We are officially on summer holidays here! That is not to say that we actually completed all of the core skill work I intended us to do, but we are done all the same. 

The summer sun, garden, and pool are all calling our names—and that file folder work is certainly not. It’s kind of funny because all year long, that file folder work has been calling names… “Ben! Benjamin! It is file folder work time! Benny! Come on over! Ben, it’s been 10 minutes; let’s do this! WooHoo! Benjamin…?”

This used to really stress me out—not completing everything I had set out for us for the school year. But now I expect it (because we have never, ever completed it all), and it doesn’t get to me. 

You know as well as I do that children are learning all the time. In the summer, with those long endless days spent outside, projects just seem to unfold.

Now that my boys are older, we have had to put some limits in place about screen time as I was finding that those screens would creep their way into our endless summer days and eat the whole day up if given the chance. The boys are not loving these screen limits, but when I see them immersed in make-believe and games outside (albeit, often Minecraft-inspired), I know this is the way their childhood was intended to be. 

Last week, when the kids were busy working on their secret fort – which involved stacking twigs and branches and creating walls – one of the boys wondered if hot glue would help them. 

Don’t you just love it when inspiration strikes? ALL of these years of using popsicle sticks and hot glue inside, and ALL of these years of playing endlessly with the kids outside, and never did the two cross paths?!

Today, my friend, I bring you …

HOT GLUE OUTSIDE.

Benjamin discovered pretty quickly that hot glue would not work for his purpose of securing huge sticks together. He then suggested duct tape. That would work, but it was not NEARLY as exciting to me—I mean, we have done duct tape outside.

Nope, I was stuck on this hot glue idea. 

Pretty soon, I had gathered some interest by collecting some twigs and leaves. I intended to give the boys a challenge of sorts…

Build a tower as tall as you,

Make a boat that really floats,

Or create a person out of the nature items.

But, as usual, these children of mine have their own ideas. So, a house was built. The house was originally going to be for those little ducklings of ours to take shelter in when they wanted a little fort. (Not to worry, my little animal lovers, this fort was not actually used for the ducklings. Those ducklings are fierce and have their own ideas, too. Seriously … fierce! Who knew ducklings were fierce?)

Sam was the builder of our first hot glue and nature items outdoor craft. He made it log cabin style and it turned out great. Complete with some ferns for the roof.

It was really interesting watching him learn as he built. He realized it was easier if the items were all about the same size, and he noticed that the glue only stuck well to dry items. He also learned about stability and concentration – those ducklings were trying their darndest to distract him. 

Anyway, take away lessons here:

1. Hot Glue + Nature = Awesome
2. Schoolwork can be called done for summer, even if it is not done for summer.
3. Minecraft will creep up into your life no matter what you do.
4. Ducklings can be fierce. Fierce. (I mean, one tried to eat Madeline’s dangly earring in the pool. Off her ear lobe.)
5. And a fifth takeaway would be nice and neat and pretty, but I don’t have one.

I hope you and yours love the idea of taking some hot glue outside and getting crafty one day this summer!

Thank you so much for reading, sweet friend,

xo
Sarah