Art, science, nature

  1. Magic light, 2. Deadheading the deck flowers, 3. Studying Van Gogh, 4 - 6. STEMbox, 7. Nature box exchange

Anything art, science or nature related is sure to pique my children's interest. And should it be a hands-on activity you best join in our jump out of the way! Lately, we have been adoring the collection of Van Gogh books at our local library and the free Van Gogh resources you can print online. We have brought Science Putty and Magnetic Putty, and they have been loved and fought over and experimented with in equal measure. Another STEMbox arrived, and the children and I were equally fascinated by the magnetic experiments. And, our Spring nature exchange box, through Nature Lovers, arrived and has been proudly brought out to show each visitor the handknit joey pouch, the beautiful photographs our wildlife carer partners have cared for, and the information printed on the reverse of each.

What a feast of learning we have all around us. And how inspiring it is to see it through the curious eyes of a child. xx

Painting Van Gogh

1. Watercolour painting at the kitchen table, 2. Miss Five's painting. 3. Mama's painting, 4. Master Eight painting, 5. Cohen's finished painting

This month we have been studying one of my favourite artists, Vincent Van Gogh. We borrowed a few books from the library and Cohen's interested was sparked when I told him Vincent had cut off part of his ear. He read the books to find out why. We also spoke about the framed print in Cohen's bedroom. When my husband and I were travelling around Europe we visited the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. We both fell in love with a blossom painting, that Vincent painted for his brother Theo's firstborn son, which hung above his cot. We brought a print and posted it back to my sister in Australia while we continued our travels. It stayed in that postage tube until we were pregnant and finally had it framed and hung it above our son's cot. Now it holds so many layers of meaning.

Today we studied one of Van Gogh's sunflower paintings and made our own versions using watercolour. Miss Five and Master Eight were apprehensive about undertaking such painting until I sketched them out the rough shapes, then they went to work painting their interpretations of the piece. I am so proud of their pieces, their efforts, their greater appreciation for fine art, and their increased confidence in their skills.