Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 54, April 19, 2012

Waning Crescent Moon
Hidden Villa

All were here and we were hoping that today would actually be the day that we could see the baby pigs!!!
Circle was a bit wild and so the spring season and time of year often brings such things.   Giulio and Jasper just really needed to move their bodies. The catch for them though was this:  “You are very welcome to go and play yet once circle begins it will be closed until we are finished.”  Meaning? No coming in and out.  Well, this was grand for quite awhile until “I’m hungry, I’m thirsty.”  We will be finished in just a bit” I shared.
Natural loving consequences to ones wonderful choices is the intent.  Next week the “fruits of this labor” will be made manifest.
During circle I brought out, before Giulio and Jasper opted to leave, a beautiful “Talking Stick” made of deer leg, rabbit fur, beads and turtle shell.   They each got to hold this and share what they wished for the day.   The repeat of all the stuffies that they wanted was most loud and clear.  When we got into the bus Lucy, who this week is the one who passes out the stuffies, took a great deal of time passing MANY stuffies out.   Some of the children chose to just have one or two while others loved being covered in them.
Then, Jasper and Kashi had their seating arrangement challenges.  Kashi REALLY wanted to sit next to Jasper and Jasper REALLY didn’t want to sit next to Kashi.  I love these moments for many reasons. One is because it is a real math problem for them to figure out.  There is a lot of looking at the seatings and figuring out, well, if you sat here, then you would be near so and so but oh no, then we would have to change it here and there and on and on it goes until finally the equation is completed.  Also, they get to have their feelings and let the other know when and if they change their mind.  “Jasper, will you let Kashi know if you wish to play with him?”  I say. “Yes, but I probably won’t want to play with him.”  And, what happened not less then one hour later?  Kashi and Jasper played together for most of the rest of the day.  They probably will not grow up to be great buddies but, they are learning to honor their feelings in each moment with space and time for them and this, is what I believe is so vital for a beginning to conflict resolutions in the future.

Alexi, Lucy, and Anjalie at the beginning of the day found a plastic bottle to put some beautiful green caterpillars in. They cleaned the bottle and lovingly cared for these treasures.  They added Lady Bugs and Rolly pollies too.  At Hidden Villa they found more but we needed to leave those ones where they were.

We ate lunch straight away at the natural playground there.  They had such a good time.  A little boy of almost five and his younger brother were there and Jasper really liked playing with him.  The rest of them found a great Coyote Brush to climb in. But then, alas, if we wanted to see the pigs we were going to have to go now.  We finally made it there, though wonderful discoveries were all along the way and then, there they were, red little fat piggies!!!!  But for Lucy, catching countless chickens and just siting and holding them was her total joy!  Anjalie joined her and Alexi in and out.  The rest of them? Well, they discovered the pig transport cage and played in that the entire rest of the day, even when they could have gone to the creek.  They were either chickens squatting on the top clucking or being pigs locking each other in there or….?

I have always found that this time of year what children really are drawn to do is to create, explore, play, create, explore, play, create, explore, play……. And, that is what they did with full 4/5 year old delight.

We finally had to leave and, they found the creek on the way back, took some quick splashes and then made it back to the bus.  It was much hotter by this time and, off went clothes down to their underwear and off we went.  When we were almost back I was delighted when all of a sudden, the bus got very quiet and, THERE WAS A FULL BLOWN CONVERSATION going on with the entire bus, peacefully!!!  I am laughing here, please join me in this delight