Sprouts: September 10, 2026

The sun was shining again for Sprouts, and we started our morning with lots of free play around the yard. The rope swing was busy, rocks were being washed in the Tuff Tray, the dogs had plenty of attention, and before long the kids decided that what the morning really needed was a party.

They began gathering flowers from the garden, remembering our Honourable Harvest practices as they chose what to pick. Some of the flowers were turned into confetti, which quickly spread throughout the yard. I was given a flower for my hair, while the girls sprinkled petals into each other's hair. It was a very colourful party!

As the festivities continued, another project began taking shape. We brought out pieces of wood and logs and started building a “floor is lava” course across the yard.

The kids did much of the planning themselves, working together to move the heavier pieces and deciding how far apart each stepping place should be. With a mix of ages and abilities in the group, they also had to think about what would make the course challenging but still possible for different people. There was lots of testing, adjusting, balancing, and negotiating as the course grew.

After lunch, we spent some time learning about the yellowjackets that have been so interested in our food lately. We talked about why we see so many at this time of year, what they are looking for, and how we can calmly share space with them.

Then we headed to the park, where I suggested Banana Tag. Most of the group was immediately on board, and we ran around together until it was time to continue down to The Flats.

At Silly Goose Beach, we were happy to discover that the river had dropped again. Wading was back!

There was plenty to notice while we explored. We spotted a beautiful dragonfly with red markings and delicate wings, and one girl found a particularly wonderful river treasure: a rock shaped almost exactly like a little chair, complete with beautiful moss growing on it. On shore, mushrooms were discovered among the logs and trees as the kids climbed and explored.

Soon, a group branched off into a game of hide-and-seek. The game became increasingly elaborate, and eventually I was asked to lend out my camouflage-patterned sweater to make hiding even harder.

That led us into a conversation about tracking. If you were trying to find someone hidden in the forest, what clues could you use?

Eyes could look for movement. Ears could listen for sounds. A nose might pick up a smell. Tracks might appear in mud or snow.

And, according to one Sprout, you could also use your mouth: talk to the person and try to trick them into answering you.

Fair enough!

While all of this was happening, two children had chosen not to join the hiding game at all. Instead, they were completely absorbed in a project of their own.

Using buckets, they poured water down the riverbank and began constructing a dam to control where it travelled. They worked at it for a long time, watching carefully to see where the water escaped, then rebuilding and patching those places before trying again.

Pour. Watch. Adjust. Try again.

They barely seemed to notice the other game happening around them. It was one of those wonderful stretches of play where children become completely focused on solving the problem in front of them, learning what works simply by testing their ideas over and over.

We eventually made our way back to the park and finished the day with some nature journaling and more play.

From flower confetti and lava courses to camouflage, dragonflies, river rocks, and a very determined dam-building team, it was a day full of ideas that seemed to grow naturally from one another.

Thanks for a great day, Sprouts!