This was an optional project suggested to go along with Norah's K4 home school curriculum: a diorama of a Native American campsite. The curriculum provided the Native American figures for us, but it would be easy enough for other families to find Indian clip art online. We collected the materials together and worked on this in any spare time we had for about three days. As crude as this looks, it was not easy to make!

Of course, I had to help Norah cut and glue the biggest pieces to make the background, etc., but I let her do as much of it as she could and make as many decisions as possible about the colors and design. You can't see it, but Norah colored the Indian girl's hair green and that makes her "the prettiest." And, the tree is pink because it is "fall." To all this I say, "Okay..." This model is her new favorite toy.

During her DVD school's story time, she is hearing stories about a little Indian brother and sister and their daily adventures. In one of the stories, the two siblings went berry picking. I left Norah alone for a few minutes the other day and came in to find that, in addition to the puppets we made together, she had made two free standing berry bushes to add to the set, so her "kids can go berry picking." I was very proud.

And, even more recently, she has added a second fire pit "just for the kids" (with sticks and rocks she gathered when her dad was cutting the grass), horses (from her doll house and other toy sets) and snow (from torn up cotton balls she got out of the bathroom), all entirely on her own!