The days on the 365 day nature play challenge which failed and why. Resorting to bubbles on a cold, dark, wet night and wearing big boots.
328 – Blowing bubbles in the cold and the dark
Friday 7 February. Rainy. 2°C
I’m counting this as the second failed attempt of the challenge. I should clarify that failure doesn’t mean we didn’t get outside and do something with a picture of a 328. I hope we’ll always manage that much somehow. The issue is that it wasn’t really a nature play challenge and was born of desperation.
It’s been a difficult week for the challenge. After some very short challenges early in the week (see 332 – chalking the plant shadows and 331 & 330 – 5 minute nature challenges) we finally got out for a long challenge yesterday (329 – looking for wands in the woods) but B wasn’t happy and I don’t want to push her too far. We had a vague plan about playing with frost first thing in the morning but it wasn’t frosty and after school I let her have her sofa time. I think she needs it. We head out for a swimming lesson and still haven’t done the challenge. I ponder finding something in the car park but mind is blank. Finally, driving home, I think of bubbles.
Now, I wouldn’t really describe bubbles as nature play but it does get B outside cheerfully despite the dark, the cold (it’s about 2°C with a nasty easterly wind) and rain. We shelter under the garden tree (see challenge 356) and dig out the bubbles…
…and it’s rather lovely. There’s something magical about seeing them speed away in the dark and the wind makes them go in different directions each time. We can’t predict it. Then the cat comes out nosily to see what we’re doing and loves them too. We blow them at him in the tree and he chases after them. In the photos we take the dark makes the bubbles come out as rainbow coloured streaks of light.
We write the 328 on the garden swing in chalk and try and get bubbles to land on it. Then we go inside, happier than we were when we came out, which is as it should be.
327 – Playing with fire (carefully) in the back garden >
< 329 – Looking for wands in the woods
358 – Big Boots
Wednesday 8 January. Heavy rain. 2°C
Our first disastrous failed attempt. We have a big plan for early tomorrow (see challenge 357 – Sunrise on the beach) and, in the process of getting that ready, forgot to think about today. By the time we got there it was dark outside and pouring with rain. I turned to my best resource of ideas:
Me: Argh!!! We haven’t done 358! And it’s raining. What shall we do?
B: (thinks for about five seconds). I know! I’ll put your wellies on and go outside.
Me: Ok. Wear a coat! And don’t forget the number.
B: I’ll do it in tally marks.
Job done. Mummy failure!
I’m sure it won’t be the only time we get caught out. The weight of feeling that we have to do something every day is already heavy and I’m guessing it will get worse as we go. I’m hoping we’re going to learn some good fall back options and also be helped a lot by better weather and lighter evenings. This one was mainly due to neither of us being used to remembering yet. We got distracted by birthday preparations.
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