Today we have Becca of Cedar Ring Circle

One of the areas I’ve grown the most in my homeschooling “skills” has been in how I handle the
little ones during lessons with my first grader.  I began the year hoping that a bin or two of
“special toys” that only came out during lessons would buy me some uninterrupted time.  Once
in a while it did, but more often than not, the little ones are enthralled with whatever big brother
and mama are doing!   As the year progressed, I found that shifting my perspective from “how
can I get some time alone to do lessons with my oldest?” to “how can I incorporate my little
ones as often as possible?” has helped me more than anything else.

The thing is, the little ones should feel welcome, and they do need me.  We are homeschooling
to be together as a family, not to duplicate the isolation of age-segregated school systems.
Having them around us helps them learn patience, waiting turns, and respect (not interrupting
others’ conversations, especially).  Learning these things, by default, means they have not yet
mastered them.  But holding that thought in my mind- that they are still learning- helps me to be
patient and meet them where they are at.

I often find that after the initial first few minutes of a lesson, smaller children will wander off
and play. There are naturally curious and the excitement of starting something new or figuring
out just what mom and big brother are up to is tantalizing, and once their curiosity is sated they
are content to play nearby. Human nature is such that they are more likely to wander off and
play if they feel welcomed than if they feel unwelcomed. I also know that when I am done with
a lesson, the little ones have often made a BIG mess of the toys, blankets, and such.  When I
accept it and am thankful for the time they spent playing happily, things remain peaceful in our
home.

Here are some more tips from the trenches that have worked for me over the course of the
year:

• Spend time with the little ones first. Ten or fifteen minutes of attention usually fills
  their cup, and then they are off the play on their own. Or, if they are old enough, begin
  your time with a kindergarten-style story time and give them free access to the story props
  while you move on to a main lesson time with the older child. They may become absorbed
  in acting out and imitating what they just listened to.
• Keep lessons in smaller segments when toddlers are present. I originally planned to do
  larger blocks of time, but found that a series of short lessons with small breaks in between
  works much better.
• Create a “theme” for each week or month- for instance, “snowflakes”.  Work this into
  your main lesson as much as possible, and weave in some kindergarten activities that
  encompass the smaller children as well.  When they start needing attention, introduce one
  of these planned seasonal or theme activities so they feel involved.
• Stay in your rhythm.  Lessons may not start at the exact same time every day, but they
  should fall into the same order (i.e., after breakfast is cleaned up). Then everyone knows
  what to expect and less resistance is encountered.  As you continue to do things the same
  way each day, small children come to expect what is next and are even proud of taking the
  initiative to begin the next activity on their own.  My two year old and wiggly four year old
  have grown leaps and bounds in their ability to play nicely or sit quietly during reading time
  as the year as progressed and we have been consistent.
• Make sure everyone is well-fed.  Low blood sugar = bad news!
• Keep your homeschooling area/table clean and neat, and provide a basket of
  modeling wax as well as crayons or colored pencils and paper wherever you are doing
  lessons.
• If things are going poorly and you can possibly do the lesson outside, take it outside.
• Divide and conquer.  If you have two little ones who are not getting along, find them
  separate spaces. Then give them something to look forward to- tell them what you will do
  with them when you are finished with your lesson.  This is not bribery, it is give and take.
  You are asking them to do something on their own which, developmentally speaking, is not
  especially easy… and in return, you are offering something to help carry them through the
  challenge.
• Build your main lesson time into their current favorite storyline.  For instance, my
  little ones have been playing “avalanche”, where they sit at the top of the stairs and throw
  down the stuffed animals, then rescue them and begin again.  So I’ll tell them that big
  brother and I are going to go to school and do our lessons where the avalanche can’t
  reach us, and we’ll be back to play with them soon.

Modeling wax cat and ball whipped up quickly to amuse little ones during a main lesson.

Doing lessons by the creek- the little ones splash and play while my oldest counts by threes,
using rock piles stacked three tall.

We also count by threes on strawberry plants- nature offers so many opportunities for learning,
and learning outside is often so much easier, since little ones find so many ways to keep busy!

