Wednesday

They played with Legos and story told for hours, inspired by their many varied interests.

Lilah decided to try oatmeal for the first time for breakfast and enjoyed it with almond milk and honey.

We finished the puzzle we’ve been working on.

Lilah got out her stickers and played with them.

Gavin worked on a crocodile in flames, titled Sorry Crocodile! made with perler beads.

The kids made quesadillas (with Daiya cheddar as we are vegan) for themselves for lunch and Lilah cut some carrot coins for herself from one of the rainbow carrot bunch, a white one this time.

After lunch they wanted to do more perler bead crafting. Lilah worked on a heart ornament with color patterns and finished it. A year ago, it was too frustrating for her to do any kind of pattern in perler beads, with spills and the length of the process so she often gave up so it’s great to see her succeeding with that now. She was thrilled with the results! Gavin made an ornament next, with translucent and opaque beads.

We walked over to the park to collect things to try painting and stamping with. We found pinecones, juniper, some seed balls from the sycamores. The kids helped me look for some round, smooth rocks for some holiday projects later. As we walked home, they carried some rocks they’d chosen and they began galloping and clicking their rocks together, pretending they were in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (In the movie, knights who click the halves of coconuts together imitate the sound of horses hooves as they gallop on foot.)

We got out the paint and paper and began painting. Lilah painted for a long time and Gavin switched between painting and more perler bead creating.

They admired each others progress and process. I believe that our unschooling approach is helping all of us be kinder to each other, have more time for each other and generally be happier most of the time. It’s not that we weren’t striving to be kind before, but there is most time and space for our interests and needs and feelings now, and that leads to being in a better place to appreciate other people and the world. I am so grateful for kids who encourage each other!

“Mama, can we watch an episode of Cosmos?” (Cosmos, a Spacetime Odyssey) This episode was about the age of the Earth and how it’s been interpreted and determined through history.

We read several chapters of Matilda and then there were cuddles and songs and sleep.

unschooling

Tuesday

There was computer play and Pokemon watching.

After that there was Lego play, inspired by Howl’s Moving Castle and Pokemon, with songs about Team Rocket, Pikachu, a blue and scarlet suit, girl wizards and of course, ninjas.

I read the Autumn Story in the Brambly Hedge collection by Jill Barklem to the kids. We adore the stories and the illustrations both.

We finished up our celery with our lunch and had just the bottom bit left and I thought, oooh, paint stamping! So we got out our paint and paper and chose colors. I like how you can see the xylem in the prints as lighter spots.

They made one together “for fireworks day” with celery stamps and then daisy stamps on top that looked a bit like fireworks. Then they asked for paintbrushes and began painting with several layers and colors.

We were still working on that when it was time to get ready to go get Lilah’s friend so we decided to paint more tomorrow. I suggested going on a walk and collecting things to paint and stamp with. The kids were excited about that idea.

Lilah and I headed to school to pick up her friend. When we got home there was Lego play, snack eating, bunk bed climbing and then some play with the calico critters, small furry animal figurines with clothes and accessories who live in the dollhouse and lots and lots of laughing.

unschooling

Monday

They began their day with coolmathgames.com computer play and Lego games and an episode of Pokemon.

We puzzled. Another Charley Harper puzzle that we brought out on Friday with a coral reef and undersea animals, was very fun to look at and talk about after our visit to the aquarium last week. Lilah worked on some pink coral while Gavin worked on an eel and some orange coral.

We checked our epsom salt crystals and they’re looking good!

I don’t think these crystals will get any bigger but both kids were very excited about growing crystals. Maybe we’ll start some sugar and salt crystals on strings to grow over a long period. Maybe we’ll try some borax crystal snowflakes this winter.

A new kids magazine and catalog came in the mail so they read those cover to cover, then switched.

They did some somersaulting and cartwheeling on our gym mat.

We got out my old microscope and looked at some old slides and some table salt. It was only half working and was very difficult for the kids to use so I think we’ll be trying to get another soon. Looking at things through the microscope is so much fun and I’d like to do it frequently!

