Waldorf is a method of schooling founded by Rudolf Steiner, which focuses on the specific developmental needs of children. Waldorf education strives to 'educate the whole child' and does so in a respectful way
of both child and environment, using natural toys and surroundings for optimal development.
What kinds of things are recommended?
Natural fiber clothing of cotton, wool, or silk are recommended in solids and subtle prints. Layering is encouraged in the winter, and young children are dressed warmly to allow for outside play on all but the most bitter winter days. Colors that are bright and cheerful and found in nature are encouraged, and black and solid white are discouraged. Wool long underwear is pricey, but is a wonderful addition that can allow the outdoors to be enjoyed all winter long. Logos, pictures, or words on clothing are discouraged. The clothing should be natural fibers to allow breathability and warmth. Polyester, flashy clothing, and clothing that reveals a distracting amount of skin are discouraged.
What about something generic, like a dolphin on a t-shirt?
A picture, even of a natural thing is discouraged as it draws attention away from the child's face and distracts from the child him or herself. Even though it is not advertising or having words, the eye is immediately drawn to the shirt and the child is looked at secondly.
Advertising and the child
Children do not understand, and neither do many adults in this modern era, but clothing with logs on it or specific pictures is the company using yourself or your child as a walking billboard. While trends may still persist with muted clothing, there is no elitist class of 'Nike' or 'Gap' clothes as only being cool when no logos are shown. In most groups of children there is a 'cool' kid or two. When the cool kid is wearing subtle clothing, it diffuses the ability of a clothing company to capitalize on our youth because a subtle shirt doesn't drive a group of grade schoolers and their parents out to buy he same shirt in hopes that they too, by wearing that in style shirt, will become cool as well.
Retracts from the face
When subtle clothing is used, the face is the highlight of the person's or child's body. This is how it should be. Clothing should frame the face so that a person's feelings and thoughts can be captured, not
those conveyed by their clothing.
Stops the escalating show off mentality
With subtle clothing there is no need to try to outdo each other in the way of the more popular styles or keeping up with the latest fashions. Children still will show off, but at least the playing field is more leveled for those who don't have the resources to 'keep up with the Jones's'
Creates a sense of peace in the classroom
Think of a classroom void of all logos and flashy clothing. A teacher is not going to be distracted by her pupils' dress so she can focus on the children themselves. Doesn't this seem like a nice idea for a classroom?
What about individualism?
We all know that older children and teens want to have a sense of their own style. Even if they are like my husband and I and prefer to dress subtly, that is their own style. Children who are asked to dress within Steiner's philosophy can still show their own personality and creativity through laying (which is in style right now anyway), solid colors, and textures.
How we dress in our family
In our family we strive to keep the clothing attractive and plain, but we don't stress out much about it. It isn't a religion, it is a preference. So when we saw an adorable shirt with a hand painted turtle on it, we went ahead and bought it anyway. But it is nice to at least be aware of how logos, pictures, and words on clothing can affect a person and child.
written by Lea Anderson
Full early in the morning
Awakes the summer sun
The month of June arriving
The cold and night are done
The cuckoo's a fine bird
She whistles as she flies
And as she whistles "cuckoo"
The bluer grow the skies
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Come out, come out this sunny day
The fields are sweet with new mown hay
The birds are singing loud and clear
For summer time once more is here
So bring your rakes and come and play
And toss and tumble in the hay
The sweet wild roses softly blow
All pink and white the roses grow
The nodding daisies in the grass
Lift up their heads to hear you pass
Upon this happy, sunny day
When you come out to make the hay.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The summer's warm showers are falling like mist
My face and my hair by their soft touch are kissed
The dry thirsty ground becomes fragrant and cool
On every green leaf lies a small shining pool
Earth blossoms again
I do love the rain.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Come bright butterfly, close to me
Your beautiful wings I should like to see
You fly like a bird, you sip like a bee
But you're really a flower the wind set free
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When woods awake and trees are green
And leaves are large and long
'Tis merry to walk in the forest fair
And hear the small birds' song
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sunshine Fairies Circle Dance
We are the sunshine fairies
And with our sparks of light
We shimmer and glimmer in the air
Hugging flowers with colors so bright
(Begin standing in a circle, children hold out their arms at their sides and turn in place clockwise as fairies. Stop and flick fingers as sparks. Hold out arms at sides, flutter fingers, then turn in place counterclockwise; hug self and rub hands up and down over folded arms.)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Butterfly Game
Dancing among the flowers with dainty painted wings
Flits the golden butterfly, joy to my heart she brings
Stopping only for a rest to sip the morning dew
Then flits and flutters off again
Butterfly, I can't catch you!
(Children sit in a circle with hands held up and cupped on top of head acting as flowers. Butterfly dances inside the circle, flitting in and out of the space between seated children. Butterfly stops behind one child in circle for a rest, bends, and sips dew by tickling a flower in the child's palms. Flower child jumps up and chases butterfly back to his place, then becomes the next butterfly. Repeat game with new butterfly.)
"How do we understand one another? We understand the meaning of the words we speak, but on a deeper level we really take in the warmth and cold, the gaiety or gravity of anyone who speaks to us. The personal mood or feeling is, however, overlaid by something else, something the moods of sounds and words bring to us. Pop goes the weasel, ... Pussy cat, pussy cat, ... Worra, worra, worra, ... All of us remember being captivated by such sounds. Looking back we realize that it is not a single 's' or 'r' or 'o' that catches our attention, but the repetition, a rhythmic repetition, growing louder and softer, faster and slower, waking us or making us drowsy, bringing laughter or calm..."
~Rudolf Steiner
Children acquire a range of skills when they tend flowers in the a garden. Lessons about weather, soil, wildlife, ecology, and even language engage all five senses in children as they nurture plants they have grown themselves. Share your love of gardening with a child, and give him an opportunity to turn a summer of fun outdoors into a lifelong hobby.
Butterflies and Bumblebees
Planting flowers that encourage pollinators to visit your garden captivates children and provides an important lesson in ecology. Children can be afraid of bees, but if they’re not allergic to beestings there’s no reason why kids can’t enjoy observing non-aggressive bumblebees and native honeybees filling the pollen baskets on their legs.
Butterflies are easy to attract with nectar-rich flowers like butterfly bush or ‘Butterfly Blue’ scabiosa. You should also plant host plants like bronze fennel so children can observe the entire life cycle of these garden jewels.
Let's Plant a Dinosaur Garden
If your child marvels at the prehistoric world that dinosaurs once inhabited, you can recreate some of that antediluvian mystery in your own backyard. Plants that thrived during the Jurassic period include ferns, conifers, cycads, and gingkoes. Although the exact species that lived millions of years ago may not be available for cultivation now, the architectural beauty of similar plants may start a learning quest for the budding botany student.
Plant your Child's Name Garden
This is so much fun to do with a child of any age. Go together and pick flowers that represent the first letter of the names like for A BROOK garden I would plant
This is a great way for learning about new plants and a special garden all of there own .
Here is a great little verse to say while planting your special plants.
A little seed for me to sow.
A little earth to make it grow.
A little hole, a little pat,
a little wish, and that is that.
A little sun, a little shower,
a little while, and then a flower.
The musings of my childrens journey in the wonders of love, life, and spirituality. Love, Live, Laugh, and Learn. That's what it's all about. Welcome and blessed be.
