I have a hard time grasping the world outside of about 50 miles from me. I know that is not a very flattering thing to say about myself, but it is true. The fact that life is going on right now in Venice and Cairo and Moscow all at the same time, is just totally weird to me. I don't know why. When I try to think about the fact that the planet is currently hurdling through space in a perfect path around the sun, my brain sort of freezes. I recently have been sent a number of world meters or clocks which tell you all sort of fascinating data such as how many people have been born today, how many gallons of gas were pumped and how many species went extinct. Check out Worldometer. It has great stats such as net gain of people on the planet today or how many overweight people there are compared to malnourished people (it will surprise you!) When my brain gets overloaded trying to think about the fact that there are 170,000+ more people on the planet today than there were yesterday, I check out how many hours humans have wasted on the computer waiting for websites to download. Then I turn off my computer and go back to my very small world.
Things to overload my brain … it doesn’t take much
World Vision Experience: Aids
After hearing amazing reviews about the World Vision Experience: AIDS exhibit, from my friend Joanne, Sarah and I went to see it Tuesday. The exhibit puts a face on the AIDS crisis in Africa. Actually, it puts four faces on it. The exhibit tells the stories of four children: Babirye, Mathabo, Kombo and Emmanuel. When you enter the exhibit, you are given an IPOD with the story of one of the four children. Sarah and I listened to Emmanuel's story. Using words like "listen" and "exhibit" do not do it justice. The word experience really describes it well. You enter and sit down in Emmanuel's home and travel from his hut, to the nearby banana forest, to the local clinic to see if Emmanuel is HIV positive. It is just incredible. The exhibit is recommended for children over age ten. Sarah is five but I felt that it was completely appropriate for her. There were no graphic images in the photography, nor graphic language on the IPOD. Without a doubt it is very sad, but Sarah and I have had great conversations about Emmanuel in the last few days. We live in a rich community, in a rich nation, and I want Sarah to see that the world is so much bigger than what she sees every day. She may not have a horse or every Webkin that she wants, but she is a very blessed little girl. I don't think children need to be 10 to start learning that lesson, and frankly, as an adult, I can't remind myself of it enough. The exhibit is traveling around the country. Check out the website to see the locations and dates. If it is coming to your hometown, take your kids and go see it, you will be so glad you did.
Fingerprint Art
Last year, my friend Susan was Sarah's classroom mom. She had the children make fingerprint art note cards for each teacher's birthday. They turned out so cute, I was inspired to borrow her design book, (Ed Emberley's Fingerprint Drawing Book) and try it with the girls. This week the girls and I made this card for Pete's grandmother's birthday. Each of the girls picked which bugs or flowers they wanted to make with their fingerprints. I added on the faces, legs and stems. (I used Pete's thumb to make the sun!) It was very easy to do and the girls loved it. I am thinking of making up some note pads or gift cards at Kinko's with fingerprint flowers along the bottom.
Ed Emberley's website has great drawing activities on it as well as fingerprint patterns. 123Child has patterns for fingerprint animals and plants which children over age 5 could do on their own.
Enjoy!