Soon after checking out some table salt grains and an ant leg, it was time for gymnastics and soccer. Lilah worked on cartwheels, handstands and bars. Gavin worked on headers, hard kicks and bringing the ball down and under control.

unschooling

Friday

Baking:

Puzzling:

Skating:

Mixing up crystal growing solution with epsom salt:

unschooling

Thursday

They worked a bit on computer coding this morning with Scratch on Hour of Code.

Then there was Lego building and imagining.

Lilah read me an Elephant and Piggie book and Gavin read me Pete The Cat And His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin.

We went to the aquarium. On the way we listened to a bit more of the Howl’s Moving Castle audio book. One of the river otters was awake so we watched him swimming. We saw sharks, shark eggs, shark teeth, crabs and urchins being fed. We saw lots of cuttle fish, some swimming, some hiding, some almost invisible in the sand. The octopus was awake but quiet. We got to see an octopus beak today, from a deceased octopus. It was only the size of the tip of my thumb but the person sharing with us said it came from an octopus bigger than the one they have now. She showed us shark eggs and said that they lay them every day. After that we looked closely and spotted the eggs in the tank with the sharks!

There was a huge blue crab who was jumping and dancing.

There were tiny black and white fish who’d just been released from their dad’s mouth after being kept safe inside for 21 days!

We visited the penguins and learned about what they eat and why their feathers looks more like fur.

I learned wood ducks are native to Utah and that they are called wood ducks because they nest in holes in tree trunks instead of on the ground.

We marveled at the huge river fish with scales that are inches across. We watched the African Grey parrot preen himself and chatter, then squawk raucously when left alone. While the kids crossed the rope bridge several times, I spotted as many rainbow colored frogs as I could. Here are two: a beautiful yellow one the size of a baby’s hand and a striped one the size of the tip of my finger.

When we got home, we worked out a few puzzles in Chocolate Fix, our sudoku puzzle set.

Then it was time for Gavin and Chris to drive to soccer and Lilah and I to do some salsa dancing at home.

unschooling

Wednesday

They watched an episode of Peg + Cat and played with the train set first thing today.

The kids had a doctor appointment this morning so we hurried through breakfast (and I did my best not to knock over any train track that was meandering under the table and my chair) and took some books to read with us while we waited. We started a new book: Matilda by Roald Dahl, one of my favorites. The kids did well with getting immunizations, even though they were both nervous. The nurse was fantastic at being fast and distracting them so they barely noticed. I was quite possibly more grateful for her skill than the kids as it’s been really scary for them in the past and there have been many tears and pleadings on their part and worries on my part about having to just hold them down and get through it by force, rather than support and encouragement.

When we got home we finished the first chapter of Matilda.

They made pendants out of Legos to fit on the chains they got at the doctors’ office.

We watched an episode of Cosmos: a Spacetime Odyssey and learned about plants.

There was more train track building and loading the cargo containers up.

Lilah read me How To Babysit A Grandpa by Jean Reagan.

We drew together. We took turns adding one thing (a shape, line, pattern, concept) to the paper until we felt done. Maybe tomorrow we’ll add color!

The kids asked to play Spanish games so they both took turns doing that. They’re working on color names and days of the week still.

Gavin and Chris and I played a game of Magic the Gathering and Lilah was my consultant and die keeper.

Then it was time to pop some popcorn for Spiral Scouts.

The three of them headed off to learn about computer coding (well, Chris probably won’t be learning too much, since it’s what he does for a living) while I stayed home to have a little time to myself and do some yoga.

Here they are coding!

While they were away I put out their pajamas, but I dressed a stuffed pony in Lilah’s and a stuffed panda in Gavin’s. Lilah had made a sweet request the other day that I put their pajamas on their animals sometime soon (It’s something I’ve done a few times before to amuse us all) so I thought tonight was a perfect opportunity. When they went into their room there was lots of giggling.

unschooling

Monday

They began with computer play time and watching Pound Puppies and Wild Crats.

We headed out for a grocery trip. “Mama, can we get flowers? I like these daaaark purple roses.” “What’s the (bulk bin) number for the lentils?” “Where is the yogurt?” “Let’s get rainbow carrots!” “Hey kids, did you see these tiny apples?” “Ooooh, we could have tiny apple slices!”

