children and the wind

  My daughter reminded me of what a good friend the wind can be. We were taking the clothes off the line as a storm moved in. Huge gusts of air swept the sheets dramatically above her head and then released them  with a satisfying snap when she least expected it. What excitement!

 The rain hadn't begun, so I set off for other nearby chores and left her to run, giggle, and shout with the wind. This post is dedicated to all children who've delighted in the relief of a cool summer breeze and opened their arms wide to embrace a full gale before ducking inside for cover.

 Wind velocity is measured on a scale of 0-12, known as the Beaufort scale. Sir Francis Beaufort, a British Admiral, devised a method for determining wind speed in the early 1800's. We still use it today, but have adapted it to miles per hour. My kids and I have been talking about the different kinds of wind each day and determining what number we think it actually is at any given moment. I find the scale to be quite poetic. For instance a 2 ( 4-6 knots: light breeze) is described as:
sea- small wavelets, crests glassy, no breaking
land- wind felt on face, leave rustle, vanes begin to move
Of course, wind can be quite fierce, but here are some ideas  for its gentler side:
 pinwheels
my favorite easy kite
wind chimes
bubbles

These are some books we've enjoyed. The first two are old favorites. The last two have been new library discoveries.
Gilberto and the Wind
The Wind Blew 
Who Likes the Wind
Feel the Wind

Wind is quite magical, don't you think?

The Spring Wind

The summer wind
is soft and sweet
the winter wind is strong
the autumn wind is mischievous
and sweeps the leaves along.

The wind I love best
comes gently after the rain
smelling of spring and growing things
brushing the world with feathery wings
while everything glistens,and everything sings
in the spring wind
after the rain.
-Charlotte Zolotow