Parrot Painting

Last week we borrowed a great crafty book from the library which is something to write about in itself because normally I loathe them. Unlike most of the other's we've experienced (which nurtured the loathing) this books instructions are clear and the projects are actually do-able with the kiddo's. Here we tried our hand at the 'Parrot Painting'. I'm finding that if we can, and if I can get them to sit still for a short moment craft works best if I demonstrate first. It helps set the project clear in their heads of the how to and what their finished creation may be like.

* First draw the rounded, plump body of your bird with the little head in profile. Add a little eye, a beak and a crest. Draw a branch running beneath the parrot and then add two toes for each foot holding onto your branch.

It's funny that I followed the instructions and began with the body but all the kids started with the branch :) I think that makes sense, they know how far down the page they need to draw for the bottom of their parrot.

* Don't worry about wings, we'll be using handprints for that. But if you know kids they'll probably draw the wings anyway :D Four out of five here did and one didn't want the handprints at all because his wings were already great!

* Start painting.

* The kids were really interesting to observe. Kookaburra naturally wanted to paint Hermes, Kangaroo wanted a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo like his mate Ray's at the Wildlife Sanctuary, Danger Mouse then wanted the same, whilst Princess Cupcake and Princess Calamity wanted the same as the picture in the craft book which was very beautiful and colourful.

I noticed something a little alarming. Poor little Calamity wanted hers exactly like the picture in the book. She wanted to erase and correct and the poor little cricket was starting to become upset. Meany that I am, I wouldn't let her change because I felt that by trying to be so exact and when the end product isn't concerned with having the project 'correct', it was better for her to relax into her creation and accept it for it's imperfections. I reminded her that the book s images were computer created so they lacked personality which is what she would give it. My little Calam' seemed really tense, uncertain and hesitant. Was it her mood today, perhaps it's personality or is this the product of schooling that I've been reading so much about? Even here, at home, in a safe place, Calamity is so wrapped up in getting it right and having a product that pleases that she was having trouble moving forward and embracing her own creation. My wish for my niece is to get her into this art space I'm dreaming about at Iri'ni where I can encourage her to go nuts, make art works as big as the ceiling and just cover a wall in a riot of colour with no form. or purpose other than the joy of the movement and colour. Not only loads of fun but I believe it would help unlock her personal creative expression. I dream about getting all the kiddo's to create without fear of getting it wrong. I know I'm going to love it too ;)!

* Adding tail feathers.


* The inspiration.


* Kangaroo's very cool Cockatoo :D

* And after having so much trouble last week with trying to draw Hermes exactly as he see's him, Kookaburra felt pretty pleased with his painting of his pet bird. I love them so much that over the weekend (hopefully) we'll get to making some frames for these beauty's.

All kinds of Fun...

A Big Day of Home Learning was planned. My plan of attack was well thought out and all I had to do was wait for the right time. But my big plans often become the victim of the day. So instead of achieving all the book kind of learning, we had visits from our Cool Cousins and had a day Full of Imaginative Play - extremely valuable.

King Kangaroo

Mermaid Princess Calamity

Spidey Danger Mouse and Butterfly Princess Cupcake

all played so beautifully, Until.... Disaster Struck!!!! As with all Kiddilies, there will be some misunderstandings. Princess Calamity and Kookaburra had the most gigantic Palm Leaves and were ushering in the Arrival of King Kangaroo when they must have whacked (accidentally, I'm declaring for the defendant :) the said tiny King. In a moment of Red Mist Haze, our little King lost his Marbles and struck at his heralds as if combatants for the crown and unfortunately Kookaburra came off a little worse for it.

Kookaburra groaned for quite some time after the said incident. But then, all was quite for a while until he emerged wearing the above self-applied first aid! Needless to say, I was a good combination of sympathy and laughter to this sorry sight.

During all this time, what was Brother Bear doing with himself? Well, he did have to install some glass at a local business but when that was done, here he sat, at our kitchen table, 'Gettin' him some learnin'.

Okay, so it can be said not a lot was achieved for my boys today except a whole lot of fun, laughter and tears, but I did Ed-U-Ma-Cate Brother Bear on a little Geography.


Confession
* All did not go well after King Kangaroo administered his blow to Kookaburra. A suitable Judgement and Talking to was handed down by this here, Queen of the Natives and there were many tears and protestations of innocence to be heard from Kangaroo's bedroom. Once the bedlam had subsided and admission of guilt extracted, the tiny terror was released. You'd think he'd be happy, but instead Kangaroo was in a fury about the hundred different inflicted tortures by everybody, he dredged up a multitude of mortal hurts which all fell onto my uncompassionate ears. Finally, he burnt that energy up and started to calm down by thwacking a large stick on a rock. I was absent from the scene but Kookaburra passed on the tale. Kookaburra warned Kangaroo not to do the aforementioned activity for fear the stick may break from the force applied and bounce back and hit the strike-ee in the head, this was met by growls and grumpiness from Kangaroo, who in the next moment really did have exactly that happen!!!! Chances of it! Poor Kangaroo, he was most upset :( But why the Confession? Because as Kookaburra was telling me this sorry story I couldn't stop killing myself laughing! Oops, Guilty as Charged. Bad Mumma ;)

Pride Point
* I made it through the day intact and so did the kiddo's :D
* We crafted, and I baked and even got some sheets changed and washed :)

So what do you think? Am I a bad Mumma for laughing at poor Kangaroo's plight or am I mercilyless not alone and would have been joined by other Bad Mummy's in my fit of Hysterics ;)

A Long Awaited Treat...

has finally arrived. Naturally, we waited till the eleventh hour to part with our voucher for the kiddies to go horse riding. Only yesterday, Brother Bear and I called with baited breath the Horse Riding School regarding a suitable time and fortunately here we are on Sunday, the ride completed and loved!!!!!

Kookaburra was dubious but excited, apprehensive and a dash of nervous.

Princess Calamity on the other hand was Kookaburra's polar opposite. Brimming with excitement, her little face glowed with the coming of the horses.

Two hours of moseying along in the saddle, trotting through Australia's beautiful bush listening to her soundtrack of Galah's and Cockatoo's, pretty Nice way to spend a Sunday morning :D

I'm going to mark this one up for the future, as an excellent confidence building exercise and next time Kangaroo will be coming too.

*btw - every now and again or perhaps more often than not, I'm going to post a Confession and a Pride Point at the end of a Post. Why? Confessions are to keep me real and human and usually humorous, the Pride Point helps me feel like I accomplished something whether it be trivial or grand. So here goes:

Confession:
* I loved horse riding today. Kookaburra had someone else to ask his gazillion questions of and therefor gave my poor little cabbage ears a chance to rest.
* I refuse to enter our playroom/ storage room because it's a freaking tragedy and if I close the door I can be oblivious to it's existence :)
* And I let my kiddo's run around the backyard freezing wet because I ran their bath too hot.
* One more, I can't wait for Kangaroo to hit the sack because if he bellows"MMUUUUMMM!!" once more, we may end up one less child here at Irini :P

Pride Point:
* Floors cleaned and washed.
* Herme's bird cage completely scrubbed and sanitised all ready for him to flutter and poop his little heart out in. Just got to put everything back where it belongs and I'm ready to start the new week.
* Had a great time with my son's today.

Hmm... well, that looks kinda balanced :D