Buddies~ valentines and love

***In September 2011 6 families got together and started Buddies Home School. Each week we meet in each other's home and follow a simple rhythm: movement and music, craft/ baking, snack time, free play and story time. Each part of the session is led by a different family. We are sharing this week's session with you here...***


There was a bit of a change of energy this week at Buddies. Two of our Buddy families couldn't make it and so there was a distinct lack of little boy energy. Benny refused to join in with much of the session, he said later that it was because his friend wasn't there, but then he's woken up with another sore ear today so perhaps that was also at play. Either way there was a distinct gentleness about Buddies this week.

Amanda lead us through some funky salsa moves for music and movement. It was fun and little E was a brilliant wee dancer.

Benny and J blew whistles at each other.

After we were (very) warm from the dancing we sang Hop Little Bunnies...

This is a great song if you don't know it, the kids start off being sleeping Bunnies on the floor while the mama's sing:
See the little bunnies sleeping till it’s nearly noon Come and let us gently wake them with a merry tune Oh how still, are they ill, wake up soon...

Then the kids jump up and hop around the room singing:

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop.

After singing was over we moved on to our craft. This was prepared for us by Susan who sadly couldn't make it, but she very kindly dropped everything off for us and it was a great success:

Aren't they so sweet?

Very simple to make: each child had an oval paper plate,

lots of cut out red heart shapes,

glue, bows, buttons, dried pasta and stickers.
The older girls really enjoyed it and took a long time making gorgeous wee creations, working peacefully and sweetly side by side.

The wee boys were a little more...slap dash...they slapped it on and dashed off to play:

After snack, free play was also calm and quiet. We found the three girls sitting together on the hammock with L telling the other 2 a wee story about 3 little girls :-)

We ended with this story.
It was given to me by my sister in law and I can't read it without crying. It is the most insightful book about mother's love that I have ever read.

None of the mummies managed not to cry (and the kids all thought us a bit weird) but it lead to a really lovely conversation about motherhood and mother's love afterwards.

I'm so lucky to be amongst this group of very special mothers :-)

A whole lot of love this week :-)