In The Middle

Soft windy air swirling feeling wonderful on my skin, not accustom to the sun.  The sky is full of billowing Spring clouds backed by bright blue.  As I walk with my dog Cinnamon around our neighborhood into balmy winds, I find myself pondering as I often do on walks.  I ponder how long we will live in our current house, thinking of the wonderful schools my children go to and will go to in the very near future.  I ponder where I lived as a child and my friends' homes, realizing that none of their parents live in my friend's childhood homes any longer.

"Um, I wonder how long until we can move, if we choose to do so, until the kids are through school?"  I find myself thinking such thoughts for the first time...

And I realize that eleven years is the answer.  Eleven years until my youngest graduates from high school.  That is not really very long.  Eleven years ago I had a newborn baby, I was a new mom.  My life completely turned upside down as I started on this path of raising kids.  And it hits me, that I am in the middle.  In the middle of what I think of as hardcore parenting.  The kind of parenting when you have to literally be ready for anything at any moment.  Over the past couple of years I watched this mile stone coming.  I knew it would get here and probably arrive sooner than I wanted it too.  I still see my youngest as a very small child yet when I come home from teaching at the preschool, I can't help but see her growing into a big girl, a girl who is changing so fast, and quickly loosing all those last vestiges of toddlerhood.  My oldest is set on the edge of blooming into a teenager which is almost mind-boggling as well as completely beautiful.

I am in the middle.

The middle of motherhood.

The middle of life.

Wow.

From here I can see my past particularly through the lens of my own motherhood, I see my childhood and I grow.  I learn those lessons I missed and change.  I appreciate more my own parents and my life.  Of course I can't see the future yet I feel myself letting go of the desire to fix everything and make it all as it should be.  Rather I want to let things be and experience.  I am in the middle and excited to experience the ride from here.

Shadows climb up the garden wall Upon the green the first leaf falls It's the prime of life and the king and queen Step out into the sun...

...It's the prime of life, where the spirit grows And the mirror shows both ways

~ Neil Young

Shared On: The Sunday Parenting Party

Chamomile Potatoes On Chamomile Day ~ Herbs For Kids ~

Chamomile is a super friendly herb for kids.  Chamomile is gentle while being powerful at the same time for helping kids with tummy upset especially when related to nervousness, general nervous tension, headaches and colds.

What Does It Taste Like?

We started our day at preschool with a tea tasting which is a great way to introduce kids to a new plant.  Most children love the apple like taste of the tea made from happy sunshiny little flowers.  The kids at the school really enjoyed the tea and it seemed to help calm them down a bit... we were having another late Spring snow storm and the kids were all kinda crazy with the sudden change in the weather.

To make your own tea simple steep up to 1 tablespoon of flowers per cup in hot water for 2 to 5 minutes max.  If you steep for any longer than that chamomile tea becomes very bitter.  Of course children are very sensitive to any bitter taste.  You can add a bit of honey or agave to taste if you wish.

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit

After indulging in our tea we sat down for a cozy reading of this classic tale by Beatrix Potter.  The kids were still a bit antsy and yet were really involved with the book.  Many of them having read Peter Rabbit before, knew what was to come on each and every page.  Except when we got to this little bit on the last page where they noticed one little detail which was overlooked before ~

“Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some chamomile tea: "One table-spoonful to be taken at bedtime.” ― Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Smiles and giggles came when the kids heard that Peter had chamomile tea, just like they did!  We talked about how scared and tired and sick Peter must have felt after has intense adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden.  It was a perfect little example from a familiar story about using herbs.

Chamomile Potatoes

I bet you are wondering what about chamomile potatoes, and so we come to the part of our day when we made these together...

These are not something yummy to eat, though I think creating some kind of recipe with these two ingredients might be interesting.  Nope, chamomile potatoes are for growing!  Potatoes make great little pots for sprouting plants, just like sprouting plants inside egg shells.

When the seeds have sprouted and are ready to be planted outside you can simply plant the whole potato in the ground.  In the past we have given created Potato Heads by using markers and googly eyes to create faces.   Then we planted grass inside the potatoes which grew into hair!  It is lots of fun to for kids to cut their Potato Head's hair with scissors.  Today we simply planted chamomile seeds into our potatoes, gave them a little drink and are eagerly waiting for them to sprout!

Materials ~

• Potatoes, 1 for each child
• A Melon Baller
• Chamomile Seeds
• Dirt

If prepping the potatoes ahead of time you will need: 

• Citric Acid or Lemon Juice
• Water
• A Big Bowl 

Instructions ~

Prep the potatoes by cutting the a thin slice off of the top of the potato or the side if the potato is long and skinny.  Then using the melon baller remove the center of the potato to make a place for the dirt to go.  Test to see if the potato will stand straight by setting it down on a flat surface.  If it wobbles or rolls around cut a flat surface on the bottom of the potato so it will stand sturdy and straight.  I did this the day before class and I wanted to keep the potatoes fresh.  So, I place the potatoes in a big bowl filled with water and a generous sprinkle of citric acid.  The potatoes came through the night beautifully!

