Clubhouse Bubbles, Just Exhale

Here at the Clubhouse we always stumble across our "Word of the Day". When we decided to shrink water beads in the Sunshine, it was Dehydration. When the kids decided to take "The Clubhouse Box" and completely cover it in sticks, leaves and stone, it was Camouflage.

Today, it was Exhale.

Clubhouse Worm Diary, Day 3

This morning just as we were about to head to our playground, the clouds closed in on us and the rain started pouring! In that very instant my Son looks at me and says,

"This is great! It means we're going to get a Rainbow!!"

If only we all thought that way as soon as the rain started to fall ;)

Then came the comment that changed our plans for the day,

"Worm comes out after it rains, right?!" 

I simply couldn't bring myself to tell him that I have never, in my 6 years in Arizona, seen a worm. Instead I made the impromptu decision that looking for worms would be our adventure that morning. Definitely more fun than explaining to excited little faces that the Sun is too hot, the dirt is too dry, and that little bit of rain really wasn't enough.

So off we went on a walk to look for worms.
They looked, and looked, and looked.
This is the closest we came to finding one:

"Oh mannnn, it's just a stick!"

About this time I decided it was time to step up this adventure. 

Clubhouse Balance: A Box and a Playground

Sometimes people focus on one teaching theory above all else. Some believe that absolutely nothing of something, or everything of something else, is the only way to go. I prefer balance.  Drawing from so many different theories and practices, we find our way around here somewhere in the middle. I believe it is possible to give something, without taking away something else. In this case, a playground. The argument presented to me was that a playground, with all the "bells and whistles", would vanquish the need for a Preschooler to simply use their imagination when playing outdoors. I was able to test this theory, with a box.

It started the day the Clubhouse Kids found a box. Well, actually I found the box and made it readily available for them to find it.

First, they took to decorating it. Eventually it was covered in every thing from puffy paint to chalk and watercolors. For awhile that's all they did,
color the box.

Then one day they decided to move it.

"Under the tree, by the bush. It's a secret!"

Apparently the location wasn't secret enough though, so another day they decided to "hide" it.

They were covering it in sticks, leaves, and rocks. Enter the word of the day: Camouflage.

They went on for awhile, gathering materials from all around them and covering the box.





Using their new found word, camouflage, over and over again.


"I camowflojeddd it!"


They did some pretty great work too.
Take a look...














You couldn't find that from outer space!


The box became a hiding place, a spaceship, a race car, and a planet.

Yes, they climbed in and were on another planet. They even taped "aliens" on the  inside of the box.

I never once said what the box was, or should be. All I did was leave it in the grass.

Then one day they decided to name the box.


They took the time to write all of the letters of the box's new name right on the "door".

The name?

"HTREHHHTE"

Don't ask me to pronounce it, I get it wrong every time.

They climb in and out, sometimes one at a time and other times sharing the space. Sometimes they all stand around it and pretend someone/something is in there.

"Shhhh, it's a Lion cave. Listen..."

Not too long ago I heard a lot of noise coming from the box.
Cautiously, I approached.

You never know what HTREHHHTE is up too.

"We're on a roller coaster!!!"

The box wasn't moving. 

It's a box I left out on the grass, and they did all the rest.

They used their imaginations, they took turns, they shared space. They wrote letters, they learned new words, they created an adventure. They laughed, squealed, tossed themselves around and simply had a good time.

They did all of that while this was 40 feet away.

It is the all new Fit Kids Clubhouse Playground, equipped with a variety of swings, a slide, a rock climbing wall, fort, and rope ladder. 

They love it. 

That has never stopped them from loving the box too.

Now that's what I call balance. 

I do believe I'll keep them both :)

Ms. Liz

Linked up with:  Link and Learn

Clubhouse Spray Bottles, Water Optional

We always have spray bottles available at the Clubhouse. 

On a hot day, they have been known to cool tiny toes.

On a particularly adventurous afternoon, a couple of Clubhouse Kids ran around on the hunt for thirsty lizards that could use their assistance. 

Between the running, jumping, and squirting, 

they tackled both fine and motor skills activities for the day.

Armed with "special green water", this concoction was mixed up to make the "tree" they created grow. This "tree" made up of everything they found around our outdoor space, was the center of dramatic play for quite a few days. 

Hence, that spray bottle was always ready with the special green water.

They have squirted, spritzed, refilled and done it all over again. The spray bottles are hardly ever not being used. Who would have thought something so simple could lead to so many different ideas and adventures?

So of course, since we are in full water bead mode.. we just had to fill up our bottles with water beads and see if they would squirt. I wish I had had the camera ready when they were filling the bottles, because they were definitely having fun getting the slippery little beads through the small bottle opening. Coordination and focus at it's finest, and a lot of laughing. 

Once the bottles were full, they observed closely. 

"Do you think it will squirt out a bead?"

"It squirts bead juice!"

I squirted a few times myself and noticed that the bottles filled with water beads required a little more effort to squirt. That didn't stop the kids though, they squirted, and squirted, and squirted...

"The bead juice is slimy."

"It's shiny too!"

I have a feeling they will be filling their bottles up with "bead juice" for some time to come now.

As water bead giveaway week continues, I definitely have to share how Train Up A Child used water beads. Adding plastic eggs and lights, she created a spectacular Easter sensory experience!! Looks like I know what I'll have in the sensory table next week. Thanks Allison!

Don't forget to keep the entries coming in for the water bead giveaway! If you aren't sure how to enter, check out the details on our Facebook page.

I wonder if Lizards like Bead Juice?

Ms. Liz