Magic – It’s What Binds it all Together
Magic! It’s what brings mystery and sparkle to life, and it’s what our Monday Arabian Nights classes have been all about!
Luckily, kids are bundles of magic, and have not yet learned that there (supposedly) is no such thing as magic.
This open perspective, in which anything is possible, is particularly helpful when telling stories that involve a high degree of fantasy, genies, magicians and hidden realms…
Phew! 1001 Nights is a lot of nights, and thankfully we don’t have to wait that long to get to the end of our story. That being said, we’re more than half-way through this BKC season, and not even half-way through our story of Aladdin. There’s a lot to it, and there’s so much to explore along the way!
The story itself is a magical and interactive journey, complete with moving characters, actions, genie puppets, magic chimes and special helpers. I can understand the pressure the princess in the Arabian Nights tales might have felt, as keeping her stories interesting was what was keeping her alive from one day to the next! Two and three year olds are also no easy audience, and I sure to have to get creative and keep things engaging if I want to maintain their interest. Luckily getting creative for them also keeps the story fresh for me. And the more they get to re-tell and interact with the story, the more they learn from it.
If you’ve been bringing your kids to Buddings for a while, you may already know by now that I LOVE stories! I don’t know how many blog posts I’ve written about the magic and enchantment of storytelling, but I really REALLY love stories. And especially telling stories with kids. You can do just about anything when you start with a story, and everything in life is given meaning in the context of a story. So stories are my jumping-off point for just about everything I do at Buddings. And there are so many ways to make stories come to life!
If this is not something you do at home, I highly encourage you to try it. Pick a story, any story, and turn it into an experience. Of course, storytelling done right is already a rich experience, but why not take it further?
Just about any good story lends itself to a slew of science, art, drama and experiential activities.
After making genie puppets and genie lamps using sand art, we tried our hand at an exploding science potion. Magic unfolding right in front of our eyes!
All you need is a few simple ingredients:
1) Vinegar
2) Food colouring
3) A dollop of dish soap
4) Magic sparkles (the secret ingredient)
5) A hefty scoop of baking soda
Make up a spell, mix it all together (adding the baking soda last), and watch the magic explode, froth and bubble before your eyes.
But the story isn’t over yet! There’s lots more to come.
Check out our Arabian Nights window next time you’re at the daycare, and sign your child up on a Monday afternoon for story magic! Here’s another sneak peek…
Join us for our upcoming adventures:
Feb 27 – An Arabian Nights Feast
March 6 – Beatty Biodiversity Museum Fieldtrip – earth’s magic
March 13 – Building Castles – What would your castle look like?
March 20 – Granville Island Fieldtrip
March 27 – A Story Scavenger Hunt
