Dear parents,
We hope our families are all doing well and enjoying the Spring breezes. We really miss our students and look forward to reaching out to you over the course of the week to schedule a virtual home visit.
Please don’t forget to look at the virtual classroom for daily updates and ideas for activities to do with your children. We are also filming our stories for the children from now on so they can see us and feel closer.
This week the children heard a Native American folktale about how the rainbow was made. One day Nanabozho stepped outside and noticed all the flowers in the meadow were the same off-white color and decided to take it upon himself to paint each of them, one by one, a myriad of colors. Above him, two birds could be seen playing and sailing across the skies. The birds decided to play a game to see how fast they could dive into the fields. Each time they would dive, their wings would touch the paint and they would soar back up into the sky. The two birds would do this until their entire bodies were covered in paint. Nanabozho finally shooed them away and as they flew off, they left a beautiful gift in the sky for Nanabozho. Have your child listen to the story and see the beautiful image this story paints in our imaginations.
We offered the children some exciting activities this past week. We are sure they miss playing in the mud, so we offered a painting with mud activity as well as another activity that includes painting rocks with water and observing how they change color as they dry. We also shared directions on how to make oobleck, a fun sensory activity for the children using simple ingredients. We also provided directions for making a homemade puzzle.
Another outdoor activity we shared is loose parts play. The children gather goods, or loose parts, from nature. Then you add-on tidbits you might find in your home to the collection, take it outside and see what your child can construct with the materials gathered. This activity can take time and allows the children to get creative and crafty.
For practical work we offered a simple laundry folding song. Everyone has laundry to fold so why not accompany this experience with a sweet song? The children will be more inclined to help with this task. Watch how this daily chore can become something of reverence and joy.
For creative work, we have instructions on creating cactus plants and paper flowers, and a colorful craft that can make a nice display in your home.
We also provided directions for making bread and separate instructions for those interested in making a sourdough starter. This is a very important and sacred activity in the Waldorf tradition. It also allows children to see the process of bread making and enjoy a new appreciation for this special and staple food.
Thank you all for your continued support and everything that you do.
When from the depths of soul
The spirit turns to the life of worlds
And beauty wells from wide expanses,
Then out of heaven's distances
Streams life-strength into human bodies,
Uniting by its mighty energy
The spirit's being with our human life.
~ Rudolf Steiner
