Busy Builders!

Today we made the most of the stormy weather, embracing the gusts and snow that came our way. During our adventure we cared for farm animals, began building a swing set and whittling a Lucet for braiding cord.

Great job today on getting chores done well. You asked me, "How long should jobs like chores take?" Great question!  The answer is that it depends on how MOTIVATED YOU are! Do you work smarter rather than work harder? Are you figuring out the ways to use your partnership to get the tasks done without losing time waiting around for tools or someone to tell you what's next? The Nature Mentors are going to sit back a little more next time and see if you can work together to get everything done before you get HANGRY!!

The question for homework about your time around the Homestead is...

Tell someone all about at least one of our animal's personalities; what are they like to handle, do they have any hang ups or fears, how can you build a caring relationship with them? BIG Question...let's hear from you next week. 

Finding protection from the wind helps to keep us warm on windy days. Damsel fly is great at finding shelter everywhere she goes!

Were you someone who played make-believe? Climbed trees? Explored every nook of the woods? With our new seating at the outpost shelter, we can stay warm and off the cold ground. We talked about adding a sheet to the front of our shelter to help keep wind out. Brainstorm some other ideas of how we could make this shelter warm for the coming months.

Up in the shelter of the hay loft we continued our wander. Did you climb the beams or create a nest of hay to rest in? There are also many creatures who call this place home. Did you notice any clues that helped you discover other critters who live here? 

We began to build a swing that will be hung somewhere around our farm. Retrace the steps that we took to build this. (Sanding, counter sinking, screwing, drilling) Start brainstorming about where you think our swing should hang. Think about the safety, strength of branches and the space that would be needed to hang these somewhere at the farm. 

Antman stopped by to help with our whittling. Do you remember what our Lucet fork will be used for? (braiding rope) Your projects looking fantastic. Think about the process of carving. Was there a part of your Lucet that seemed more challenging to carve? Why do you think that is? Tell someone at home what our next steps will be to create a finished product.

We love to see kids using the skills they learn in homesteaders at home. Here's Frog starting a fire with flint and steel. What could you do at home to practice your homesteading skills?