Kids Origami Game and Tralee Harvest Picnic

Have spent the week unpacking and sorting after last Sundays Harvest Picnic, I had to catch up on housewifey/motherly duties. On wet and windy days, trying to amuse the child, in a non electronic way, can be tough. But sometimes the simplest ideas, the old ideas, are still the best. Remember these?

I made several of these with the child and his friends, and in doing so made several observations. Making these requires making clean folds, and, therefore,concentration. Precise folds, the essence of origami, are a great indicator of hand/eye concentration, and well, simple listening skills. Its also about simplifying moves. Make a wrong fold and the paper permanently creased, wont work as well. It took making a few before the kids got it; that slow precise moves were better than fast rough ones. However they got well stuck in, becoming more precise with each one. Using them is also incredibly good for dexterity of the fingers, at first they couldn't use them, but after about 10mins, they were pros.

We all wrote different things inside them, and, funnily enough, mine was the rudest. I wrote things in it like you're a smelly pants, the worst thing the kids wrote was 'bad luck'.. but that will probably change once I'm out of range...I'll probably be able to get another week out of these before I have to come up with something else, 'from the old days, back when I was a kid' as the kids refer to my childhood.

We're off today to another Harvest Picnic! Transition  Kerry are hosting their foody day, and well, they are pros. Incredibly well organised, efficient, and downright revolutionary in their action plans. A fantastic group, and some lovely people. It'll be a fun afternoon.