We are slowly zeroing in on a workable routine. Mornings are starting to smooth out. New it is time for afternoons. It has been unseasonably warm this February. (And we have been trying to enjoy every minute of it!)
Some time ago I read a blog post talking about getting just a bit more learning done. Sadly, I can’t remember where I read it, but the concept was “plus one”. After lunch they did just one more thing.
That’s my handicraft plan. Plus One. I’m not sure our ‘one’ will be after lunch, my goal is to fit it into the afternoons, but we will have to wait and see where it ends up. Especially in the shorter days of winter, we want to get outside after lunch.
Ideas for “Plus One”:
- Drawing with Children (book)
- Beginning Watercolor Journaling (video)
- Handbook of Nature Study (book, with schedule)
- Paper Sloyd (ebook)
- Clay Modeling (usually Youtube)
- Soap / Wood Carving (resources under investigation)
- Dangerous Book for Boys, Backyard Ballistics, or similar projects (books)
Paper Sloyd Pinwheels (or Flowers)
Today our plus one went beautifully. We took a walk after lunch, and then did our one thing: paper sloyd. We’ve done sloyd before, but it’s been a while. Today I grabbed the markers and cardstock, then sent my 12yo out to get some sticks from the willow tree. And we made pinwheels. (I think we did pinwheels before, but on such a beautiful spring day, it seemed to be the perfect choice.)
The page is my printout from the Google book we are using. As you can see it prints nicely, and the directions are simple to follow. My pinwheel is the yellow one. The green one belongs to DS12 (“Jonathan the Dwarf: Flower of War”). DS11 made the two red ones, and gave them Latin names: Davidus flowerus. The blues are by DS8. I helped him so much on the first I feared he wasn’t learning much. And then he built a second, smaller pinwheel 100% solo, proving once again that one should not underestimate a child. And the pink one is by DD5, who had help with measuring and shaping. I just love how colorful they look.
Don’t forget next month’s linkup will be posted at the end of the week!
Love that the pinwheels are on sticks — we’re trying to get more nature in our lives here. I also love your blog name.
Mae g’ovannen!
~Lee