Some days are just not easy, and need an extra special grace on mom’s part.  These are the
days when two little ones keep squabbling over toys, or trying to climb all over me, or acting in
ways that lets me know they need attention (what a less enlightened me might have called
“naughty” before I understood gentle parenting!). What to do on these days?

• Just love them. They are only little once.  This mood/day/phase won’t last forever. There
  will be another day soon when they will play so well and for so long, you’ll have to keep
  peeking in on them to make sure they are still alive!  Home education is about learning,
  and there are always opportunities to learn.  Sometimes we learn something different than
  I expected we would, and we come back to the original plan on a day that is going more
  smoothly.
• Meditate on it. At bedtime, ask their angels for help.  Pray for wisdom.  Go to sleep holding
  that question of how you can shift things.  This always brings great inspiration to me, and
  opens new doors of understanding what my younger children really need. Sometimes I find
  the answer is simply I am trying to do too much or get too elaborate with our lessons and
  “keeping it simple” will mean a calm, happy learning environment- a springboard for my
  son to take inspiration from and build on himself.
• Ask for help. If you really need help because you have gotten behind, ask grandma, auntie,
  or your partner to take a little one (or two) out for a few hours while you play catch up
  with your older child.  Or, find an unconventional time (we have used an evening when Dad
  is home or weekend time) to make up lessons after being sick or traveling.  You are
  wearing many hats as a homeschooling mom- don’t be afraid to ask for the help you need,
  or think outside the box to juggle your tasks!You can visit Becca at her blog CedarRingMama or join Cedar Ring Circle Waldorf Buying Co-op
  and the hundred + other families who are ordering affordable, environmentally
  supportive supplies every month.

Thanks Becca for this wonderful post !

Love to hear your thoughts on this subject ,please say hi or leave a comment below.

Donna

Recently, my girls were listening to the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
series on audiobook (once again!) and since we were in the car,
I listened along as well.

I am always inspired by some of her “cures” and wished she lived in
my town

But this one chapter struck me relly hard and I thought- we should all
be parenting like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle!

Here is an excerpt:

“Of course the reason that all children in our town like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
is because Mrs. Piggle Wiggle likes them. She likes children, she enjoys talking
to them and best of all they do not irritate her.

When Molly O’Toole was looking at the colored pictures in Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s
big dictionary and just happened to be eating a candy cane at the same time and
drooled candy cane juice on the pictures of gems and then forgot and shut the book
so all the pages stuck together, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle didn’t say, “Such a careless little girl
can never look at the colored pictures in my big dictionary again.” Nor did she say, “You
must never look at books when you are eating.” She said, “Let’s see, I think we can steam those
pages apart, and then we can wipe the stickiness off with a little soap and water.-like this- now see,
its just as good as new.

When Marilyn Matson who was helping Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle serve tea dropped and broke
her brown teapot she said, “That’s the luckiest thing I’ve ever known- you didn’t get a drop
of hot tea on you and you broke that nasty teapot with the leaky spot that I’ve hated for fifteen
years. Tomorrow I’ll go to town and buy a new one- I think I’ll get pink and I’m going to test the spout.

“But what about the tea?” said marilyn wiping her tears on her sleeve. “Make it in the coffee pot.”
said Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle “and we’ll call it toffee.”

Another nice thing abot Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, when a child makes her a present no matter
how splotchy or crooked it might be, she uses it and keeps it where everyone can see it.

Julie Ward knitted Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle a scarf that was about ten yards long and two inches wide and
when Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle opened the box she didn’t say, “My, Julie you must have had a giraffe in mind
when you made this scarf.” Instead she said, “You know Julie this is much too pretty to wear as a scarf
and keep tucked inside my coat. I’m going to wear it as sash.”

So many times we are distracted and hurried that when things get knocked or spilled we react

in such a dramatic way. Would we say the same thing if our friend was over and knocked over
her glass of water? Or would we just get it cleaned up and say ‘It’s only water, glad it didn’t soak your
pants.”

