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a December 3rd, 2012

  1. You don’t need anything commercial to find joy!

    December 3, 2012 by admin

    On an oddly warm day during this start of December, we ventured outside to explore.  At the simple suggestion from we TR parents that perhaps our kids would enjoy working on a Teepee or wooden raft, they dived right into the project.

    Our absolutely free supplies included:  scissors, bright blue yarn (safe for birds to carry off into a nest), fallen sticks, mud, and fallen leaves.

    Bluey wanted to attempt a Teepee.  After a brief discussion about what a Teepee is used for, Bluey tried his best to create a triangular structure, tying his very own yarn knots.  His design then veered into something more obscure, which he named a “Teepee-A.”   It included a topper of a telescope for sun gazing.  Plum also went to work on a Teepee, grew frustrated, and switched to making a raft.  She then decided to attempt a smaller Teepee structure and finally found success!

    We were most impressed with the creativity that this simple project stirred in our children.  Plum wanted to somehow cover her Teepee, as she remembered that they are typically enclosed structures to keep occupants warm and safe.  She suggested we get some cloth from inside.  But then, after a few minutes of thought, Plum went off to find leaves and mud.  She began wrapping her Teepee structure in mud covered leaves!

    We spent about 1 and 1/2 hours working on the structures.  Finally, we decided it was time for a break.  We left everything outside for more exploring in the afternoon.

    This delightful outdoor project cost us nothing.  It allowed our kids to get fresh air, discuss the history of a Teepee, experiment with nature, and problem solve.  Even if you don’t have a backyard space, you can go to your local park with scissors and yarn, and utilize any fallen branches to create a nature project of your own!  Or look through your collection of arts and crafts supplies and see what inspires!