Category Archives: things that go bang

or grow, or breathe, or smell

Education courtesy of science kits and jigsaw puzzles.

One of the plus points of being sent items for review is that very often I can work them into our educational plans. So it was great that we were offered a Wild Science Lip Balm Laboratory for Big to … Continue reading

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SATs all folks!

I started yesterday with the best intentions to catch up on paperwork and blogging. We all know about best intentions Ah well, lots of other stuff was achieved instead. As part of my continuing (ongoing, proactive ) campaign to improve … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Small steps, things that go bang | 4 Comments

It’s all about perception. Oh, and nutrition.

For some reason that I don’t quite understand, Big feels that she is behind where she would be if she were in school. I doubt that’s true. There are definitely things she hasn’t covered that she might have done, but … Continue reading

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Orford castle.

After a couple of days off working due to our hectic social life I was quite pleased with the children’s attitudes yesterday. Small did a sheet on telling time, plus a maths practice, and some reading, while Big did some … Continue reading

Posted in Ages past, Big, Jonny had two apples, OU, Puters!, Small steps, fainting in coils, places we like, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | 1 Comment

Turnaround Tuesday.

Tuesday was Forest School, which surprised me as it has more often been on Thursdays before. Just as well I’d checked my calendar an evening or two before, otherwise we’d have missed it completely, and that would have been very … Continue reading

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autonomy vs peace and quiet…

I have been waiting since January for my children to deschool, stop watching endless CBBC or playing on mind numbing websites, for them to show and develop some interests and learn to get along instead of screeching and bickering all … Continue reading

Posted in Ages past, Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Jonny had two apples, Making things, Puters!, Small steps, Where did you say you were going?, fainting in coils, how we do it, reeling, writhing, rhythm of the day, things that go bang | 12 Comments

cause and effect or bribery and punishment?

First day of the new system, it appears that the children had a rather different idea to how it was going to work than I did. Our system doesn’t involve boxes per child prestacked with work – I’m nowhere near … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Making things, Montessori minded, Puters!, Small steps, how we do it, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | 3 Comments

hovercraft, puters and stuff

Didn’t have a good night’s sleep last night, so was reluctant to start the day today. Am told by Tim that I missed Small strumming his guitar this morning, but there you go. Once I was down and breakfasted, the … Continue reading

Posted in Big, It's where it is, OU, Puters!, Small steps, rhythm of the day, things that go bang | 1 Comment

Slightly soggy Saturday with science and music.

Occasionally, it rains here. Sometimes it rains quite a lot. Saturday was a rainy day – every now and then it dropped a lot of water, and then there were dry patches. Small is taking off with his Science School … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Puters!, Small steps, reeling, writhing, rhythm of the day, things that go bang | 1 Comment

Balloons, science and yet more putering.

Get the feeling that when Big gets back Small is going to go into serious computer withdrawal. Left to his own devices I think he would just educate himself entirely autonomously by exploring the internet until he understood it all. … Continue reading

Posted in Doodling, drawing and decoration., Jonny had two apples, Puters!, Small steps, fainting in coils, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | 4 Comments

quiet recovery day

Kirsty and co up and offed before lunchtime today – with James having work commitments he wanted at least some afternoon at home. The kids had done really well together, Small particulary enjoyed boy playtime I think A and Big … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Getting to know you, Jonny had two apples, Small steps, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | Leave a comment

Very sunny beach day.

As we are now close to the beach, it’s rather a draw for small visitors, so a beach trip was in order for Saturday. It took the adults (namely me!) a while to get going, so it was nearly lunchtime … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Getting to know you, Small steps, fos, reeling, writhing, things that go bang, ufos | Leave a comment

(more) kindness of passing strangers.

Thursday was hot. So hot that I decided it was probably just as well that we weren’t going to the cloth place as well as Small’s Beaver sausage sizzle, as it would probably be way too much for them. So … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Small steps, places we like, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | 3 Comments

Science in the sun.

Today we had a day round at WF house planned, with added science experiments. So I got up at 8 to sort out contribution to bring and share lunch, as well as sorting out washing and so on. In the … Continue reading

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Mainly quiet but with added scan excitement.

The children are thrilled with the presence of L, their big sister, and consequently ignored my existence all yesterday morning. Not a big problem as far as I’m concerned It’s great that they adore us so much, and lovely that … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Small steps, family, here we go again, things that go bang | 4 Comments

Fractious day

Having done the classic thing of waiting for my deadline to finish my TMA work, I really needed to get stuck in this morning. Which of course meant that the children picked up on this desire to do otherwise than … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Making things, OU, Small steps, fainting in coils, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | 2 Comments

Big wants to learn

Victorions Where we live Math’s Spelling Sionce a new langwig? Craft Poetry Accordingly, her library haul included two books on toys, Toys (What Was It Like in the Past?) and Look Inside a Victorian Toyshop. I found Seashore (Usborne Nature … Continue reading

Posted in Ages past, Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Jonny had two apples, Making things, Montessori minded, reeling, writhing, speaking in tongues, things that go bang, won't cook, can't cook | 5 Comments

Incidental education

During the day, Small in particular often asks peculiar questions or indulges in brief conversations that seem like they’ve gone nowhere, but then days or weeks later crop up again in his thinking. There is no way that I can … Continue reading

Posted in Ages past, Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Jonny had two apples, Puters!, Small steps, reeling, writhing, things that go bang | Leave a comment

Expensive day

With Big due to go to Brownies tonight, thought I ought to go out and get her something different for her footwear than the boots she’s been wearing all winter. As she’s usually very quick to tell me if there’s … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Doodling, drawing and decoration., Getting to know you, Small steps, things that go bang | 5 Comments

Knitting and ecotech.

Today was my deadline before my second extension for my TMA, so obviously I was frantically writing it up and trying to finish it off yesterday. :/ Wonder if I’ll ever get to a point where I don’t run my … Continue reading

Posted in Big, Getting to know you, Making things, OU, Puters!, Small steps, things that go bang | 4 Comments