In the Peace of Mind Parenting training I am doing we are learning to put the relationship
between me and my child first.

It really boils down to us being conscious moms (parents) and taking a moment to determine
how we want to react instead of just to react out of anger, annoyance, frustration etc..

We should consider our child’s feelings in any situation and not dismiss them for silly,
or overreactions, or “How you could possibly think that?!” statements.

This may be easier than it sounds and will require practice. But, guess what?

Our little sweeties will always give us many, many opportunities to practice

Would love to hear your comments and thoughts below- please share with me!

Donna

Today we have Jennifer Tan of Syrendell

Scheduling handwork projects by the season is a nice way to make sure that you are including handwork regularly into your home rhythm. The key to success is to plan well in advance, and to learn something new each year either on your own, as a family, or with a co-op group. Planning during the Summer time is a great way to keep your handwork projects flowing throughout the school year. Here are some handwork ideas that you may do as a family, as homeschoolers, or in co-ops.  Summer: A time for celebrating the the sun, Summer Solstice, St. John’s Day, and planning for the next school year!

 1. Plan! Make a calendar. Look at blogs and books for inspiration.

2. Purchase, trade, make, or borrow supplies: wool roving, needlefelting tools, knitting needles, crochet hooks, weaving looms, spindles, felt, yarn, plant dyes, embroidery threads, needles, fabric, carders, etc.

3. Plant dyeing or tie-dyeing outdoors

4. Take a class and learn something new to share with the family (sprang? kumihimo? lucet? glass bead fusing?)

 Autumn: A time to prepare supplies for the winter, and start beautiful projects showcasing the change in the weather, color of leaves, Autumn Equinox, Michaelmas, Halloween, All Saints Day, Martinmas

1. Card wool

2. If the weather is still warm, plant dye wool, yarn, silks and felt outdoors

3. Turn old watercolor paintings into start lanterns for Michaelmas or Martinmas and your nature table

3. Spin yarn for your winter projects or for holiday gifts

4. Sew garlands of autumn leaves and pumpkins for Halloween

Winter: A time of deep rest and perfect for hunkering down with quiet handwork projects that keep us warm and feature Winter Solstice, St. Lucia’s Day, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Divali, Christmas

 1. Knit, knit, and knit! Learn a new stitch or how to read a pattern each winter

2. Crochet, Tunisian crochet or create edgings for your knitted projects

3. Darn socks and mend clothes with needle and thread, or embroider decorative motifs onto clothing

4. Needlefelt St. Nicholas, St. Lucia, Queen and King Winter for the nature table

Spring: A time of hope and light, and the perfect time to switch from wools to cottons, celebrating St. Valentine’s, Candlemas, Easter, May Day, Spring Equinox    

1. Weave on looms or sticks with yarns and strings

2. Weave a basket with reeds

3. Wetfelt playscapes, book covers, tooth fairy pillows, flowers for the nature table

4. Fold window stars for the light coming through the windows!

Keep it simple and plan just one project per month. You can always add more at the last minute! Some projects will take longer than others, and that is OK. Keep a journal with pictures and samples, and add to it each year. Happy handworking!

**********

Jennifer Tan, MA is the owner of Syrendell. She leads fiber arts workshops, lessons, teleseminars, eCourses, and writes patterns and eBooks for homeschoolers, Waldorf families and others interested in learning more about handwork. Jennifer lives in beautiful Davis, California with her husband and 4 children, where she teaches choir, consults with homeschooling families, officiates weddings, and performs on flute.

You can contact Jennifer through her website www.syrendell.com (sign up for a free monthly e-newsletter), on Facebook www.facebook.com/syrendell, or through her etsy shop www.syrendell.etsy.com. The Tan family blogs abouttheir adventures at www.syrendell.blogspot.com and www.thewaldorfway.blogspot.com

Thanks Jennifer for this wonderful post !

Love to hear your thoughts, leave a comment below.

Donna

Here is a Video Article for you this week.

