Give Me the Wild Children

This poem, “Give Me the Wild Children” by Nicolette Sowder has a sentiment shared by many:

“Give me the wild children
with their bare feet and
sparkling eyes. The restless,
churning climbers. The wild
ones using their outside
voices, singing all the way
home. Give me the wonder-filled
glorious mess makers
dreaming of mountains
and mud, aching to run through
a field of stars.”

In the book, Bringing the Outside In, Sandra Duncan and Jody Martin offer a suggestion to help children enjoy a sensory experience that could be relaxing at times and sometimes stimulating: “Playing with clay…can be very relaxing…what makes it more so is giving the experience the additional sensorial element of smell…Research has found that certain odors increase the ability to learn, create, and are calming to both children and adults… lavender, chamomile, orange and rose make you feel more relaxed…Scents like peppermint, basil, lemon, cinnamon, and rosemary help you to be more alert…

Add a few drops of scented oils or fresh herbs to clay. Children might like to experiment with a mixture of herbs and spices to achieve a smell that is stimulating or calming to them.”

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