Yesterday was our annual Homeschool Field Day. As I reflect back, over the past 5 years we have had 40 different children make the trek out to our house to enjoy Field Day with us. One year we even had D stay home from school so that she could participate as well!
Field Day began for the same reason that our annual Valentine's Day Party began, (post about that is here: http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/02/annual-valentines-day-parties-special.html ). When Noelle & Micah left school to be homeschooled they wanted to keep celebrating the 'special days' that they had celebrated at school. Sometimes Field Day is just for fun and sometimes we add an educational theme.
It will be difficult for me to not put 1,000 pictures in this post!! Field Day is chaos but there are a lot of really fun moments for the kids. And the grown-ups! Yesterday we had two moms participate in the pudding feeding contest & some of the relays & the egg toss too!! Also, in between the chaotic moments & the herding of the children moms get a chance to talk with old friends and make new friends and talk about their shared interest - homeschooling, as well as other things too.
I have found that simple, old-fashioned games are easy to do with kids and are well-received. I think of them as Sunday School Picnic-type games. Plus, it is likely one of the only times each year that the kids play games like that. I know that is true for my kids! We don't pull out the Field Day pillowcases for sack races, even though we certainly could!
Egg Toss & Pie Eating Contest are favorites! This year I couldn't find any blueberry pies, and they make for the best pictures! Noelle was trying to find one good thing about the fact that our friends, (& the oldest students at Field Day), Max & Evan, couldn't come this year. She came up with: It will give someone else a chance to win the longest distance for the egg toss! They get so, SO far apart and yet manage to keep catching the egg!
Maybe the 'most favorite' thing we do each year is have a water balloon fight! Yesterday, during the fight, I whispered to a mom, "I think it's worth it!" and she said, "YES!"
One of the challenges in planning Field Day is having a day that provides fun for preschoolers and also for 8th graders! Relay races seem to fit into that criteria. They are also 'old-fashioned', Sunday School picnic-type games. The older ones will often help the younger ones with the races. The older ones seem to like it, especially if they are competing against a sibling or a kid about their age. The young ones just think it's fun!
I always tell the kids that participation in any game is voluntary. (This is especially helpful because I always try to have at least one or two food games or messy games!) Homeschool Field Day is a no pressure zone!!
Last year my desire to have the older kids want to come & not to feel like "little kids" played heavily into my planning. I decided to have the older kids come to my house a little early & help me set up. It was a Carnival-themed Field Day and the older kids ran 'booths' for me while the younger kids played the games. This worked out really, really well. (I have SO many good pictures from last year!) The Carnival theme was well received & probably was a Field Day that will never be topped, in a way! I feel that the Lord really guided me in my planning and it worked out well for little ones and the older ones, which was my goal.
For 2012 we had a Summer Olympics theme. That was fun too! That year I had stations for kids to rotate to, with their assigned group. Most of the students made flags and shared about a country. Our food was made with different countries in mind. It was fun!
Our animals are also a Field Day draw. Many of our homeschooling friends have their own animals, but most don't have goats! This year the very night before Field Day we had baby ducks hatch! This is a first for us! I didn't allow the children to catch & hold them, as mama duck is raising them and still sitting on a few eggs. But we did get to peek & that was a treat.
As I mentioned, I like to throw in some food games, some gross games, unusual games, something to keep the kids saying, "Eww! Remember when we did...." Every so often I try one that I regret doing (!) but for the most part, they are just FUN! Hopefully there aren't any children who think our house is Party Time 24/7, because it absolutely is not!! Although I do love a good party!
(I did not get a picture of these two lovely moms shaving on my lawn yesterday!!)
Families bring food to share, sometimes centered around a theme. I always ask my kids after Field Day what they liked & if anything was hard & what could we do better about next time. This year the time just flew by for me. I'm not sure if it did for everyone else. I wish I had done a better job of 'crowd control' because I wasted some time that way. This year, afterwards, my kids mentioned to me that they would have loved more time 'hanging out' with friends. Lunch time was just too short, they said! I agree!
As I mentioned, sometimes we have an educational element. We have shared book suggestions for summer reading. We have shared art & crafts. This year we had some kids share about 'A Good & Healthy Life." I also took the opportunity to teach them a bit about goats & milking & even hoof trimming!
One of my very favorite things about homeschooling events/gatherings, is watching the different age groups interact, help each other, pitch in. Homeschoolers aren't as likely to segregate by age as schooled kids are. It's good for all of them. It's good for the olders. They get to set an example for the younger kids. They contribute & I know my kids get a lot of joy from this. It's good for the younger kids too!
Each & every Field Day has been well worth the effort.
Oh, I make plenty of mistakes. It is often in my intent to make each child feel welcome & wanted that my awkwardness takes over & I stick my foot in my mouth or say something that doesn't come across very well! I've inadvertently forgotten to invite people that I intended to invite. I've overlooked something or someone. I've said things I shouldn't have.
But overall, by far, actually, Field Day has been a very positive experience for my kids. And for me too. It's helped me see our home in a more positive light, when at times I struggle with that. We really do have a beautiful setting. Sometimes I am clouded by where and what I lack, personally.
Wish I weighed less.
Wish I had a cleaner house!
But these moms who come - they've been great. They pitch in & don't seem to mind my never-clean oven or the fact that their children will very, very likely touch something gross at my house!! my husband pitches in too. BIG time! (Thanks, hubby!)
I love children. Seriously. I love having them at my home. I wouldn't want each encounter to be a Field Day, but we have made some good, good memories. Friendships have been strengthened and forged. I am certain that Field Days will go down in the memories of my children as some of their favorite childhood memories. Time well spent.
Added Bonus: After all this, my kids should definitely know how to throw a party!!!
In fact, I think the party D & Noelle threw last summer was at least partially inspired by Field Days!
