Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic. Subscribe here to receive daily updates. May 15, 2020 SolBe Families, Happy HAPPY Friday! Though the days seem to blend into one another during quarantine, there is something exciting about the prospect of a free and sunny weekend! Our school has used this time to develop the garden within our natural playscape (so very exciting!!). Here is what our resident expert, Carissa, had to say about this project: “We invite you to help us decorate birdhouses that will serve as shelter for birds, insects, and probably a hangout for some squirrels. We will hang the birdhouses around the play yard, from the trees, over wildflowers, and cover crops that we just sewed into the soil this week. The wildflowers and cover crops help create nutrient-rich soil that will be the home for bugs and worms that are playing their role in the ecosystem and are also bird food. Creating this space for the birds, and creating a food source for them in a natural environment, will allow them to leave the blueberries for us, while we leave the worms for them!” Michaels sells tiny ArtMinds® wooden birdhouses , which are perfect for this project. They usually have a 20% off coupon on top of a very reasonable price! Two-Step Process and plenty of fun!! Project of the Day: Birdhouse Free Art Fun Materials Birdhouse Markers or Paint Paintbrushes or Foam Brush Step One This is about as simple as it gets—”free art” for all ages! Lay out your materials in a nice clean space. Decide which materials you would like to use and organize them in front of your little one. Let the kiddos ponder if they would like to add in some elements from nature (perhaps items collected on a nature walk!). The sky is the limit! Step Two Let your child explore the paint with their fingers, paintbrushes, or foam brushes. Mix the colors up or create designs—leave it up to their imagination! Exciting updates on the Garden Project to come, but in the meantime, here are some resources we love! The Biggest Little Farm Movie The Curious Garden Book Northeast Organic Farming Association Most important direction, as always: HAVE FUN! More resources to follow in the coming days. Feedback and more ideas welcome! Above all, be well and stay healthy! The SolBe Team
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