Gratitude in Action

“November is the month that reminds us to be thankful. For the big things, for the small things and for making a spring that will come in due time so much sweeter.”
-Rip Miller

The shadows are lengthening, our clocks have been set back, and the last of the leaves shake on the branches. The winter is arriving!

Gratitude in action is the practice of 
acknowledging and appreciating the good things in life, which can be cultivated with children through simple daily habits like sharing what we are grateful for at mealtimes, expressing thanks to loved ones, and engaging in activities that remind us to get back into gratitude when we notice we forgot. Regularly practicing gratitude can lead to numerous benefits, including improved mental and emotional well-being, stronger relationships, better sleep, and even enhanced immune function. 

Gratitude with Honey Bear

This month's Slumberkin has been Honey Bear! You can find more free resources to do at home with Honey Bear here: 
​https://slumberkins.com/pages/honey-bear-resources

We've been reading Honey Bear's book, whose story is all about being grateful and how abundant love is around us. Talking about what gratitude means and how to bring it into our lives have been very present this November.

One of our favorite Slumberkin activities are the crowns--fun to color and wear at our Gratitude Party!

Gratitude Gardens

We created our own Gratitude Gardens. Discussing what we're grateful for in our lives and what we wish to see grow while we create our gardens!

​Gratitude Game

It's so fun to mysteriously pick a colored popsicle stick and then express what we are grateful for.

Pizza and ice cream were at the top of the list for many and one child said spinach! They had just seen the classic Popeye movie :)

Lots of love was flowing for all the mamas and papas.

And the beach was a very popular favorite for places we are grateful for.

Ancestor's Feast and Celebration

Huge gratitude to all the families that brought in delicious foods from around the world!
​
​The kids were so excited to prepare special foods that honored the ancestors of the land together.

Carolina Grits Muffins

• 1 cup Namaste gluten free flour 
• 1 cup local Carolina Grits cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, butter, buttermilk, and eggs until well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. No need to over mix the batter.
5. Transfer the cornbread batter to a greased or lined muffin pan.
6. Bake the muffins for 13-15 minutes at 400 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops of the muffins bounce back if lightly pressed.

Kanuchi Nut Soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole pecans or hickory nuts
• 6 cups water
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional, for a slightly sweeter taste)
• 1 tbsp fresh citrus juice
  
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  

Instructions

1. Make a thick, oily paste from the nuts using a variety of tools and kid power.
2. Whisk the nut paste together with the water, salt, cinnamon, citrus juice, and optional maple syrup  in a saucepan.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half and slightly thickened (about 30 minutes).
4. Serve over hominy, rice, or sweet potato.

After our feast we gathered at the ancestor altar we had been creating together for all of October.

The children were invited to share something special from their ancestry.

Then we offered hand made marigolds and love to all the beings who came before us to make our life possible today.

Plant Ally of the Month: Rose

We've been working with our dear friend Rose this month. Bringing in rose water, rose essential oil, botanical art, and creating a heart warming Rose Cacao Ceremony together.

We crafted little rose gardens! Upcycling egg cartons and using some rose essential oil in our paints to incorporate our sense of smell in our art. Multisensory-play is great for brain development and inspiring creativity!

Rose coloring pages!

Rose Cacao Ceremony

First we made Rose Water by counting out 2 cups of dried rose petals with 1/2 cup and added 3 cups water. Then we found a sunny spot and let the sun brew the rose water for 3 hours.

To make the cacao powder we hammered, ground, and grated 8 tbsp of ceremonial cacao.

Then we added 6 cups of coconut milk, I cup rose water, 8 tbsp cacao, and 1 tbsp of honey together and cooked on low until the cacao fully melted.

We gathered for our ceremony and we gave the first cup of cacao to Mother Earth, thanking her for all of the abundance in our lives.

Then we each held our cups to our hearts and shared something we feel so grateful for.

It was beautiful to witness the children express so much genuine gratitude and love for their families and the earth!

Nature Letters

We worked with the shapes and sounds of the letters, and talked about what "Fall" and "Autumn" are. Then collecting the signs of the season around us, we created beautiful seasonal projects

Honoring our Names

With clay, paint, washi tape, and popsicle sticks we explored and identified the shapes and sounds of the letters of our names.

These popsicle stick Name Puzzles were so fun and simple!

A whole theme of creating with popsicle sticks emerged!

Into the Garden for Mint!

We harvested some of our own Mountain Mint to make warm tea on a cool day.

Yum!

The kids love our tea parties, and it's great to practice living in close relationship to the plants that grow all around us.

Dancing Beans - Science or Magic?

Creating a chemical reaction, we got to physically see the interaction of a chemical and a base, vinegar and baking soda, as the beans in the jar were lifted and danced around as an effect! 

It was a cool, unexpected surprise when the bubbles fizzed up and over the top of the jar!

​Sorting

The kids raced to collect a certain number of items-- like 1 stick, 3 leaves, and 4 rocks. Strengthening their understanding of numbers, hand-eye coordination, and motor skill development. Kinesthetic learning is fun!

​Geometry Puzzles

Picnic Time

We want to get as much as we can out of the warm, sunny days that are left. A 70 degree day in November called for a picnic! We love to share gratitudes at meal times.

Loom Weaving

Creating a homemade loom, everyone got to take turns this month learning how to weave the needle under and over the alternating strings of yarn. Really sharpening hand-eye coordination, muscle memory, and pattern recognition!

Snowflakes!

This month we saw our first snows. Inspired by the fluffy white flakes, we created some of our own indoors!

Puppet Performance

During one of our indoor days the kids turned around around play kitchen to create a stage. They wanted to put on a show for each other. Grabbing our hand puppets and other stuffed animals, they collaborated on creating a story, and even had the audience play a part!

Obstacle Course

We love building obstacle courses to help strengthen our bodies, sense of balance, and adventure!

Paper Chain Building!

Using all kinds of colors, many hands worked together to create a paper chain to decorate our classroom, each link expressing a gratitude, reminding us of how we're all linked together.

Wax Resist Autumn Trees

Using watercolors, sponges, and crayons, we each crafted our very own tree.

We even tried different kinds of lichen as paint sponges!

It's so cool to see the paint reveal the crayon underneath as it dries.

Thank You Clean Up Helpers!

Sweet Friends

See You Next Time!