Welcome to Waldorf Mom Wisdom- our
new guest post feature

Today we have Kristie from Earthschooling

As a curriculum provider the question I hear the most is “how do I organize myself and/or my lessons?” or “Can you help me with my plan for the year?” Surprisingly, I find that most people who ask this question are actually over-planning or over-organizing. They are so motivated and inspired that they try to plan or organize too many activities in one day or they try to plan with an overly strict schedule. However, the wisdom in planning lies in the rhythm of the day and the depth of the lesson – two things you cannot express using a traditional calendar.

Rudolf Steiner did acknowledge that motivation and inspiration in the teacher is important. He said, “Reverence, enthusiasm, and a sense of guardianship, these three are actually the panacea, the magical remedy, in the soul of the educator and teacher.”

My top ten favorite planning methods are also inspired by Steiner. They are:

1. Start with “anchors” in the day. Steiner says, “It is owing to our limitations that a thing appears to us as single and separate when in truth it is not a separate thing at all.” We often perceive a schedule as something outside of ourselves but the beginnings of a schedule are naturally in place for most people. Look at what you already do naturally during the day and make those things your “anchors”. For example, if you start your morning with a walk then make that part of your schedule. If your children take a shower every evening make that your evening anchor.

2. Focus on the process instead of the result. Steiner says, “All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sounds. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature”. But how can we hear those sounds if we are so focused on the end result all the time? If you take some time to think about it a lot of “traditional” schoolwork, quizzes and exams are focused on the end result. Waldorf education focuses on the process. By making sure the child stays focused in the “now” and the task at hand a teacher might find that the child wants to spend hours on a lesson instead of minutes. Because of this any schedule that is created should allow some time-flexibility. Over-planning often restricts the child’s ability to “hear the sounds of nature”.

3. Take the temperament of the child and teacher into consideration. Steiner says, “To live in love towards our actions, and to let live in the understanding of the other person’s will, is the fundamental maxim of free men.” Each teacher needs to be aware that what inspires and motivates them may be different from what inspires and motivates their student(s). I’ve addressed this in detail in my book “The Temperaments and the Adult-Child Relationship”, available at www.TheTemperaments.com

4. Have a skeleton structure but don’t build it out entirely. Steiner says, “Unless we first permeate ourselves with the realization that only through the artistic can we penetrate into the realm of truth, there can be no question of acquiring a real understanding of the super-sensible world in accordance with the present age of the conscious soul.” Any planning you do should be like the skeleton structure of a house – just enough to hold the “idea” of the house. But you should leave the details up to the daily creativity and inspiration of the day.

5. Remember that a plan is something you go back to if you lose your rhythm. Steiner says, “Receive the children in reverence, educate them in love, and send them forth in freedom.” Don’t forget to add a little “freedom” into your lesson plans. Rhythm naturally happens when you use your anchors, focus on the task at hand, enjoy the process and have a skeleton structure. A written schedule is something that is useful to have on hand when your rhythm is not working or you feel a bit lost or the day is “just not going well”. However, it is not something to use when things are flowing nicely on their own. If things are going well without the “strict schedule” then keep going with the natural rhythm of the day!

6. Less is more. Steiner says, “Materialism has cast man into such depths that a mighty concentration of forces is necessary to raise him again. He is subject to illnesses of the nervous system which are veritable epidemics of the life of the soul”. We often think that we need more books, more tools, more crafting supplies or more of something to make our lessons “picture perfect”. However, some of the best lessons I’ve had with the kids have been done with acorns, sticks or simply paper and colored pencils. More supplies and books often create the need for more organization, more planning and more cleaning. These tasks can take away from the actual learning we do.

7. Rotate your daily rhythm with head-heart-hands. Steiner says, “Our task is to educate the human being in such a way that he or she can bring to expression in the right way that which is living in the whole human being, and on the other side that which puts him/her into the world in the right way.”  We need to make sure we address the “whole child” in the rhythm of the day. If our rhythm/schedule is heavily focused in the head it will create a bored child. If it is heavily focused on the “hands” it may create a distracted child and if the rhythm is heavily focused on the heart it may create a moody child.

8. Re-evaluate after a week or two. Steiner says, “Seek the truly practical life, but seek it in such a way that it does not blind you to the spirit working in it. Seek the spirit, but seek it not out of spiritual greed, but so that you may apply it in the genuinely practical life.” Whatever kind of schedule you decide on make sure you re-evaluate it every few weeks. Children grow, life changes and things that are not working “come to light” in a few weeks. The schedule must change to reflect this. If you create a schedule at the beginning of the year and try to use that same schedule the rest of the year without adjusting it, it will be unnatural and forced.

9. Have a Filing System that suits your style. Steiner says, “The important thing for us to remember is the diversity of our children and indeed of all human beings…” What works for your favorite blogger or for your sister or neighbor may not work for you. It is OK to try out a few different systems or methods. Just be sure you are re-evaluating (#8) in an honest way and don’t get attached to a system if it is not working for you or your student(s).

10. Last but not least – make sure you start with a good base curriculum. Earthschooling (www.Earthschooling.com) has been created for grades preschool through sixth grade (with many lessons for 7^th and 8^th graders available but not yet a complete curriculum) and is based on Waldorf methods in their original form. Steiner said that the child’s culture and country must be taken into consideration in their lessons. Following Steiner’s instructions, Earthschooling goes beyond the “four seasons” and “one-culture” and provides this required (but often forgotten in other curriculum) variety of options and flexibility to accommodate the Western child who lives in the fours seasons but also children from many different cultures and who live in different areas of the world. Earthschooling also provides lessons that go beyond the basics in wildlife education. Steiner’s original lesson suggestions assumed that his teachers had a great depth of knowledge about the natural world around them. However, in modern times we have often lost touch with that world. Earthschooling provides in-depth wildlife lessons as well as lessons about specific herbs to fill that gap. Earthschooling also realizes that the teacher is just as important as the lessons and provides an entire virtual “training course” for the parent/teacher in the form of e-books, videos and tutorials that instruct the teacher in skills such as water color painting, knitting, storytelling and more.

Kristie is offering a $15 discount on a year of Earthschooling (sale price $60.00 instead of 85.00).  Click HERE to order at the sale price.

She also has a giveaway going on until April 20th to win a copy of the book “The Temperaments and the Adult Child Relationship”.  To enter please visit www.TheBearthInstitute.com and tell her what your favorite page on the website is and why.

****

  You can visit Kristie at www.TheBEarthInstitute.com and www.Earthschooling.com where she designs content-rich Waldorf inspired lesson plans.

Thanks Kristie for this wonderful post and giveaway!

Love to hear your thoughts, leave a comment below.

Donna

This blog post/article was inspired by a mom who answered
my challenge question. When someone signs up on my site,
they are asked “What is your biggest challenge as a Waldorf-
inspired homeschooling family?”

I get a lot of the same answers about rhythm and organization, but
this week I received this.

“In one word:
EXHAUSTION”

I couldn’t stop thinking about this poor mom and wondering what
her circumstances are! Does she have 4 kids? A toddler and a
baby? A single mom? The list is endless, but the remedies are not.

Most of time when working with my personal clients and groups,
RHYTHM is what is lacking.

Without a solid foundation to your days and weeks, it is next
to impossible to feel calm, and have “free” time to spend
doing fun projects and to even consider homeschooling.

So, where do you start?

1) Environment- I like to start here because if there is a mess or
clutter that I see constantly, my mind keeps saying “you have to
clean that up” each time I see it.  It is an energy block to step
around things and have piles everywhere.

Tackle one room per week or do a super clean weekend (great time
for spring cleaning!) If you don’t love it and use it- get rid of it! Be
ruthless here and you will not regret it.  It will open space up for
new things you actually need and/or just free up all that clutter.

Also think about noise, smells and lighting in your home. Are there
strong artificial smells? Loud music, chatter or background noise?
Harsh lighting or no natural light? All these affect you and your
family’s environment.

2) Pick a few things that you really want to include in your days
(or weeks) and implement them.  Example:  morning walk, circle time
and afternoon story. Make sure you get these instilled in your rhythm
and stick to it.  If nothing else, make sure your top 3 are working
before you move on to other areas. This way you will feel you are getting
what you really want accomplished and you are beginning to see a rhythm
take shape during your days.

3) Have realistic expectations of what you can actually accomplish during
a day/week. A friend said to me, “Remember, we are human beings,
not human ‘doings’.” Let that sink in for a moment.

It’s not about how many things get crossed off your list.  Are you
present during the day for your child? Are you enjoying yourself?

I know there are tasks that seem mundane and repetitive, but we must
do them regardless, so why not use that time as a “mini-meditation”?
I love to wash the dishes when my husband puts the kids to bed.
I can go slow and think about the day as I wipe and dry.

4) Use a timer.  If you get “distracted” by checking emails or Pinterest (LOL)
and end up feeling guilty and waste away the morning, “allow” yourself 15 minutes
of pure pleasure and click away!  But, then when the alarm buzzes, it’s time
to stop and get on with other things.  This little device can be used for so
many things where we “can’t believe I spent an hour doing that”.  It’s great
for quick clean-ups too. I say we have 5 minutes- go! You would be amazed how
much you can get done (and enlist the kids) in 5 minutes.

Use a few of these ideas to get you started creating your rhythmic day!
For more info on rhythms and making it stick, http://thewaldorfconnection.com/rhythm/

Welcome to Waldorf Mom Wisdom- our
new guest post feature

Today we have Rebecca from Cedar Ring Circle and she has a giveaway
so read on to the bottom.

Birds, Buds, and Mudpies – Spring Nature Walks and a Giveaway
by Becca Richard

I love Waldorf education. I love infusing our days with reverence, wonder, and beauty, and
I love creating and celebrating with my family. But most of all, I love the emphasis on spending
time in nature. For many of us, the inclement weather of winter months can make it difficult to
“stay in our rhythm” when it comes to daily nature walks. As warm breezes begin to wake the
sleepers of the natural world, it is a perfect time to rekindle that wonderful Waldorf tradition
of providing as much outside time as possible for our children- with daily nature walks and outdoors play.

Do you have a walking route that you follow on a consistent basis? While it may seem
monotonous, I think walking the same path each day is great for strengthening the will and a
wonderful way to really “take in” the cycle of the seasons. Especially in spring, as things begin
to change rapidly, there are so many subtle (and not-so-subtle!) transformations in the
natural world that will delight young observers, and forever endear your little corner
of the earth to you and your children. Here are a few of the things we enjoy doing as we
walk our familiar stretch…

• Notice the birds. Are migratory birds returning to your area? Are local birds
  beginning to start nesting, preparing for new babies? This time of year, our lawns are filling
  with robins. The pond is visited by Canadian geese, who stop off to rest on their long journey.  They spook easily; we try to creep like quiet little mice when we get close, but they usually honk and fly away. We look for stray feathers to add to the nature table. I tell my children
  stories about “the littlest goose” who is excited to return to his summer home, or the
  mama robin who can’t wait to finish her nest and care for her eggs. In addition to watching,
  there are new bird songs to listen to. It’s a great time to borrow a bird book or Cd of bird songs from the library to help identify what you are seeing and hearing.

• Notice the buds on trees and bushes. Which ones are beginning to swell and bulge?
  If you have forsythia or pussy willow nearby, you can bring them indoors and submerge
  them in water. They will bloom early for you, and provide a little splash of color before many
  of the earliest spring flowers are blooming. I tell stories about the flower fairies, busy as bees
  visiting all the tree buds and whispering “It’s time to wake!”

• If there is a watery spot along your walk- a depression in a sidewalk or yard that tends to
  fill with water, a big rut in the road, a roadside drainage ditch, or a creek or pond- children
  love to measure the water with a stick (and splash in it a bit too!).  This is especially fun after
  a big rain. We also like to look for the little places water gathers for the bugs and fairies to drink;
  perhaps in the crook of tree limbs, or on a leaf on the ground.
  

• On days when it is drizzling, we don our raincoats and head out regardless.
  We look for places we think the birds, bugs, and wee people may be hiding and
  trying to stay cozy and dry. We love the book Where Do They Go When It Rains?, by Gerda Muller.

•  Identify the plants that are springing up or blossoming. Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower
  Fairies books are wonderful for identifying seasonal flowers and offering a bit of seasonal
  rhyme to share. We also love our field guide on weeds, which helps us identify roadside flora.

In addition to our nature walk, which for us is about a half-mile down the road to the neighbor’s
pond, I also make sure to take my children to the woods *at least* once a week. I think this is especially
important if you live in an urban or suburban area where your nature walk is mostly sidewalks and
public areas. It is so wonderful for children to be able to explore “the unbeaten path” and be able to
run a bit, without worrying about trampling the neighbor’s tulips or getting too close to the road.
Sometimes our time in the woods is completely unstructured; it is meditative for me as a mother,
and my children always find creative ways to interact with the landscape.

My older son, who is almost seven, loves to balance on logs (don’t worry, the water is very shallow!).

My younger son, who is four, has a lot of physical energy to release. He likes to find old,
decaying logs or stumps and help nature out a little, speeding up the decomposition process!

He really pulled, kicked, pushed, and whacked that stump to bits! Before he demolished it,
we checked carefully to make sure it wasn’t home to any woodland animals.

My daughter, who is two, loves to watch her older brothers, and really loves leaves. If we are near
the creek, she will drop them in the water and watch them float away. Or, she will pick them up,
examine them, and tear them into tiny shreds.

Sometimes we head to the woods and I have more of a plan. It may be a story to tell as
they gather around me and we sit on fallen logs, something we are looking for (the wild leeks
will be emerging soon!), or, like yesterday, an activity. We had so much fun creating a mudpie
restaurant for the gnomes!

Whenever I am at a thrift store, I keep an eye out for mudpie kitchen essentials- interesting pie pans,
tins, and pots as well as good digging utensils. I brought a bagful to our favorite spot in the
woods- the “Fairy Lagoon”, and we set to work!

Here is mine…

After finishing our pies, we set up tables and chairs using creek bed rocks. The children really
enjoyed this; it was so cute to watch my two year old and four year old sit at their table and talk
about their meal, as if they really were at a restaurant! My oldest son pretended to be one of the gnomes,
and when we left of course we had to leave the restaurant all set up (so we can come back tomorrow
and check to see if the gnomes enjoyed their feast!).

Whatever your plans for a woodland adventure, don’t forget to pack a light snack and water.
The rain and mudpants my boys are wearing in many of the photos are also a wonderful
addition to the nature loving child’s wardrobe; keeping them dry and saving mom from
doing extra laundry!

On the way home, it is not unusual for small children to whine a little or have trouble
completing the home stretch. A back carrier is great for smaller toddlers, and songs
(we like “The Grand ‘Ol Duke of York”), a game of “I Spy”, or a simple, impromptu story
about one of the animals you’ve seen can distract them.

Speaking of storytelling, I have a giveaway to offer- a set of Fingerpuppet Dolls. They are
adorable, and the perfect size (about 4″) to stow away in a pocket and pull out to tell a tale outside.
Place your index and middle fingers in their jumper legs to make them walk, dance, and
go on grand adventures!

**To enter the giveaway, you can leave a comment (just one per person, please!) sharing your
favorite thing to do outside in spring. For additional chances, visit me at CedarRingMama and
leave a comment there, or register at Cedar Ring Circle Waldorf Buying Co-op to receive our
monthly newsletter and learn more about how our group of 120+ families are uniting to make
Waldorf products more accessible. Be sure to tell us in your comment which entry opportunities
you’ve completed so we can count correctly. Contest good through March 23rd.

Good luck, and many warm wishes for a wonderful spring!

****

You can visit Becca at her blog CedarRingMama or join Cedar Ring Circle Waldorf Buying Co-op
and the hundred + other families who are ordering affordable, environmentally
supportive supplies every month.

Thanks Becca for this wonderful post and giveaway!
Donna

Nope, not a new baby or even a pet.

It’s my sourdough starter and my milk kefir.  Thanks to my good friend, Illya
I am hooked on these wonderful, healthy foods!

Only about a week into being this new “caretaker” I am sure I have a lot to learn. So far,
I have made kefir sorbet, kefir smoothies and wonderful sourdough english muffins (recipe
by other friend Sheila P).

I was so proud of my first batch of English Muffins. (they really puffed up with nooks an crannies and everything!)
So, decided I would document it here with pictures. (I love seeing what things are supposed to look like)

Start with 1 cup of sourdough starter.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup milk, 1 cup whole wheat white flour, and 1 cup sour dough starter.
Cover with plastic wrap and let “sit” for at least 8 hours. I put in oven overnight.

Next morning, remove bowl from oven and mix in:
1 tblsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

If sticky work in more flour. I usually add up to 1/2 cup more flour so don’t be afraid
to add more.

Sprinkle cornmeal on wax paper or parchment to prepare for cutting muffins.
(This helps with sticking and really makes them look like the ones you buy- but better)
Spread dough out to 3/4″ and cut. I used a drinking glass.

Then leave on parchment 45 min to rise slightly.

Get a skillet hot with melted butter and set them in. If you wait just long
enough, you will see them start to “bubble” at the top like pancakes. Time
to flip.

They should be somewhat browned when you flip over. Takes about 4-5min each side.

This recipe makes 10-11 muffins.

The Turning of the Clocks has become a celebration of
its own in my household. I love having longer nights
of light and being able to take a walk after dinner or
sit on the porch and watch the twilight birds.

Living in a warm climate, spring bulbs and early flowers
bloom in February and by the actual
Spring Equinox life is up and around.

Spring is my favorite time of year as all things are reborn.

In ancient cultures and in the astrological calendar, Spring was
the New Year, or the Vernal Equinox.
(Being an Aries myself, I may be partial
Bringing this feeling of newness and rebirth is easy to weave
into your homeschooling lessons. Waldorf homeschooling is
very steeped in nature and observation and festivals.

Yesterday, we took a walk where we observed the signs of spring.
Here are a few pictures..

You can have your child draw and/or write in a Nature Notebook.
Recording what they see each week or comparing flowers or buds
as they emerge. Also, squirrels and birds are making nests and this
is a real treat to seek and watch.

Changing out the nature of seasonal table is a great way to
display small flowers or items you find to designate spring.

On Spring Equinox, we always plant our wheat grass seeds.
(though I try to time this so that the grass is ready for Easter)
This year should be great timing, as the grass takes about 10
days to grow full. Trim as need with sharp scissors.

We also plant our spring garden at this time. You will need to adjust depending on your region. But many early spring seeds can be started indoors until after threat of last frost. (check with local garden center on last frost date where you are)

Sweet peas, snow peas, lettuce, spinach, chard, broccoli and tender greens can be sown for tasty picking mid-spring.

Wet felting Easter Eggs is another wonderful project
and easy for younger hands. (remember to tape your
eggs shut before you start felting, learned that the hard way)

Wrap thin layers of felt around the eggs and opposite directions
and rub gently under soapy warm water. Keep rubbing. Keep
rubbing. Let eggs dry on a towel for 24 hrs.

There are so many crafts for this time of year.
A great resource is the book “All Year Round”
by Hawthorn Press.

Baking is another great way to bring spring festivals
into your Waldorf homeschooling lessons.

We bake Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day and
Hot Cross Buns for Easter.
There are so many options!

“Festivals, Family and Food” is another wonderful
book resource.

3^rd grade is the study of Jewish and Old testament history
so following the holidays and festivals becomes part of
our lessons. Easy and fun!

I would love to hear how you celebrate. Please
comment below.

**All comments will be entered into a drawing

to win a signed copy of
Reg Down’s new book: “Eggs for the Hunting”
starring Pine Cone & Pepper Pot from the
Tiptoes Lightly Series.

Drawing will be held March 15