Have the children fill their potato with dirt and then gently press the tiny chamomile seeds into the top.  Help the children give their chamomile potato a small amount of water to help the seeds sprout.  

Keep the soil moist and place the potato in a sunny spot.  You should have tiny sprouts within about three days, almost instant gratification!  When my girls saw these wee little sprouts they instantly exclaimed, "Aw, how cute!"

Within one week the sprouts are much bigger and follow the sun during the day, turning their leaves to soak up nourishing sunlight.

Here are some other wonderful activities for Chamomile Day ~

• Foot Soaks
• Compresses

Spring Time Blessings!

Shared On:  It's Playtime!, Eco-Kid's Tuesday, The Kid's Co-Op, Kid's Get Crafty,  Friday's Nature Table

The Herbal Sock Bath For Kids

An interactive experience from start to finish, the sock bath is lots of fun to make with children.  What is the sock bath you ask?  I first learned about this great way to use herbs in the tub from my teacher, Brigitte Mars.  To make a sock bath simply put your chosen herbs in a sock, tie a knot in the top and toss it in the tub... super easy! Having made sock baths a few times with the kids at preschool, I have come to notice that the kids just love them.  They enjoy picking out their very own herbal blend to put in the sock and then they love playing with the knotted sock, snuggling with it and enjoying the scents of the herbs.  Once you get the sock bath into the tub it is great fun to watch the water change color as the herbs mix with the bath water.  And then squeezing all the herb-rich water out of the sock into the bath makes for a very tactile experience indeed.

~ Making Sock Baths With Kids ~

The process is a lot like some of the other baths I have shared like, Minty Mint Bath and Rosy Oatmeal Bath, but is tailored for creating with kids.

Materials ~

• A sock for each child.  When I do this at school, I ask each child to bring in a long clean sock from home, not a kid size one!  You need big socks to stuff!
• Bath Herbs examples are ~ roses, chamomile, lavender, catnip, calendula, and mints.
• Oatmeal, this is optional but it makes the bath so very much fun because when the sock bath is all wet in the tub and the child squeezes it, a skin nourishing slippery, milkiness exudes from the sock, so cool!
• Epsom Salts, totally optional
• Kid Friendly Essential Oils such as ~ lavender, sweet orange, spearmint, rosemary, rose geranium and ylang ylang.  These are optional too!
• A Jar or Glass, have one for each child you plan to work with if you are going to do this in a group.  Or you can have one jar/glass if you are going to work with each child separately.  I used a plastic one to prevent problems with breakage.

Method ~

• Give each child a jar/glass in which to create their sock bath.

• Working with either one child at a time or a few at a time, have the child(ren) choose the herbs they would like in their sock bath.  Help them place about a 1/8 to 1/4 cup of each herb into their jar or glass.

• Add oatmeal and epsom salts if desired using about 1/8 to 1/4 cup each.

• Add the essential oils, about 4 to 8 drops total of whatever combination of oils you are using.  If they want they can stir up their bath with a spoon.

• Then help the child(ren) to place to opening of their sock over the opening of their jar/glass and then once the sock is secure, dump the jar/glass over so the contents fall down inside the sock.  (You might want to have the child hold the sock onto the jar if it is not a tight seal.)  The child(ren) may need to give it all a little shake to get all the bath into the sock.

• Once all the bath is in the sock, remove the sock from the jar/glass and tie off the top!

• You can let the child(ren) play with their sock if you wish.  

• Let the children's parents know how to use the bath ~ Just toss it in the tub with the child and let the play begin!  Encourage the child to squeeze their sock bath so they can really smell the herbs and enjoy the wonderful herbed water that comes out of the bath.   

Happy Creative Bathing!

Shared On:  It's Playtime!, Tender Moments, Eco-Kids Tuesday, The Kid's Co-op, Make Your Own Monday, The Gathering Spot, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Kid's Get Crafty, Friday's Nature Table

Fennel Babies On Fennel Day ~ Herbs For Kids ~

Tiny little seeds beckoned excited glances and little hands to explore as we began our herbal adventure this week with fennel.  Did you know that fennel is a wonderful tummy soother?  It relaxes smooth muscle, eases inflammation and even acts as an expectorant all while tasting pretty yummy!

What Does It Taste Like?

We started our day at preschool with a tea tasting as well as trying some fresh fennel bulb at snack time.  Most of the kids liked the tea and I got to refill many cups!  The fresh bulb was only embraced by a few little ones with adventurous palates.

So, what does it taste like?  Well, the tea tastes a bit sweet and smooth with a definite taste of fennel seeds.  In general I like to blend fennel seeds with other herbs for a tea but nothing beats tasting a simple infusion to really get the sense of a plant.  The bulb has a juicy crunch with a sweet anise or licorice flavor.  It is really quite lovely.

To make your own tea simple steep up to 1 tablespoon of seeds per cup in hot water for 15 to 30 minutes.  Then strain and enjoy!

