Seedlings: June 10th

A warm, sunny morning greeted us — and so did letters from Finny the Fairy! Some Earthkeepers twirled and fluttered in their own butterfly wings (DIY’d with thrifted scarves and elastic). Their transformation was inspired by last week's butterfly-themed basket one Earthkeeper brought to share, and they carried that fluttery magic all day long.

We circled up to read Flow Spin Grow: Looking for Patterns in Nature — our theme for the day. We talked about spirals, waves, branching shapes, repeating designs — all the ways nature speaks in patterns. Even during the story, kids were already spotting patterns:
👕 On each other’s clothes
🍫 In the chocolate drizzle on a granola bar
🍃 In leaves, bark, and petals all around us

After snack (and a group compost-turning effort — very adorable), we set off on a pattern hunt through the neighborhood and down to The Flats.

At the park, we drew patterns in the sand and paused to examine patterns in nature, as we walked along the path we spotted a real-life wavy pattern in the sand down at The Flats…

At the end of it? A spiny softshell turtle! 🐢
We quietly observed her for quite a while, wondering aloud about her journey:
– Was she laying eggs?
– Was she looking for food or heading home?
– Had she already laid eggs and was returning to the water?

The kids were full of care and curiosity. They spoke gently to the turtle, wishing her a good day, assuring her we wouldn’t hurt her. When she moved along, they inspected the hole she had dug, then followed her tracks back the way she'd come — noticing divots in the rocks and inventing little resting spots she may have paused at. Whether or not they tracked her exactly, they were deeply engaged and excited.

Back at Heron Tree Estates, play continued:
🪢 A new rope swing
🎲 A game of Spot It (which they taught me!)
🐶 Lots of love for the dogs
🫧 Bubbles and big imaginations

A butterfly family emerged in dramatic play — and I was lucky enough to be assigned the role of baby butterfly, sleeping peacefully in her cocoon (aka, the hammock 🥰).

Our art table saw:
📝 Letters to Finny
🎨 Softshell turtle ID drawings
🖍️ Tattoo colouring (the perfect eco-friendly, portable colouring “book”)

We ended the day feeling grateful, grounded, and inspired by the patterns that connect us to nature, to each other, and to something a little bit magical.

Thanks for a wonderful day Seedlings!