We've all been sick with a horrid tummy bug and been cooped up in the house for days. E was back on form today and it was debatable if I should send him to school or not but I wanted him to have a full day eating properly and I wanted him to just relax.
We spent a slow morning getting up and dressed, the kids were having such fun playing together. They really miss each other when he's at school. Then headed to the woods for what I thought would be a short time and that we would just take a picnic and have lunch there.
As usual the kids led the way and found a place we've never played before. Some fallen Oak branches at the edge of a large field which boarders the woodland. The branches weren't high and after E played amongst some of the smaller dried up leaf covered ones making "soup" in his "kitchen" he finally settled upon spending his time climbing up to the top of one and lying out flat across it. He soon noticed he could see his shadow and hold his arms out like a plane. He spent a good hour (we were there for at least 2) swinging down from his perch, climbing back up and then waving his arms and watching his shadow move.
He was totally and utterly relaxed and I realised how important this time was for him. Having been inside for so long. He needed to reconnect. While we were there I realised I couldn't have bared the thought of him going back into a classroom for a whole day. My instinct led us to the woods today and it wasn't till we were there that I realised just how important it was for him after being ill. That fresh air and freedom has renergised his body and mind.
Iris? She was tired. She spent a good deal of time trying to walk off home. She wanted to go to sleep. I spent some time trying to get her to relax on the rug, she wasn't having any of it.
You can't always win but today was about the boy and his shadow.
Tips for playing with shadows.
- hand shadow puppets are always great, try them on trees and different backdrops. Or hold something to create huge monsters!
- chase each other's shadow. Can you stand on the other persons?
- play hide and seek & make sure only your shadow is peeking out from a tree to help the seeker find you!
- or just hang out in a tree and watch your own shadow moving.
Bliss.