Upcoming Events
Aug 13 - Venia's Vacation: Belarusse, Vienna, and..

Aug - 6 Topanga Beach Day (boogie boards and sandcastles)

July 30 - Summer Parkday

July 23 - Leather Stamping

July 16 - Ancient Rome

July 9 - Japan Past & Present

July 2 - Independence & H2O

June 25 Beach Day

June 18 Tenzi Frenzi

June 11 - Juggling Craft and Fun

June 4 - Stokes Theater & Plays

May 28 - Christina's Family Yogatime

May 21 - Bring your crafty projects & Potluck

May 14- Career Day

May 7 - Mother's Day Tea

April 30 - Art Show & Painting

Apr 23 - Earthday Show & Tell and Planting

Apr16 - 19 Joshua Tree Annual Family Campout

Apr 9 - HexiFlexigons - rescheduled

Apr 2 - Magic Tricks & Juggling Sticks

Mar 26 - HexiFlexigons - Geometry Gone Wild

Mar 19 - Potluck & Nat Amer Kid Presentations

Mar 12 - Nat Amer 2: Plains & Tipi's

Mar 5 - Native American 1: Inuit & Carving

Feb 28 - The Art of Debate

Feb 19 - Potluck & Chinese New Year & Korean, Vietnamese

Feb 12 - Valentyne's Day exchange

Feb 5 - Favorite Books

Jan 29 - Build an African Kalimba

Jan 22 - Patents and Inventors

Jan 15 Potluck, Patents and Inventors

Jan 8 - Boardgames and Beginnings

Jan 1st New Year's Playday

Dec 25 Merry Christmas No Parkday

Dec 18 Kwanza; Hannukah; Xmas; Solstice Celebration & Lunch Potluck

Dec 15 Caroling at Retirement Homes

Dec 11 Holiday Craft Day

Dec 4 Idioms by Maria Wheee!

Nov 27 Happy Thanksgiving No Parkday

Nov 20 Venezuela by Enrique & Potluck

Nov 13 Science Bloopers

Nov 6 Inside a Courtroom

Nov 4 Take your Kid to Vote

Oct 30 Costume Halloween Party

Oct 23 Bring a Poem

Oct 19 Campfire Potluck &Talent Show

Oct 16 Poetry Play Day & Potluck

Oct 9 Save Big Cats & Habitats

Oct 2 Making & Launching Rockets

Sept 28 Watts Tower Drumming Festival 10-4pm

Sept 25 Basket Weaving with NewsPaper

Sept 18 M&B Family Campout @ Sequoia Nat'l Park (No parkday)

Sept 11 OuterSpace Aeronautics or
Sustainable Farming & Husbandry (if cool enough for goats to visit)

Sep 10 M&B Free @ LA County Fair

Sep 2 Amazing Aeronautics

Aug 28 Beach Day

Aug 21 Pioneer Day

Aug 14 Five Year M&B Anniversary

Aug 7 Solar Ovens Part III

Jul 31 Solar Ovens Part II

Jul 24 Solar Ovens Part I @ Beach

Jul 17 Balloon Fun/Physics

Jul 10 Blind as a Bat (Braille & Sonar)

Jul 3rd (No Parkday Independence)

Jun 26 Tal Family

Jun 19 Kinetic Ball Run & Squirt bottle motion & Potluck

Jun 12 Summer Festival & Games

Jun 11 Full Moon Hike

Jun 5 Let's Get Tiny - Cells (Animal & Plant)

May 29 Lets get tiny - Cells (Animal & Plant)

May 22 Famous People

May 15 Beach Day & Potluck

May 8 Celebrating Mothers

May 1 Secrets of Water

Apr 24 Earthday & Planting

Apr 17 Games & Crafts Bring Your OWN

Apr 10 Nat'l Poetry Month

Apr 3 Cotton Magic

Mar 27 Bacteria Fun

Mar 20 Potluck & Organ Day!