After putting groceries away and lunch there was play with Legos and ponies.

We did some Spanish practice together – days of the week, colors, months today. The kids did some more Spanish word matching games on their own while I started a stew in the slow cooker.

Gavin read several stories from the National Geographic Kids magazine. After we read about a big cat researcher in Tanzania, we got down our globe and found where she is and talked about what we know about that part of Africa.

We all headed out – to gymnastics for Lilah and soccer practice for Gavin. They both got a few minutes to watch the other too!

We came home and the kids and I read some library books and a chapter of Searching For Dragons while Chris escorted another mouse we caught to it’s new home in the canyon. Then we had dinner together, and cuddles and songs and bed.

unschooling

Friday

They began with playing coolmathgames.com.

Then they moved on to Lego play, interspersed with a game they made up with one of them as puppeteer and controls the other one’s movements.

We made some mini donuts for breakfast.

We played a few games of Chess an Lilah did some gymnastics.

After that we headed off to the Museum of Natural Curiosity. Here they are watching themselves appear on a screen in front of them.

They climbed and slid. They put on puppet shows and made stop motion animation movies. They explored the Magic Shop. They spun and zip-lined.

On the drive to and from we listened to a recording of Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones, one of our favorite movies as well as an excellent book.

When we got home, there was just enough time for a game of Mermaid’s Island for the kids while dinner was finished up.

unschooling

Thursday

We got up and got ready to go to Kingsbury Hall to watch the Big Bad Musical by Univ. of Utah Youth Theatre.

It was a fun story with beautiful costumes, catchy songs and had actors as young as 8 up to 17. The audience voted for one of three different endings, so it was fun to participate in the storyline. The kids had a wonderful time watching and then we stopped at the playground between the theatre and our car for a few minutes on the way home. The leaves are coming down and our feet crunched across them on our way.

When we got home there was Lego play and lunch.

We decided we wanted more park and playground time so Gavin got his bike out and we headed to our local park. There was swinging, sliding, racing, monkey bar crossing and fly observation. (The slide has been covered with tiny flying insects the last several visits.) When we got home, they worked together to bring Gavin’s bike up the steps. I watched as they worked out how to do it together and succeeded without any support even though the bike is quite heavy.

Gavin and I played a game of Chess while Lilah watched and made suggestions.

The mice have been coming in since the weather has gotten colder and our live, humane trap caught one of them. The kids like watching them for a bit before we take them out of our neighborhood and let them go.

Soon it was time for Gavin’s soccer game. The kids went with Chris to that while I stayed home to squeeze in a workout.

unschooling

Wednesday

There was Katamino playing and building. In Katamino you race against your opponent to fill your box completely without leaving spaces. You each get a certain set of blocks. It’s a bit like Tetris but with real blocks. Plus, you can build animals out of the blocks after your game. Lilah made a pony with mane and tail. And then there was Mermaid Island playing, a cooperative game.

They played in their world populated today by Lego creatures and landscapes. They spend quite a bit of time deciding what kinds of pieces to use for what. Here I think they are looking for parts for a dog they are going to make.

Gavin and I played Chess. We finished two games and then Lilah wanted to play with me. In the game with Lilah there was lots of knocking pieces over on purpose along with explaining how different pieces move. Gavin’s gotten a whole lot better than last year at anticipating moves and seeing possibilities, but our games are still very lopsided. I will often point out to him that he’s moving into a dangerous position to help us both enjoy it more and give him a better chance. I have many fond memories of playing Chess when I was younger and often feeling quite frustrated by my own abilities not being what I wanted them to be.

Gavin requested again that we get No Stress Chess which is a set of cards that levels the playing field by telling you which piece to move every turn. I definitely think it would be fun to do that with the kids when they are just beginning to get the idea of the game.

Then it was time to go roller skating. Today the kids both skated on their own for about a half hour before wanting the balance supports the rink offers. They are doing great but I think they get tired and then prefer the supports because it’s more fun to worry less about falling. Pretty soon they’ll be zooming around me out on the rink. They’re getting close! We like to give high fives as we skate past each other.

After skating we came home and had dinner together and then read another chapter of Searching For Dragons before bed.

Yes is a World

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