Wednesday

Morning

Activity: Baking Bread

Kneading bread dough enlivens the senses:  we smell the yeast, see the dough rise from a small mass to a poofy bowl-full, feel the tactile sensation of the squishiness beneath our palms and learn how to knead, rather than squeeze (which make a very sticky situation on our hands) eliciting a relationship with control of impulse.  

Baking bread from scratch is a science lesson.  

The lesson can be taught in terms of scientific process, language and explanation in later years (Michael Pollan has an interesting and well-made docu-series called Cooked.  It's available on Netflix. This will certainly inspire your science as well as sociological minds!), but in early childhood smelling, seeing, feeling and experiencing the process from start to finish is the true lesson.  

The same lesson can come from baking any food.  Muffins, bread, cookies, tortillas, naan, pie, pizza dough, injera......the list continues.  If you are not able to make bread from scratch for any reason at all, but still wish to utilize the activity of the day, consider baking anything from start to finish with your child. 

For the tactile experience, make a simple playdough from salt and flour or utilize the store-bought playdough or clay you have on hand. 

Snack: Bread Day

This recipe makes about 18 buns. Feel free to halve the recipe, freeze the extra buns, or make loaves instead.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp dry active yeast
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
6 c white spelt flour
3 tbsp butter or oil
2 c water

Directions:

• Boil one cup of water

• Add water and honey to a large bowl and let honey dissolve

• Allow water to cool until it is warm, but not hot

• Add yeast and stir gently. Let rest until yeast begins to bubble.

• Add salt.

• Add flour one cup at a time, incorporating the flour before adding the next cup.

• After 5 cups of flour have been added, add melted butter or oil.

• Add last cup of flour. If the dough is still too sticky to knead, add more flour until dough becomes challenging to stir in the bowl. Knead with hands in bowl. Lift dough ball and pour a bit of oil into the bowl, coating the sides. Place the ball of dough back into the bowl, pour a little oil over the top (I use olive oil for this part and butter for the dough).

• Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place to rise for 15-20 minutes.

• Pre-heat oven to 250.

• Uncover bowl, punch down the risen dough, and sprinkle with flour.

• Make bun-size balls of dough.

• Sprinkle a clean surface with flour.

• Roll the small ball of dough in the flour to prevent extra sticky hands.

• Sprinkle a little cinnamon in the center.

• An adult can knead the dough first, and then hand to the child to knead when it is not quite as sticky.

• Encourage kneading motion rather than squeezing dough.

• Pop in the oven on a greased cookie sheet or loaf pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. The top will be golden brown and when you tap on the bottom, it will make a hollow sound (may require longer baking time for loaf).

• Enjoy with honey butter and sliced apples.

Afternoon

Evening Wind
Adapted from Wilma Ellersiek

Blow the evening wind so mild
Rest my little flower child
Lu lu lu lu lu, lu lu lu lu lu

Flowers Grow
Words by Monica Stone
This verse can be accompanied by gentle therapeutic touch to help your child come to a state of rest and wellbeing.

The flowers, they grow on your ten little toes
With forefinger and thumb, gently caress and massage each toe
All the way up to your little nose
Gently draw finger down the length of child’s nose
The petals, they softly brush your cheek
Gently brush each cheek with back of your hand
As you lay down and fall fast asleep
Gently run fingers along child’s brow

My Big Blue Boat
I love to ride in my big blue boat, my big blue boat, my big blue boat.
I love to ride in my big blue boat, over the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat has two red sails, two red sails, two red sails.
My big blue boat has two red sails.
Come ride along with me.

My big blue boat goes splish and splash, splish and splash, splish and slash
My big blue boat goes splish and splash, over the deep blue sea.

Weaving Activity

Create your very own loom and a beautiful weaving with a few simple materials!

Follow this wonderful tutorial by Ms. Grace and have fun with this truly engaging handwork project.