A Trip to Morocco

Our trip around Africa took us to Morocco, where the kiddies had their hands tattooed with Henna (we looked at Morocco on the map, listened to Moroccan music all morning, danced, discussed and I used my eye-liner for the designs - hey!  It's almost the same as a full trip to North Africa!)

We discovered that Moroccan Henna designs are more geometric than Indian ones.  There wasn't much hand washing going on throughout the day, it has to be said and they enjoyed showing them to their friends at their dance and gym lessons.

My most favourite boy in the whole wide world is recovering from a nasty bout of tonsillitis.  He has rested a lot this week, but joined in with sand and camel play :)

Design Engineering with Boxes

The kiddies finished their masks this morning. 'Love them!

We talked about poverty today and its impact on communities in various African countries.  On a basic level we discussed the cycle of lack of education and low-paid jobs = further poverty.  We also chatted about clean drinking water issues, reduced access to medical care and drought and famine problems brought on by civil wars and government corruption.  

With this in mind,  the children designed and created inventions that might help a community struggling with one of the aforementioned problems.  They came out with some great ideas, and some cool and wacky inventions including...

...A Water Filter System

A Sound Identifier for the African Bush.

 A Rain Catcher and Water Purifier

A Bucket for a Well (complete with lid for ease of transport)

A Sand Blaster (to blast insects off of the sand - My Boy invented that one - he's insanely cute.)

We have some attractive African jewellery which the kiddies have in their play box for role-playing...

...My Boy used the jewellery for inspiration to make an African keyring (please note the giraffe pasta shape).

Monkey Girl makes great bracelets from scratch with wool and beads.  She has taught herself all sorts of funky ways to plait the wool and I am in awe of how she does it.

Crayon & Water Colour Zebras and the Beginning of African Masks

Today Monkey Girl and Ballet Girl made these awesome zebras with white crayon and black water colour paint.  I stole this fabulous idea from this cool website.  

We began forming our African masks this morning using foil, PVA glue and tissue paper.

Monkey Girl added some big cat facts to her Africa book.

And Ballet Girl completed her Guide to Africa.  

Lent

 We put our Alleluia away in our Lent box until Easter Sunday...

...And we used pink and purple paint...

...to make our Lenten promises.