Monday, November 10, 2008

African Body Art







The last time we were at the park, I found out that another family was doing the same history curriculum we were doing. And they are only a week behind us. I thought that was very cool. There is so much curriculum out there, that when I find someone doing the same thing we are, to me it seems pretty rare. Anyway, listening to some of the cool things they were doing with the curriculum was making me a little jealous.

The reason that I chose the program was the variety of activities that comes with the study guide. Having a friend loan me the curriculum and not paying for it was a big plus as well. When I sat down to do the lesson plans (yeah, I'm a freak that way), I had planned to do more of the really neat things that they have listed. Then our schedules got crazy with dance and co-ops and more excuses than I can count. Throw some lazy in there and the combination can be quite volatile, or nap worthy really.

But I have been inspired. I have started taking more time with the kids to do the fun stuff, not just the boring work. I have a craft planned for Thursday that I think the kids will really like because they get to drag out their paints.

Here is a craft we did last week while studying about ancient Africa. It's African body art. And while I didn't want to paint their bodies, we did the other suggestion and traced hands and feet. Then we could draw geometrical symbols on them. We had these foam stickers that the kids wanted to use. OK, no skin off my nose. Even the baby participated. Hopefully they'll post in order starting with the baby, then the boy, then the big girl. But we'll see how good I really am.

Have a great day!