Easter Party

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The kindergarten organized an Easter celebration for the children. Because of its value, Easter is a time to be shared with the ones that we love. It is time to reborn, to be better. But we cannot do it alone. We will always need each other during this journey.

The children were all dressed up! I painted the faces of some of the children. They were chickens, bunnies or påskkärringar ( a kind of witch that appears during this time of the year - a very traditional symbol of Swedish Easter). During the morning each class participated in some charades games.

At the lunchtime each group got reunited around a long table to receive a delicious Swedish meal. Decorating the table it was two jars with some tree´s ranches, adorns with colorful feathers.

We wanted to bring an activity for all the groups.

We brought 4 chick pinãtas (1 per each classroom) stuffed with confetti, feathers and some little eggs with a portuguese Easter message (“Boa Páscoa”- “Good Easter” in Portuguese).

Diver´s Glasses

Friday, March 18, 2016

After the boat trip the children created their own diver´s glasses. Under my support, they cut and paint them using the desirables colors and tones. After being dry I put them in the laminator machine, cut out the plastic, opened two little holes at the edges and add an elastic string.

Each child creates in its own way! None of the glasses looked the same. Every time that a different child grabbed in the paintbrushes, new shapes, forms and movements were appearing!

And I have never saw glasses with so much art…

Vågen (Wave)

Friday, March 18, 2016

“Wave” is a wonderful book free of words. It tells a story about a little and curious girl that plays with a restless and playful wave, through poetic drawings and paintings.

I created some small and short dialogues in Swedish to personify the story. I also had a blue textile and beautiful whelks and shells to use along the narration.  

The moment of the story must be treated like a ritual, with magic and enchantment.

I hope to do it as it deserves to be done.   

Boat Trip

Thursday, March 17, 2016

“Imagination is as good as many voyages- and 
how much cheaper!”  
(George Williams Curtis american author, 1824-1892)

We are capable to travel much more than we think. The most beautiful journeys are inside of us. Imagination can help us facing hard times in life. Someone with a fertile imagination is capable to find new solutions and alternative ways to face the obstacles.  It allows you to create more and to see opportunities in times of crisis.

Since the children have been working in a water project and my activities must be related with my culture and country I had an idea. “We could go to Lisbon in a boat trip!”

Tejo, a very long river, meets the ocean right next to my city. Children could explore the Atlantic and also a little bit of Lisbon.

But...

First we traced the path on the map. I introduced the North and Baltic seas and talked about Atlantic Ocean with the group. I was carrying a small bit of ocean for them to taste.

In the wharf  we had to buy our tickets to get into the boat. They had to find their own sit. In each ticket it was a cultural Portuguese symbol. 

The boat was made of card boxes, comfortable enough for the adventure that it was waiting for us.

A movie was being project during the trip. I also had prepared different kinds of props responding for the challenges that would come.

For this activity I had to divide the big group in smaller team works.

The trip had different kinds of moments. To explain my self better I decided to explain the activity step-by-step.

The boat trip:

1^st moment: We heard the Swedish national song and said goodbye to Sweden while waving the national flag.

2^ndmoment: The children had to face a big storm when entered in the Atlantic. While the boat was swinging the water was hitting on us (I was spraying their faces). It was hard but we survived! 

3^rd moment: Once in the Atlantic, we swam with the creatures from the ocean (each child received a pair of diver´s glasses and a straw to be able to breath).

4^thmoment: Shoals of sardines swim near the Portuguese seacoast. The group fished some sardines for our lunch (I prepared some sardines and fishing rods with magnets).

5^thmoment: Seagulls are crazy about fishes. We were being attacked by a whole flock of seagulls so we had to raise our hands and yell “Försvinna” (Go away, go away).

6^thmoment: We found land! We arrived to Lisbon. To celebrate it I throw a bunch of green and red confetti.

7^thmoment: We get out of the boat to experience Lisbon. My city has different kinds of sounds so the group had to listen the sounds and identify them.

8^thmoment: With salt and some fire, we grilled our sardines as we listen Fado (a typical Portuguese type of music).

9^thmoment: We had to return to the boat and traveller back to Sweden. It was already late so we slept during the entire journey.

By morning, we were already in Sweden again.