Fennel Candy

We furthered our culinary exploration with fennel by making fennel candy, kinda like the kind they have to munch-on on your way out of an Indian Food restaurant.  This activity came directly from A Kid's Herb Book by Lesley Tierra.  If you haven't seen this book, you are missing out.  Totally fun and informative with tons of stories and activities for kids of all ages.

Fennel Candy

Recipe ~ From: A Kid's Herb Book

• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon sugar, we used sucanat
• 1/4 teaspoon of water

Combine in a pan.  Heat to dissolve the sugar and coat the seeds.

Then add:

• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons water

Fennel Babies

After we got acquainted with fennel we came to the fun hands-on part of the day, planting fennel babies!  Before planting our babies we made them a nice home, little "baskets" for them to begin their sprouting.

baby baskets

Materials ~

• Cups or other container, I was lucky to find cups made from recycled materials!
• Chenille Stems
• Ribbons
• Foamies or other decorations
• Little Chicks, so cute!
• Beads
• Fennel Seeds, of course!  I did buy these at the local plant nursery.  I don't know if the seeds I bought at the grocery store would sprout and I didn't want to take any chances.
• Dirt
• Water
• Hole Punch
• Sharpie

Sorry mom and dad, I was slow to stop your little one from wiping dirt on his belly, so I took a picture

Instructions ~

• PREPARE ~ Punch at least two holes opposite each other just under the rim of the cups.  If you want to add a ribbon decoration around the top of the cup then punch holes all the way around the rim of the cup.  
• RIBBON WEAVE ~ If doing the ribbon decoration, have the child pick out a ribbon.  Leave enough ribbon sticking out from where you start the weaving to attach it when you are done weaving.  Then help the child thread it in and out of the holes around the top of the cup so it is woven around the perimeter of the rim and attach it the the other end by tying a bow.   I didn't do this part with the kids this time, so I don't have a picture to show you.  My hole punch was not working well and I was lucky to get the two necessary holes punched in each cup.
• DECORATION ~ Lay out your decorations, we used foamies, and have the kids decorate the outside of their cup.
• CREATE A HANDLE ~ Attach a chenille stem to one of the holes you punched in the top of the cup and have the child bead the stem leaving a bit of room to attach the opposite end of the stem to the other side of the cup.
• PLANT THE BABIES ~ Fill the cup with dirt about 2/3rd full.  Have the child poke a few holes in the dirt and put their babies (seeds) in the dirt.  Then they can give their babies a blanket by covering them with dirt.  Next give them a drink of water!  We used about 3 seeds per child incase they don't all sprout.
• SELECT A NANNY ~ Next let the child pick out a chick to watch over their babies.  You certainly don't need to use the chicks but I just can't resist, they are SO CUTE!!  And the kids love them so much!
• FINISH THE BASKET ~ Finally attach the loose end of the handle if you haven't done so and write the child's name on their cup.  You are all done!

baby basket

The day ended with each child happy to take home their new babies and some candy for their families.  When their babies are strong enough and the danger of frost has passed, they will be ready for a new home outside.  Lots of fun with fennel!

Shared On: Eco-Kid's Tuesday , Kid's Get Crafty. It's Playtime!, The Kid's Co-op, Friday's Nature Table

Playing With Peppermint ~ Herbs For Kids ~

It is yummy.  It smells good and has tiny enchanting purple flowers.  Peppermint is a great herb for kids.   And this week at school we had a lovely time playing with peppermint.

We started with a peppermint tea tasting at snack time.  Everyone loved the tea, well, almost everyone.  There were a couple of skeptics at the table.  I was really impressed with how excited the kids were about the tea and how much they drank.  One little girl asked for about four refills!

Besides being super tasty, peppermint tea is great for digestion and enhancing immunity.

Here is how I made our kid friendly tea.  One handful of dried peppermint leaves went into a 1/2 gallon canning jar.  After covering the leaves with boiling hot water, I let the mint infuse for about 15 minutes.  Then I strained the leaves out and our tea was ready.  I did this in the morning before school started so the tea had plenty of time to cool down to a nice warm drinking temperature.

Our activity for the day was very hands on and simple.  First we sat on the rug and I gave each child a sprig of peppermint.  We looked at the stems and leaves.  We felt the square stems and talked about squares.  Then we ran our hands up and down the peppermint and gave it a good sniff.    Lots of big happy eyes looked back at me while they experienced the freshest peppermint fragrance.  One boy exclaimed that his peppermint smelled like zucchini!  So cute.  I explained to the kids that they were smelling the essential oil in the plant.  Like the essential oil we used in our aromatic playdoughthe week before.  We looked at the tiny purple flowers and talked about the plant making seeds.

Next I set up paper, glue, scissors, sunflowers and lavender, and lots of peppermint at our art table.

 The idea here was free time to just create with plants for a chance to get up close and personal.  Cut them up and see what is inside.  Get to know the plant through smell and feel.  Glue them down and create something.  One imaginative little boy made a map!

We also used our plants to make super simple wands but just binding plants together with ribbons.

What simple fun ways do you play with kids

and plants from the garden?

Shared on: The Kid's Co-op, It's Playtime!, Living Green, Natural Living Mama, Science Sparks