Mar14-16 Joshua Tree Annual Spring Family Campout

Mar 13 - No Theme due to weekend Campout

Mar 6- Birdwatching & Nesting Day

Feb 27 - Physics of Bowling due to Rain

Feb 20 - The Winter Olympics

Feb 14-17 Backyard Bird Count

Feb 13 - VOLUNTEER PLEASE. Valentines Day

Feb 6 - Taxonomy & the Darwin Challenge

Jan 30 - Lunar New Year of the Horse

Jan 23 - Simple Machines II - Pulleys & Levers

Jan 16 - Habitats & Keystone Species & Noon Potluck

Jan 9 - Cogs & Cams: Simple Machines

Jan 2 - Reconnecting after holidays & New Year's Celebrations

Dec 26 - No Parkday Happy Holidays

Dec 19 - Celebrate Holidays: Winter Solstice, Kwanza, Christmas & Hanukkah

Dec 12 - Solar Fun & Mask Making with Michelle

Dec 5 - Monarch Magic & Eucalyptus

Nov 28 - Happy Thanksgiving - No Parkday

Nov 23 - Fieldtrip to Monarch Groves in Goleta

Nov 21 - Monarchs & Eucalyptus Trees postponed

Nov 14 - Atoms, Protons, Electrons, Oh My!

Nov 7 - Autumn Leaves & Sewing with Heather

Oct 31 - Halloween Festival

Oct 24 - Spooky SeeSaw Algebra

Oct 17 - 3 City Geography & Int'l Potluck & 6:00pm Talent Show

Oct 10 - 2nd M&B Bug Faire

Oct 3 - Abacus Math Magic

Sept 26 - Bark Painting & Spirit Animals

Sep 19-23 Annual Sequoia Family Campout

Sep 14 Fieldtrip to Point Vicente

Sep 12 - Lighthouses & Prisms II

Sep 5 - Build Splash Toys @ Pool

Aug 29 - Lighthouses & Light I

Aug 22 - DeSalination @ Beach PD

Aug 15 - Weaving yarn or old clothes

Aug 8 - Hula Hoop II

Aug 1 - Hula Hoop I @ Beach A

Jul 25 - M&B's 4th Anniversary
All ages Talent Show

Jul 18 - Hawaii Day & Potluck

Jul 11 - Bubble Science Fun

July 4 No Parkday HOLIDAY

Jun 27 No Parkday HOLIDAY

Jun 20 - Crafts Free for All

Jun 13 - Gold Mining & BoomTowns

Jun 6 - Anyone? Or Lemonade Stands

May 31-Jun 2 Family Campout at Montano De Oro

May 30 - MayDay PlayDay II

May 23 - MayDay PlayDay

May 16 - Bats, Owl Pellets & Potluck

May 9 - Primitive Arts & Indian Trading Blanket

May 2 - Painting & Poems

Apr 25- Help Our Wildlife Thrive

Apr 18 - M&B Earthday & Potluck 5pm

Apr 11 - Missouri Day / Bees Part 2
HoneyLove.org

Apr 4 - Bees ($3/kid for candlemaking)
Ula's Birthday

Mar 28 - Feathers, Microscopes & Origami Cranes

Mar 21 - History of Sugar; Plant own sugarcane

Mar 14 - Robots & Circuitry $3/kid

Mar 7 - Rainy Day @ Skirball Free

Feb 28 - Felting & Fiber Arts

Feb 21 - Morocco II
and Islamic Prayer

Feb 14 Valentines & Asian New Year Traditions

Feb 7 - Huichol Yarn Paintings
& Esme's Bday

Jan 31 - Birth of a Nation

Jan 24 - Cancelled
due to RAIN

Jan 17 - Craft parkday

Jan 15 - USA Tour @ Skirball

Jan 10- Morocco Senses & Allah

Jan 3 - Free for All Playday

Dec 27 - Free For All Playday

Dec 20 - Xmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Divali & Winter Solstice (Carols & Potluck)

