Footprints

Yesterday it was blazing hot in the morning so we decided to save the beach for the early evening, when the sun was going down behind the cliffs. After naps, and then waiting out a brief thundershower, we hopped in the car and went down to the bay. The rain had left little marks all over the sand, and erased any footprints, so we went down the beach -- making lots of footprints on our own -- and walked quite a ways. The children had never done a beach walk before; we just always set out a blanket and explored the area around it. We walked for a long time and then turned and walked back. We did see one bird footprint, from a bird which we watched land on the sand and walk around a bit. So we knew right where to look! We also saw many jellyfish in the water, some dead crabs and a dead luna moth (very beautiful) on the beach, and a seagull flying. On the way home from the beach we were in a small car accident so no more school for that day! The children weren't hurt, just shaken.

This morning we played catch-up, doing the footprints art scheduled for yesterday. Here is how we did it:

I mixed up some powdered tempera paint (more economical than the regular kind and lasts longer on the shelf) somewhat thinly, in a large shallow pan. I set the pan in a large plastic storage bin. One at a time, each child sat on a low stool, held her foot up in the air over the paint bin, and her two sisters painted her foot. Painting the foot works better than standing in a tray of paint (makes a less gloppy print and is less wasteful) and is fun for the other two who aren't being printed. It gives them something to do. We used 1/2 inch brushes. After the foot was thoroughly painted, I set the piece of paper down next to the paint (still within the bin, though) and helped the child to stand, press down firmly, and then lift the foot. The child being printed then sat back down on the stool with the painted foot held in the air over the bin, I whisked away the wet print, and we cleaned off the foot with baby wipes. Then child number 2 walked around to sit on the stool and child number 1 took her place on the floor near the bin with paintbrush in hand. It all went very very smoothly. The only problem was that Leah stumbled when she first tried to stand up on her paper, so her print is smudgy.

Natalie, by the way, has quite a high foot arch. I need to start looking at her 1st grade milestones... she is heading in that direction quite quickly. Even if you ignore the teeth falling out early, she has quite a few of the other physical and developmental qualities needed to start first grade. I'm not ready to do this so soon!!!!!!!!!! But the hallmark idea behind waiting is that, when they do start academic work, they are so ready that it actually harms them to be held back. So if she meets all the signs, I will have to have a consult with Barbara Dewey to see what I should do. I am not going to just force her to wait until she's 6 if that's not right for her.