Bird Sitting Meditation technique...

Bird Sitting is a type of meditation for relaxation or quieting the mind.  To try this mindful activity, Audubon has some great tips for bird sitting in honour of Earth day♥

Ontario Provincial Parks Free Wallpapers to download go to Ontarioparks.com

Helpful tips provided courtesy of Audubon:1) Find a Spot: Choose a spot where you can sit quietly and observe birds for 10-20 minutes. This can be your window, doorstep, backyard, or local park. Convenience is key. 

2) Have a Seat: Find a comfortable sitting position. When we sit down and stay still, the birds come closer to us than they would if we were walking. 

3) Tune in to the Birds: Quiet your mind and open your eyes and ears to the birds. Lead with curiosity and ask questions like: "What are the birds doing right now? Do they have a nest nearby? What have they eaten today?” Watch their behavior and listen for their vocalizations. Want to level up? Try teaching yourself to 'bird by ear.'

4) Greet Them By Name: If you're feeling ambitious and would like to try your hand at species identification, grab a field guide or download the Audubon Bird Guide App. If you just want to enjoy the experience, come up with your own names to help you remember them by color or sound! 
 

5) Repeat: The best benefits come from repetition. Each day, look for the same birds you may have seen the day before. Getting to know a few feathered neighbors well is more rewarding than listing to all the birds you’re seeing or hearing. You may begin to discover which birds sing first at sunrise, which birds are mated pairs, where the nearest nest is located, and when the hawks are hunting.
Over time, your observations will reveal how the birds and their behaviors are driven by predation, feeding, mating, and nesting in the landscape. You’ll also begin to understand how your behaviors affects nearby birds.

 

Click this link to take you to the story read by PV Storytime!

THE EARTH BOOK by Todd Parr

 

The Earth Book

By Todd Parr , Todd Parr

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Description provided by Scholastic Books... if you are able to, please purchase through Scholastic books to support our schools♥

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/the-earth-book-by-todd-parr/

"With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores the important, timely subject of environmental protection and conservation in this eco-friendly picture book. With an eye-catching cover to catch readers' interest, the book includes lots of easy, smart ideas for working together to take good care of the earth, from planting a tree and using both sides of the paper to saving energy and reusing old things in new ways.
Best of all, the book includes reminders for "going green" every day. Equally whimsical and heartfelt, this sweet homage to the planet is sure to inspire readers of all ages to do their part in keeping the earth happy and healthy."

Hygge Wellness for Children♥

We’ve been talking a lot with the kids about the things we do to take care of ourselves.  Beyond the normal “self-care” routines, we’ve focused on matters of the mind and a sense of hygge wellness. 

  

Parents.com has some lovely “tips” about wellness. 

• “Nourish the mind with activities that encourage mindfulness, such as yoga, tai chi, and guided imagery are powerful tools that help build insight, awareness, and perhaps most importantly, tolerance for discomfort," Louis says. 

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• “Make downtime a priority. Doreen Arcus, an associate professor of psychology at UMass Lowell who specializes in child development, says even young children can benefit from downtime.” "Routines that include quiet time, even if it is a few moments being held in a rocking chair, perhaps being sung to or read to, offer opportunities for centering and connection," she says.

• "Older children and teenagers should be encouraged to take time out of their busy schedules," she adds. "Take a break in between school and diving into homework, then take a break after each assignment is completed to go outside or get some exercise or even go back to the old rocking chair."

Story Time with Dr. Jane!

Dr. Jane has read two books so far!  Watch these free readings in the link below!

"Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, UN Messenger of Peace, and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, shares virtual readings of some of her favorite books for children every week from her home in Bournemouth, England!"

"In 1960, a 26-year-old Jane Goodall traveled to Gombe, Tanzania to begin the first formal study of wild chimpanzees. Her discoveries changed the way we understand these fellow great apes and our relationship with the rest of the animal kingdom. Her observation that chimpanzees make and use tools revolutionized the field of animal behavior, challenging the "sharp line" separating humans from other animals."

STORYTIME WITH DR. JANE Dr. Jane Goodall

My Gratitude Jar♥

We highly recommend "My Gratitude Jar"
by Kristin Wiens...

You can find the link listed below...

When we take time to be grateful we feel happier...

We challenge you to all make your own Gratitude Jars!

Please show us pictures of your finished jars ♥

You will need pieces of paper so that you can write all the things you are grateful for on the pieces.

Decorate your chosen jar and put the strips of paper with things you are grateful for inside.

When you need to remember what you are thankful for, you can pull the strips of paper out and remind yourself why you should be grateful.

Let us know things you are thankful for...

Wishing you all very hygge, bright blessings♥

Long Story Shortz - My Gratitude Jar - Written and Narrated by Kristin Wiens

Blessings of Easter♥

We celebrate Easter and did so in the physical isolation of 2020 that has left it's own mark on all our festivities.  It is a challenge but Easter is the same... Easter doesn't change... the way we celebrate changes by necessity or design but Easter is the same.  We took comfort in that as we wished our loved ones from afar a Happy Easter and a joyous spring.  There is also a comfort that spring remains the same and the signs are everywhere for us to discover.

On a hygge nature walk yesterday, we were able to observe the many signs of spring that have come to grace our homestead once again.  My daughter documented her first crocus of the season with a photograph she took herself.  She marveled at nature moving on as is should with our lives feeling so stationary at the moment.  I hope you get a chance to walk around outside your home and take note yourself and revel in the renewal of springtime♥

 

 

These marvelous scavenger hunts come to us from

Primary Playground♥

Today is International Day of Pink!

We wear pink to show solidarity in inclusion for our wonderfully diverse community!

#VirtualDayofPink  dayofpink.org/en/home