Sprouts: May 1st
The forecast called for rain, but that never stops the Earthkeepers! We began our day gathered under the tarp, cozy and curious, where a letter from our gnome friend Cosmo Macaroon was waiting. Cosmo has been noticing all kinds of exciting changes in nature — blooms, sprouts, and new life appearing overnight. He asked if we could help him out by writing back and sharing what we’ve noticed. What a wonderful invitation to slow down and look closely!
Before setting off on our adventure, we paused to talk about risk assessments. What does it mean to “be careful,” really? We brainstormed what makes something risky — is it slippery? Steep? Covered in thorns? And what can we do to stay safe without avoiding the fun? The Earthkeepers came up with thoughtful ideas: make a plan, move carefully, give sticks space, and always look before you throw! (Here’s a helpful resource from Child and Nature Alliance Canada that informs our approach.)
Our adventure took us to Underwater Kingdom, but not before a quick chat about the red-winged blackbirds that nest in the lilac bush along our route. Before approaching we remembered what we know about these friends; they are very protective, and will attack anything that approaches their nest, even if it’s much larger than them! Stef encountered him the day before and had a chat, explaining we weren’t a threat. Would he swoop in to attack, or remember her friendly reassurances…
He flew from his perch, but didn’t dive! We were able to stop and greet him as he sat on the telephone wire. Phew!
At the Kingdom, we made a magical discovery — goslings! Bright yellow fluffballs paddling alongside their parents. “Does the mama goose feed them milk?” one Earthkeeper wondered aloud. Others were surprised by their colour. So many great questions and observations sparked by a moment of wonder.
Our time at Underwater Kingdom was full of treasures: bugs, sticks, and even a skull! One Earthkeeper showed great love for the Land and picked up garbage.
Just as we were enjoying snack and a new Twig Friends story, thunder rolled across the sky. Time to head back! When thunder roars, we head indoors. After waiting to make sure we didn’t hear any more rumbling, we got back to our play! Mud became “paint” and the Earthkeepers got busy decorating the mud kitchen.
Our oldest Earthkeeper decided to identify the skull she found using our field guides. She asked smart questions:
🦝 Does this animal live near us?
🦷 What do its teeth tell us about what it eats?
🌳 What’s its habitat like?
After careful work, she concluded it was a raccoon skull! Amazing detective work and persistence.
The rest of the day was filled with curiosity and creativity:
Our “mud chefs” moved from painting to experimenting with our bucket scale.
Loose parts turned into castles, creatures, and works of art.
Tires became a giant climbing snake, (thanks to Tom for the hard work digging it in!)
We wrapped up our day with some hapazome (hammering flowers into fabric), a sing-along, and indoor crafting when more thunder visited.
After a closing circle where we expressed gratitude for each other we chose a spot to put Rocks-Anne, a friend who allows us to express our creativity. Every Earthkeeper can add a painted rock to her body — we can’t wait to see how long she gets!
Before we knew it, the day was done. Thanks for another wonderful Thursday, Earthkeepers — you make the rain feel like sunshine.
