Garden Art

(Ginette Lapalme, via Collage Collage)

I saw this image a few weeks ago, and right away, I knew we had to do some natural-item painting at the garden with the campers.  One morning, a few raindrops were coming down, so paper-making wasn't going to fit the bill, and that activity was quickly replaced with stick and rock painting.

We offered a variety of objects for the kids to paint, and they also had the opportunity to look for their own items.  We ended up with pieces of scrap wood, bricks, cement blocks...you name it!

Most everyone painted multiple objects, and the next day, they found homes for their items in the garden.  They are hidden under squash leaves, peeking out of wood chip paths, and woven into the mesh on the chicken coop.

I love the bright, neon colors of Lapalme's sticks, and I'd love to offer different kinds of paint, brushes, and perhaps some ways to prompt the kids to add textures.

A Nature Lab

I was really taken by this video. As I watched, I pictured it being an atelier for young children to explore and experience and be inspired by. Can you imagine the possibilities???

There is also a neat 360 degree tour on the Nature Lab's website here.

video from etsy via abby try again

The Case for Natural Happiness

I loved this article and I love this picture. I definitely have summer on the brain.


We encourage children to go outside, but do we spend enough time outside? Over my spring break travels, we walked all over cities and small towns rather than getting in the car. Being outdoors is a natural part of my day because I don't have a car. But I'm not getting as much "nature" as I'd like.

If you live in a city, where do you get your "nature" and how often? How do you share nature with your students? If you live in the country, how much time do you spend outdoors?