and then, as the penny dropped that all were watching a poo from the goat... ... ...lots of laughter and a bit of a wander amongst the goats to see if any other tails were up and bottoms pooing.
Nothing better than first hand experience to learn things naturally and find out more about the world you live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment