Well, technically it hasn't sprung quite yet... but as far as we're concerned at our house, it's here in spirit.
We've been enjoying circle time and craft activities from the Spring Seasons of Joy curriculum. I've mentioned it here before--it's a wonderful nature-based preschool curriculum for anyone wanting something very gentle for their little one.
Spring playdough: pink for flowers and yellow for Mr. Sunshine. I had the grand idea to put essential oils in the playdough, so now the yellow playdough smells like lemon-scented cleaner. Oh well. My plan was to only make yellow playdough, but then someone was determined to have her favorite color (which we scented with rose oil, which smells rather interested when combined with the odor of salt-dough).
Painting Sunshine pictures with yellow watercolor.
Last fall we planted bulbs. We talked about how the "root babies" would sleep all winter, nice and cozy under the ground covered by blankets of snow. Well, they are coming up! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am delighted that now we have three or four little shoots of green peeking out in various parts of the flowerbed.
A wonderful little book, very popular in Waldorf education circles. Mother Earth wakes up the root children, who have been sleeping all winter long. They sew bright, colorful clothing for themselves, then paint the ladybugs, bees etc. in their bright colors. Finally, they get to go up to the ground, sporting their new clothes (each one representing a different kind of flower). As flower children, they play all spring and summer in the woods and meadows, until the weather gets cold in the fall, when Mother Earth calls them back down under the ground to get ready for bed for the winter.
And my attempt at craftiness: the Earth Mother and the Root Children out of wool, for our nature table.
Our early spring nature table. The colored silks represent the changing of the earth from brown to green in spring. The branches are from our flowering pear tree, and we are forcing them to bloom. Hopefully in a few weeks, they will have blossoms for us.
Spring playsilks, newly dyed with food coloring. (The easiest project ever!)
We've been enjoying circle time and craft activities from the Spring Seasons of Joy curriculum. I've mentioned it here before--it's a wonderful nature-based preschool curriculum for anyone wanting something very gentle for their little one.
Spring playdough: pink for flowers and yellow for Mr. Sunshine. I had the grand idea to put essential oils in the playdough, so now the yellow playdough smells like lemon-scented cleaner. Oh well. My plan was to only make yellow playdough, but then someone was determined to have her favorite color (which we scented with rose oil, which smells rather interested when combined with the odor of salt-dough).
Painting Sunshine pictures with yellow watercolor.
Last fall we planted bulbs. We talked about how the "root babies" would sleep all winter, nice and cozy under the ground covered by blankets of snow. Well, they are coming up! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am delighted that now we have three or four little shoots of green peeking out in various parts of the flowerbed.
A wonderful little book, very popular in Waldorf education circles. Mother Earth wakes up the root children, who have been sleeping all winter long. They sew bright, colorful clothing for themselves, then paint the ladybugs, bees etc. in their bright colors. Finally, they get to go up to the ground, sporting their new clothes (each one representing a different kind of flower). As flower children, they play all spring and summer in the woods and meadows, until the weather gets cold in the fall, when Mother Earth calls them back down under the ground to get ready for bed for the winter.
And my attempt at craftiness: the Earth Mother and the Root Children out of wool, for our nature table.
Our early spring nature table. The colored silks represent the changing of the earth from brown to green in spring. The branches are from our flowering pear tree, and we are forcing them to bloom. Hopefully in a few weeks, they will have blossoms for us.
Spring playsilks, newly dyed with food coloring. (The easiest project ever!)I am so happy that spring is on its way! I've decided that I love the idea of winter more than I love the reality of winter. We did some yard cleanup on Saturday, and I can't wait to get out and plant the garden.
I am really loving the Waldorf focus on presenting science and nature in imaginative ways. The Story of the Root Children is a perfect example of this. Sariah, has been loving talking about Mr. Sun, Brother Wind, etc. and never before have we discussed what happens to the little seeds all winter long. Nature has been coming alive for us!
Comments