Dec 13 - Morocco, Art & Mint Tea

Dec 6 - Pompeii Part II & Archeology

Nov 29 - Let's BOWL
due to Rain

Nov 22 - Thanksgiving - No Parkday

Nov 15 - Duct Tape Crafts & creations by C & C
and Lunch Potluck

Nov 8 - Ancient Pompeii & Mt Vesuvius

Nov 1 - Election & Voting Debate:
More trees or Waterslide

Oct 25 - Trunk or Treat; Dress-up
Halloween

Oct 18 - Peace Building &
Anger drop

Oct 11 - Superhero Rain

Oct 4 - Inks from Nature

Sep 27 Ireland Fun & Culture

Sep 20 -Sequoia-sized Boardgames

Sep 13 - 3rd Sequoia Campout

Sep 6- Heroes and Heroines - Kids Presentations

Aug 30 - Simile, Metaphors & Figures of Speech

Aug 23- Letterboxing II

Aug 16 - Letterboxing I

Aug 9 - Beach Day

Aug 2 - Modern Olympics II

July 26 - Ancient Olympics I

July 19 - Paper Arts: Bowls, Books & Beads

July 12 - Beach Day

July 5 - Statue of Liberty - 4th July

June 28 - Storytelling & Aussie Rainsticks

June 21 - Fun Games Field day

June 14 - Mystery Math = Algebra Fun

June 7- Silly Summer Day Fun

May 31 - Build Miniature Golf

May 24 - Sewing & Haiku Part II

May 17 - Haikus & Drums & Evening Potluck

May 10 - Rock Hunter Guest Speakers

May 3 - May Day Celebrations

Apr 26 - Fibonacci & Nature

Apr 19 - Thai New Year -Songkran & Potluck

April 12 - Spring Bling & Night Crawlers Planting season

April 5- Easter /Passover Crafts

Mar 29 - Ethics & Fairytales

Mar 22 - Detective Fingerprints & Crafts

Mar 15 - Prep for Joshua Tree

Mar 8 - Marbles & Physics

Mar 1 - Make Real Dream Catchers

Feb 23 - Pirates, Sea Captains &Tall Ships

Feb 16 - Wilderness Survival - guest Speaker

Feb 9 - Anatomy Guts vs Feeling Guts

Feb 2- Gravity Fun Games

Jan 26 - Cement Bridges Part Two

Jan 19 - Kids first Rock & Gem Show

Jan 12 - Global New Years Celebration

Jan 5 - Rockets-Aquarius M&B helped launch

Dec 29 - Cement Construction hand print tile

Dec 22- Kwanza, Hannukah, Bodhi Day stories & games 12/8

Dec 15 - Amy's Anatomy Obstacle Course

Dec 8 - Painting so it POPS! w/ out wind

Dec 1 - Painting so it POPS!

Nov 24 - Happy Thanksgiving - No M&B Parkday

Nov 17 - Fun with Manners & Empowering Etiquette & And 3rd Thurs Potluck (lunchtime)!

Nov 10 - History of Photography - Make Pinhole Cameras

Nov 3 - Butterfly & Bug Faire & Poems & Riddles

Oct 27 - Pumpkin Festival *Dress UP!!

