School holidays with the Little Kids.

Today was the first day of the school holidays when I had the Little Kids here. Having the school kids and Little Kids at home together is a win-win situation. The Little Kids really adore the big girls, and the school kids love the little kids to bits.

Also, inevitably the Little Kids get a chance to watch older children at new kinds of play, which can be a bit of a puzzle for them, but is also very stimulating, and can lead to new kinds of behaviour. For example, today Rowena and Sophie were playing stick games (which R has been doing in Maori at school, apparently). I helped sing the song ("E papa waiari"), and showed some of the moves I remember from school 30 years ago. R showed what she had been doing at her school, and E (aged 20 months) watched on fascinated - and in some bemusement! E then brought over another toy, the bead 'rollercoaster' to play with alongside out little group. As if to say "I have no idea what you're doing chucking sticks around while you sing, but I want to be part of your group, and I see I can make my own rules up".