Today was another adventurous Park Day for the Co-op. Lots of families showed up, and some new friends picnicked with us as well. After a few “motocross” simulations around the sidewalk track (complete with added motorcycle realistic sound effects), the kids parked their bikes, ran into the playground and played one of their “furry” imagination games. Some were bunnies, others foxes, and a few of them “burrowed” under various pieces of equipment. We even caught a glimpse of a “tornado” (okay it was a little dirt devil which formed in the middle of the field). One of the Quarks recalled the experience, “I was right in the middle of it, and it was awesome!” One of our Neutrons reported, “I was trying to let it lift me up!” Meanwhile, our expert Muon slack-liner brought her rig again for another session of slacklining, this time between two trees much further apart. As the children were all taking turns on the line, a group of spectators started gathering around to take in the scene. You would think it was some sort of officially sponsored activity, the way these folks were expressing interest. Some kids from the park joined in, and the Co-op kids were more than willing to help instruct and guide the little ones along.
The adults were not to be outdone this time around, and some of the bravest parents took a shot at the slackline. Yep, we still have “it”. Leave it to homeschooling parents to kick off their shoes and walk a tight rope between two trees, barefoot no less. After many episodes of trial and error, some of us managed to take some steps towards the middle of the line. This left us all feeling very proud of the kids who gave it a shot. It is not an easy task! The kids rounded off the day with a game of sand volleyball, with much diving, rolling, and especially laughing, as they whacked the ball to and fro with very little regard for rules and regulations and maximum focus on the FUN.
We were also visited by some special animal and insect friends. The first was a squirrel who proceeded to crack some sort of nut overheard and throw them at some unsuspecting Co-oppers down below. “Hey, that squirrel is throwing nuts at me,” said one Neutron. With a little investigation, we found where the culprit was hiding but decided to let him be. After all, we were in his (or her?) domain. Lastly, one of the Quarks discovered a creepy crawly, “Check it out, it a cicada and it’s coming out of it’s shell!” The group gathered around to catch a glimpse of it squirming and wiggling out, “Ewwww” and “Sweet”, and “Careful, don’t drop him” were some of the comments made. Ah, homeschoolers. Cognizant of the needs of even the smallest creatures. Fun. Fun. Fun.
Explore More
Learn more about cicadas, click here.
If you are interested in the basic rules of volleyball, click here.
Need some inspiration for some motorcycle role play of your own? Click here.