Oct 20 - Empathy & Empowerment

Oct 13 - Braille & Visually Impaired

Oct 6- Atoms & Cool Molecules

Sept 29- Black Bears & Sequoias

Sept 22 - Sequoia Fires & Cones

Sept 15- Clay Creatures & Open-ended ?s

Sept 8- Beat the Heat Beach Day

Sept 1 - Lemonade Stand Commerce

Aug 25 - Back to Homeschool Play

Aug 18 - Saw Safely & make a Jacob's Ladder

Aug 11 - Biomes, Habitats & Soda Bottle Terrarium

Aug 4 - M&B 2Year Anniversary Party

July 28 - Finger Knitting & Natural Fibers

July 21 - Stone Soup Potluck & Storytime

July 14 - CrazyFun ScienceLab Experiments

July 7 - Independence Day Celebration @ Zuma Beach

June 30 - Nocturnal Creatures & Owl Pellets to dissect

June 23 - Book Exchange Circus

June 16 - Lewis & Clark, Quill pens from feathers & Potluck

June 9 ATC- Making Artists' Trading Cards

June 2 Petraglyphs, Pictoglyphs & Rafting the Grand Canyon

May 26 Historical
Figures that changed the World
all Kids Perform

May 19 Pharoahs, Pyramids & Crafts
And Potluck 5pm-sundown

May 12
Mars & Space Travel

May 5
Mother's Day
High Tea

Apr 28
Physics & Imagination=
Future Travel

Apr 21
Mask Making & Storytelling

Apr 14
Sound Waves

Apr 7
Geodesic Dome

Mar 31
Earthquakes & Tectonics

Mar 24
Show & Tell & Games

Mar 17
Family Campout Joshua Tree

Mar 10
Mardi Gras

Mar 3
Africa & Wangari Maathai

Feb 24
Brains: the Inside Story

Feb 3
Chinese New Year

Jan 27
Pioneer Parkday Part 2

Jan 20
Days of Yore

Jan 13
Fun & Safety
with Germs

Jan 6
Chess by Jahan

Dec 31
New Year's FreePlay

Dec 23
Kwanza, Hannukah
& Christmas

Dec 16
Engines & Cars
& Alternative Power

Dec 9
Microscopic World

Dec 2
Cartoon & Collage

Nov 25th
Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov 18th
Nature Crafts & Yoga

Nov 11th
Wind Turbines

Nov 4th
Indian Diwali Celebration

Oct 28th
Spooky Obstacle Course

Oct 21st
How Songs are Born

Oct 14th
Build a
Weather Station

Oct 7th
Prisms, Vision & Zoetropes

Sept 30th
Spanish CultureFest

Sept 23rd
Russian Culture & Potluck

Sept 17
Family Campout @ Sequoia Nat'l Park

Sept 9th
Chemical (molecular) Reactions

Sept 2nd
History of Flight

August 26th
Light, Refraction & Rainbows

Aug 19
Potluck

August 12
Turtles, Tortoises & YOU

August 5th
Honey, Bees & Wasps

July 29th
M&B 1 year anniversary

July 22
Inuit Culture & Games

July 15th
Bastille Day - French Independence

June 17th
Swedish MidSummerFest

June 10th
Catapults & Parachutes
Gravity & Lift

June 3rd
Our BodyGuards
Snot & Scabs

May 27th
Pollination, Fruit & Seeds

May 20th
Hawaii & Potluck Luau!

May 13
Ladybugs, Silkworms & Praying Mantis

May 6th
Knots, Pirates & Explorers

April 29
Earth Day Part 2

April 22
40th anniversary of Earth Day

April 15th
Japanese Girls' & Boy's Day

April 8th
Bridges, Cantilevers & Treehouses

April 1st
Magnetism part II: Physical Force of Nature

March 25
Magnetism part I: I'm attracted!

March 18th
Desert Life

March 11th
Global Timelines

March 4th
Spring Bling:
Worms, Dirt & Seeds

Plains Indians & Teepees 3/12

This was as a great parkday. Kids will built a Teepee with M&B Dad, Enrique as part of learning about Plains Indians and their relationship with bison.

Before written language became a part of the culture of Lakota and Dakota Indians (the word Sioux is a the last syllable of what an enemy tribe called the Lakota and Dakota which is why we no longer use that word), images were the best way to preserve history. Events were recorded in images on tents, shields, parfleches, clothing as well as the winter count that each tribe kept. Crow, Cheyenne, Pawnee and more. I picked the Shield craft as a fun way to bring more awareness and history to the children about the culture of Plains Indians.

I recycled pieces of leather into circles. The children used awls and sharpened chopsticks to make holes in the leather. Then they threaded the holes with synthetic animal tendon and tightened the leather around a metal ring. This looked like a miniature warrior’s shield. The plains indians, like Lakota, Cheyenne, Pawnee and more would initiate boys with a 4 day fast to help them discover the animal that would act as their guide, mentor and totem for the rest of their lives. This animal’s likeness would be painted upon the young man’s shield. After building their own shields, they then painted images upon them.

Enrique was amazing. Here he is painting a Navajo symbol for a Tipi on the outside of the tipi. Another child used a symbol for the Thunder bird near the tipi. After I told the children that the clouds that came from the West were giant, becasue they rolled back from the massive boundary of the Rocky Mts. These clouds and storms were ominous and as a result many tribes believed the spirits that created them were ThunderBird gods.

