So far, this has not been the summer of my best creative efforts. In years past I’ve been more intentional about having the girls color, paint, or do artsy things in the mornings. But, this season we spend almost every morning at the pool for swim practice. Granted I don’t get in the pool most days, except on mornings like last Friday when I had to jump in fully clothed to retrieve a sinking Preschooler… which is another story for another day. Typically, by the time we’re back at home in the afternoons I’m all out of energy or inspiration for anything beyond fixing lunch. We just kind of survive many of our afternoons.
Thankfully, the Preschooler has been getting a little arts and crafts time in by way of a camp she’s doing a couple of mornings each week. Yesterday they talked about the Genesis creation story, and they made their own creation books to illustrate the activities of each day. It began with this page:
She’ll tell you this is when “dockness” covered the “uth.”
They dedicated a page to each of the seven days of creation, but my favorites were the final two days.
Here we have Day Six, when God created animals and man.
More specifically, He created ponies, Scottie dogs, and pilgrims.
I think the teacher wisely omitted the part about Adam and Eve being unclothed in favor of these more modestly dressed figures. I have no idea why Adam is riding the horse-dog backwards. Perhaps Eve called out for him as he took off, and he was trying to show her she had his full attention.
And, then on Day Seven we see that God rested. And, here we have a very young looking God napping with his lovie… as He would, of course.
She also made these fun patriotic flip flops out of paper and pipe cleaners this week.
The flip flops were great fun until she actually tried to wear them and frustration set in. There’s something to be said for arch support, even when you’re four.
I could never, ever be a preschool teacher. But, I love the way preschoolers think and communicate complex ideas in the simplest and most refreshing ways when you give them a few art supplies. It’s no wonder Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…” He knew they were the most sincere, interesting, and exciting people to be around.
Speaking of exciting, I found this entry in the 1st Grader’s notebook this week. Occasionally she journals about what she’s doing this summer, and this was written a few weeks ago when we were getting ready to go to Virginia for a night.
I bet I get asked how to spell a word a dozen times a day, and there are days when I just can’t do it one more time. That’s when I finally just ask them yell at them to sound it out. And, this is why I love phonics. I’ve found the less I intervene, the better the journal entries. Sounding it out also allows their Southern heritage to shine. Last week the Spouse found a Google search one of the girls had done for our house on Google Earth using the search terms “are house.” You know, “are” and “our” have long been interchangeable words here in Tennessee.
I hope you have a very ick-sighding and fansy holiday weekend celebrating “are” fine country. Happy 4th!
One of my favorites!