Outing to Kommetjie and the Cape Peninsula

This week we had an outing to the Cape peninsula.  We first visited the The Bean People factory in Kommetjie with the homeschool group.  This gave us also the chance to meet an longstanding internet/facebook friend and her family.

The children enjoyed being part of the manufacturing process of these bath products for children.

For their birthdays they received a similar product and here they had the chance to make them the same sponge figures.

The sponge figures are made from white foam in a press, then all the different figures are sorted, coloured and inserted into capsules.

Joshua making a sprudel - bath salts with a sponge figure inside

These ladies pack 40 trays per day, that's about 1200 sprudels per day. 

Tumble drying the foam forms

Packaging and shrink-wrapping 

Afterwards each child received a goody bag with a sprudel and magical beans.

We then headed to the beach.  The surprise of the day was finding the Slangkop Lighthouse but were disappointed because we could not visit as it was closed for maintenance.  We plan to study South African Lighthouses later this year.

Play time on the beach is always a must and mom gets to pick up more shells and rocks.

We found bluebottles on the beach and discussed all sorts of stingers - box jellyfish and "those pink ones in Nemo".

Finding this piece of "jelly". So tomorrow we will be reading and searching for answers

The view from the mountains above Muizenberg from where we could see the whole False Bay up to Pringle Bay.  The interesting patterns in the sea are the waves coming in.  

Outing to Pretoria National Botanical Gardens

On Friday morning we had a lovely outing to the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens with the Pretoria North Homeschool group.  For the age group up to Grade 4 the theme was "Life in a Pond".  The older kids from gr 5 up did a more indepth study on the ecosystem surrounding the pond.  Maria was our guide and "teacher" for the younger group.

 Maria, explaining all the rules of the Garden.

Each child received a set of worksheets and at their own time could search for the animals in the ponds and streams in the Botanical Gardens.

 Crossing and studying a water stream.

A sheet with all possible animals / insects at the pond.

Simeon added tadpoles, bees and crabs on his sheet.

Joshua had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the ducks and other birds.

Simeon hard at work:  drawing a pond and plants

I love the way a child tries to overcome the different dimensions.

Sharing a rock

Individual attention of mom-teacher making a list of all things in and around the pond.

We also visited the waterfall and the wishing well but my hands were full, and I did not take any pictures.  This photo of Joshua was at a previous visit.

The weather was overcast and cool and we were very glad that the rain only started when we finished our picnic. 

The Pretoria National Botanical Gardens: (website)

This beautiful 76 hectare property is situated on the eastern side of Pretoria.  For directions visit the website here.   The website offers a good opportunity to plan an outing and to decide on what to do.  See this Virtual Tour that describes different areas.

There are many opportunities for studying different ecosystems in the Botanical Gardens.  There are short and longer hiking trails, a mountainous area, waterfall, grasslands, wetlands, and a Ndebele Traditional-use Garden and displays.  You could also visit the book shop, one of the two restaurants, and the Herbarium.

Thank you Joy for organising such a lovely outing.

Outing: Wonderboom and the Fort

After visiting the waterfall at Wonderboom in Pretoria-North, Simeon kept on nagging us that he wanted to see the fort.  That day I was recuperating from an heavy cold, and we just did not have the energy to walk / climb further up the mountain.

 Simeon and Joshua last year at the Wonderboom

So, when I heard about the outing to the Wonderboom to visit the fort with our "new" homeschool support group, I knew this was the opportunity to make a dream come true.  Simeon always asks us about all the landmarks we have visited or passed and I try to share as much of the history about them.

There were four forts around Pretoria, Klapperkop, Skanskop, Wonderboom and Daspoortrand, built before the Anglo Boer War.  See this Afrikaans article from The South African Military History Society. and an English article on Wikipedia.

On Friday morning we met at the Wonderboom in Lavender Road, Pretoria North.  There were 18 moms and "millions" of children :-)   Doesn't it sometimes seem that way when children mingle, run around and play?  The route is well marked - to the fort or to the waterfall and paved with rock.  At first it climbs through the trees but then reaches the grassveld at the top of the mountain.  We had a beautiful view of Pretoria, first north of the mountain and then, on the other side to the south and the city centre. 

     

View to the North of the Magalies mountain

First view of the Wonderboom fort.

When I last visited this fort the doors were not painted and were flat on the ground.

It was such a surprise to see that the fort is well maintained.

View from above, and below a photo when still in use.

Inside the fort, and below the floor plan

 

Joshua in the stables

Two energetic girls exploring and enjoying every opportunity.

A hole in the wall used by the birds for nesting.

Simeon in a beautiful corner outside the fort.

Pretoria to the south of the Magalies mountain - towards Church Square.

A tired Simeon waiting for his mom and brother to catch up.

I'm very proud of them as they both walked up and down the mountain, a round trip of 2,8 km.

We had a lovely picnic and chat with the other moms afterwards and the children enjoyed playing so much they did not want to leave, mom just did not have energy to take any more photos.

At home Simeon drew the fort for his dad and when we left for speech therapy Joshua did the same.

Childrens Mission and Prayer day at OM

Together with our homeschool support group we attended the OM (Operation Mobilization) Children's Mission day this morning.

 Introduction in the tent, decorated with the flags of different countries. 

Each child got a passport and we were part of the orange team

We learned facts about the country and had an opportunity to pray

for Turkey - a musl1m country.

 Many of the children remembered the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but did not know that 3 earthquakes hit the country every day.  Most are not even noticed.  They also had to try to eat sweets with chopsticks.

Thailand is a Buddhist country.  Monks are revered and even their parents have to bow down very low  before them.  The people of Thailand love their king and queen and small children are taken to the palace to meet the monarchs.  Do not bring the gospel to them in an argumentative way as they do not like that.

Somalia is a poor country and plagued by famine, drought and war since 1991.

 In Ivory Coast lots of children are abducted and sold as slaves.

The passports "stamped" with by the countries visited.

We had a lovely picnic lunch afterwards, but no photo taken :-(

Last Saturday we also attended the OM Missions Training base's "Pray for the World day" as a family.  The program was similar and the students had a chance to introduce us to life in "their" country.

 Looking in on life in "Indian" family home.

We also had an opportunity to taste some of the traditional foods.

Praying for Kazakstan.

I hope to use a similar idea at our family meal table to lead our children in prayer for other countries and missionaries.