Visualize the first breaking of the field in the spring, the preparation of the soil for sowing, bringing of the seed corn from winter storage, the planting, cultivating, and growth of the crop. Watch the ripening, the cutting, shocking, husking, hauling and storing into barns.
Now follow the corn to the mill and through the processes of manufacture until it arrives on the table as corn flakes, syrup or corn bread.
Do this with the other crops. Follow the wheat until it is bread. The buckwheat to the steaming hot cakes. The same can be done with the stock on stock farms. The different kinds of farming can be used for variety. The great wheat farms present different pictures from the usual diversified ones.
The fruit orchard presents an interesting picture to work with. The spraying, the cultivating, irrigating, and all the process from the blossoming to the picking, sorting, packing, transportation and sale.
This same plan can be followed with all industries and manufacture of any article. Take the ore from the mine to the steel in the building or battleship. The oil from the well to gasoline in the auto tank. The automobile from metal, wood, leather and rubber to the picnic in the woods.
The Growing Plant
To visualize the growth of a seed or plant is interesting and helpful. Prepare the soil, plant the seed, see the little hair roots start out from the seed, the first green sprout, the breaking of the soil, the gradual growth, the leafing, branching, budding, and flowering. Hold your mind upon all pictures which you are visualizing. Direct it consciously, do not let it wander. Use motion, color, vividness of detail, everything that will aid concentration.
For this exercise younger children can use the making of a kite, building of a sand castle or doll house; a Hallowe'en party; a trip to the woods. Let him start with the well-known and familiar and lead him up to the unknown, which will develop a desire upon his part for more definite knowledge of the subject.
The chief factor in observation and in acquiring knowledge is Attention and Concentration. These can be produced by curiosity and the desire to excel, which is found in the love of competition and the game spirit. A good example of concentration is found in the juggler or acrobat on the vaudeville stage or in the circus. The ability to concentrate will grow with the doing of the exercises and playing games such as are mentioned here.
Any exercises or games which will result in improved ability to concentrate and pay attention are valuable. Play the games with the child, use any method or idea which suggests itself if it gets results. Give the child a conscious realization of the possession and value of this power. See to it that he continues to develop it.