Add to what we learned this week, by following these links on Winter Counts and Ledger drawings. Or see ledger book drawings in real life, and an exhibit on the bead art of the Plains Indians at our Local Autry Museum ( Howling Wolf’s Ledgerbook). I’m looking to take a homeschooling group in two weeks.

CLick on the cover image for more info on the book above.

Inuit People & Carving 3/5

The next three parkdays will be devoted to the rich and interesting culture of Native Americans. This week we will explore the Inuit – the indigenous people who live in the Tundra and polar regions of Canada and USA. Inuit Proverb: May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp, and peace in your heart.

With long winter nights, there is much time to craft by lamp and now electricity. Sewing and making clothes from furs and carving or decorating bone and other items filled many of those hours. Everyone will get a chance to practice their hand at carving with bars of soap, as anything more dense and permanent would take too much time. I will supply the soap, if you can bring a table knife for each child (no steak knives please, just a normal table knife). Screwdrivers can also be a useful tool for this project.

There are many tales that have been shared at fires and over ice holes while Inuit fish. I will pick out one or two to share with the children. And if they prefer, they too can take part in the telling (as we did with how the Jade Emperor chose the animals for the Chinese Zodiac).

We also learned about the honored skill of Throat Singing which was outlawed for over a 100 years. The young Inuit are asking their elders to teach them before this unique aspect of their culture is lost forever. The same thing happened with Hula in the Hawaiin Islands.

Untitled-2 Inuit throat singers try to show their vocal abilities in a fun competitive manner and the first one to either run out of breath, stop or laugh is declared the loser of the game.

In the tundra of ice and snow with few trees or hills – everything looks the same. This makes it hard to determine which way to go if you are traveling even the shortest of distances. So rocks atop of each other become road signs and offer a way to send important a messages to fellow travelers and animals.

I will share about the purpose and difference between Inuksuks (rock markers) & Inunnguaqs! (markers in shape of a person)!

Debate: I’m Right, You’re Smart 2/26

This week, I am truly excited to share the fun and intrigue of DEBATE and help introduce children to the power of public speaking.

I believe that in a debate, everyone wins because of the work that goes into it. In preparation for a debate each participant researches, explores, and discusses both sides of a topic. So even if a child doesn’t perform in our M&B debate, they will have gained so much in preparing and supporting their teammates.

So for this week, the kids will practice Debating with this topic –

Should All Animals Live in the Wild?

Each child needs to have a good reason for both sides. Not a feeling.

Even if your child doesn’t end up speaking in front of everyone, help them prepare at least ONE valid point for BOTH sides of the discussion. Use library books, youtube, google or let them discuss ideas with an adult. That’s two reasons. No one will have to speak who doesn’t want to, but everyone should be prepared to help their teammates with their points.

Two things to keep in mind with ensuring kids have one Pro and one Con point. Firstly, debate is about the Art of the Argument which includes hearing both sides. Learning one on both sides helps you be a better listener as well as help you counteract the other opinions. More importantly, in concern for the sensitivity of our children’s emotions, we must help them consider perspectives that they may not believe in. Be gentle as you help them navigate feelings and ideas about being dis-genuine, misleading, or immoral. Some children will have no problem with alternating viewpoints and being prepared to “convince” someone of their point; whereas others will feel very false and emotionally bothered about being untrue.

John F. Kennedy said, “I think debating in high school and college is most valuable training whether for politics, the law, business, or for service on community committees(…). A good debater must not only study material in support of his own case, but he must also, of course, thoroughly analyze the expected argument of his opponent. The give and take of debating, the testing of ideas, is essential to democracy. I wish we had a good deal more debating in our educational institutions than we do now.” August 22, 1960

After your kids get the idea for debate preperation, don’t let them get frustrated if they can’t come up with ideas on their own. Here are some ideas to help them get inspired and motivated! I know they will have some really original ideas. I can’t wait.

Pros for animals ONLY living in Wild

1. State of Zoos

2. Separation of animal families

3. Proper habitats

4. Natural order before humans gained control

5. No experiments in labs

Cons for animals not only living in Wild

1. Protecting species from going extinct

2. Loving homes for pets

3. Allows more people to meet exotic animals encouraging people to protect

4. Inspires animal protection

Debate Events

This Spring, join me on a field trip to witness the Urban Debate’s National Championships, usually held in Washington DC, but this April 10-12 on the campus of USC.

Model UN is a wonderful secular debate style forum that recreates the UN and platforms best for our global neighbors. Some local chapters exist for homeschoolers.

How to help your child research…

It might take a lot longer, but it is invaluable to wait patiently as your child thinks of ideas to research. By giving children “our” ideas ALL the time, we undermine the very logic and critical thinking we are hoping to help hone. Many children gave up long ago sharing their original ideas if they were oftentimes rejected or demoted by someone else’s ideas. Maybe because the parent always offered a better solution. Or maybe we weren’t patient enough to wait until they found the right words to convey their reasoning.

The good news is that you can always start fresh and new. But not when it is the eleventh hour. YOU must practice being patient and being a listener when you have unlimited time.

For the example today, let’s use how to help your child research a debating point about animals in the wild.

1. Ask you child what they think about the topic. What is the first thing they think of. Your job here is to pause and look interested (fake it if you have to). Many kids are really good at stalling, if they know you are just waiting to jump in and give them an answer. Waiting for 2-5 minutes here might feel like an hour, but I have faith you can do it.

2. So after you have waited and still no response. Ask them again. Maybe even rephrase your query like this, “If you were in charge of all the animals on the planet, what would you do?” And then, you guessed it, wait another 5 minutes. If they see that you are not frustrated waiting and that you are not expecting any particular answer, they might stick their head out of their shell and attempt a bit of a response. It might be a few words, or a sentence. Some children might burst forth with a paragraph or two.

3. If your child offers one word, they might be testing to see if you will finish their sentence. Don’t fall for that trap. Smile and nod and wait for more. Offer a very interested, “hmmm.” It is about encouraging them and letting them feel valued for whatever they are considering and sharing. Sometimes the biggest consideration isn’t coming up with an answer to the question, but your reaction to it. If you are willing to listen to what they have to say… unconditionally, they will trust you and themselves more and focus more on the answer than the reaction to that answer.

4. So let’s be optimistic and say they came up with an idea, maybe two. Or maybe two that are mashed up together. Ask them what kind of fact might make that reason even more powerful. If they don’t understand what you mean, you can rephrase it a few times or use this example to illustrate your point. Use a different topic, so you are still honoring their opportunity to be the only one in the room to come up with answers. Use a similar discussion question instead, such as,… Should We Recycle Paper? And we all want to save trees. For that discussion, it might be a good idea to find out how many trees it takes to make a ton of paper. The answer from a website says, “it takes between 17 and 24 trees” that could be saved if we recycle paper. Ask you child if they think there might be an interesting fact that would make their point about animals in the wild. If they can’t that is okay. Take a moment to value their statement and reassure them it is a good one.

Then move on to explaining why they should also come up with an idea for the other side of the discussion. And go through the whole process again. I bet at least half of the kids will spontaneously think of a fact for their first point while they switch tracks to the new reason.

If your child comes up with an idea, ask them where they think they might find more information on that topic. If it is a book, suggst you go to the library or look up in a reference book, dictionary or encyclopedia you have at home. If it is the internet, help them get on google or whatever search engine they want. Or is there a person they think might know more than they do you can contact.

Let’s say it is the computer. Ask them what words or question they should type in to get a list of possible sites that might hold the answer. Remember to be patient. if they don’t do something that you have seen them do a thousand times, act as patient as if this is the first time. Find a way to smile, laugh, make a joke. Keep the tension light and low. When you ask a question, be happy to wait for an answer. Help redirect them to the task if they get distracted, but don’t do it if you can’t be neutral and light about it.

Give them positive feedback each step and choice along the way. Don’t read everything for them. Let them sit in the chair, type in the words, determine which site to go to. And be patient, calm and the opposite of frustrated.

There are two goals here. One for them to find a fact or statistic. But more importantly, you are validating their mind and ability. The more it feels like they are doing what you want, the longer it will take to get to the day, when your child will do all of this research on their own.

Mudpies & Butterflies

Village Parkdays 12:00 pm – 4pm (or sundown)