What are the "little ways" you make your home more Waldorf?

[megincl]

I am a lifetime Waldorf person (preschool-grade 12). For a variety of reasons, DS does not attend a Waldorf school. But, I do still hold many of the Waldorf values, approaches, and rhythms near and dear.

I'd love to hear about some of the small ways that you bring the essence of Waldorf into your homes and daily lives.

Looking for a bit of inspiration...

Thanks,
megin

[counterGOPI]

rhythms,verses,removal of tv and cds. those were my starting points. granted my kids have never watched tv but i made US stop wtaching it unless they are asleep.

[PrincessDoll]

We have a nature table that we tend to often....it was the easiest place for me to start. Rhythyms is something we engaged in naturally but I have incorporated singing verses and oral storytelling within the natural cycles of our home. We don't live according to an artificial schedule (no alarms, no rushing to get out the door). It is very important to me that my son develops his own internal rhythym and "clock". Hmm....what else?? We recently began making homes for the various "nature creatures" (not just for the fairies). We are beginning to bake bread more regularly, we love our wet on wet watercolor painting days. I store his playthings in natural wicker baskets over the brightly colored plastic bins. I'm not pure Waldorf in mind or practice but I appreciate many elements of the approach.

[counterGOPI]

oh yes nature table for sure! that was our 1st thing

[Hannahsmummy]

Nature table
Blessings for dinner
Songs and verses to signal changes throughout the day
No TV and minimal recorded music
Minimal plastic and no noise making or electronic toys
Natural and handmade toys
We always have handwork available

[berrymama]

Songs and Verses

oops! meant to start a new thread...not post here

[boigrrrlwonder]

-limited media exposure (though we still do TV during toothbrushing
-meal blessing
-I *try* to do handiwork when DD wants me near her when she plays
-really trying to resist the temptation of early academics (and my kid isn't even two and I already have pressure to start teaching her her ABCs
-baskets of nature objects for toys (currently pine cones and corn husks left over from the popcorn we got from our CSA)
-an unfortunately neglected nature table
-involving her in the cooking/baking process
-lots of storytelling (I'm working on doing more oral storytelling, but a lot is still from books)
-gardening and outside time
-trying to focus the toys on those that encourage imaginative play and are made out of natural materials
-singing for transitions

[aprons_and_acorns]

Though not strictly Waldorf, we do many of the things PPs listed above. I will add one more "little way" to the list as well, and that is keeping ds warm. I never thought much about that until I read "Beyond the Rainbow Bridge" and the reasons presented made such good sense to me. We live in the upper midwest so there are several months out of the year where this is particularly challenging :

[cat2116]

Hannahs mummy...could you explain a little more about the handwork you have available...my LO's love 'doing crafty stuff' as they put it....but I'm wary about leaving craft supplies out all the time....we just end up with glue all over the carpet and paint all over the walls!!! My DS is nearly 5 and my DD is 2 ad a half...if that helps.


oh and my DS can't knit...yet

[counterGOPI]

we have handwork all over too and besides our knitting we have modeling beeswax and... oh geesh my brain just forgot everything! i'll post more hwne it comes back to me,or i do rounds in the house and see!!

[megincl]

Thanks everyone! Seeing what you wrote makes me feel good, as most of it is present/done in our house.

I definitely want to be a bit more faithful with a nature table, as DS is into that.

Here's what I would LOVE help with: He struggles a lot with transitions, and I always feel that Waldorf approaches do a great job with rhythms and transitions. Getting on boots, coat, hat, mittens is such a chore -- first he gets distracted, then doesn't want to do it, then gets distracted, etc. It feels like we could have much more rhythm around our transitions. Any suggestions?

Finally, suggestions for how to bring a bit more peace to DS's meal time if it is happening at a different time than ours (circumstantially)? When that is the case, I'm usually still cooking our dinner. Too hectic!

Clearly, I need a bit more peace and calm over here.

Thanks for any and all wisdom.

be well,
megin

[berrymama]

I started a thread asking about specific songs/verses for transitions and there are good ideas there.

In Mary Thienes-Schunemann songbook "This is the Way We Wash-a-Day" there are a couples song for getting dressed. Overall, I think there are a lot of good transition songs on this CD/book, but I have a hard time putting them into practice. I do better with songs and melodies I grew up with.

[berrymama]

Originally Posted by megincl

Here's what I would LOVE help with: He struggles a lot with transitions, and I always feel that Waldorf approaches do a great job with rhythms and transitions. Getting on boots, coat, hat, mittens is such a chore -- first he gets distracted, then doesn't want to do it, then gets distracted, etc. It feels like we could have much more rhythm around our transitions. Any suggestions?

I have been thinking about this today

Could you modify the Hokey Pokey song for getting dressed? "You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out...etc" I would just keep moving from body part to body part until he is all dressed then finish with "You do a little dance, and turn yourself around." That way there would be a fun finish if he actually got dressed. I don't have a kiddo that age, nor have I tried this...I was just thinking.

Also, I still remember this from my childhood: I went to Sunshine Preschool, and we would all put on our coats the same way at the end of the morning to go home. Lay the coat out on the ground spread out. Stand on the neck side. Bend over and put your arms in the arm holes part way. It will seem like you are putting it on upside down, but instead, while putting on the coat circle your arms up over your head and then let your arms slide into the holes as the jacket comes down onto your back. Does that make sense? It is supposed to be like the sun rising. I am sure we said some little verse, but I don't remember it

[cat2116]

Just bumping...anyone with more ideas for handwork etc?

[yukookoo]

inspired by this thread sort of I made DD an art basket - she is 18mo so she doesnt really do art yet but I put some things i use for my handwork in there, she loves it and it keeps her busy busy

different color wool roving - she pulls it apart and i find it everywhere haha
a few cut ups of a white t shirt
a wool piece with some holes to run yarn through
a few pieces of regular paper with rounded edges
a few small pieces of card stock with rounded edges
a long pieace of elastic
some ribbon
a small notebook and a pen - i know not very waldorf but those damn beeswax things wont come out and end up all over our walls and floor if Im not watching, pen comes out easier and usually stays on the paper, Im sort of tempted to go buy those markers that only color on that special paper but she loves the idea of having her own notebook nd she is into the pen right now.

For my handwork I am really into felting at the moment and i've made a few felt picture, a fairy mobile, king winter
I would love to learn to knit or crochet sometimes soon, but that's next
I just got a sewing machine for x mas so Im learning to use that
i do painting, watercolors not sure that this counts ashandwork at all
If nothing else, I sit by dd and read.
Does being on line count as handwork if I'm typing really fast? haha

[LuxPerpetua]

In our home Waldorf lets us have a slower more peaceful pace of life. Flexible rhythms over a schedule, very little rushing (on most days, anyway), creative environment with lots of open-ended and nature-based toys, a relaxed unschooling approach to academics, lots of stories read and told, lots of cooking/baking together, growing a pot garden and watching the wonder of growing plants unfold, an emphasis upon vocal music, an awareness of the year and the seasons . . . we are not your typical Waldorf family (no nature tables, Stockmar crayons, or beeswax here, and I do not knit, although I am crafty in other ways). For us, it's really the little things that make life and childhood more magical.

[counterGOPI]

oh sorry! other handwork we have around the housefor my 3 year old is:

-sand paper and beeswax for sanding and beeswaxing her wood toys
-sewing cards

ok i think thats it.
for me i have a million things- knitting,hand sewing,embroidery,felting both dry and wet,etc. hth!

[AngelBee]

Originally Posted by boigrrrlwonder

-
-baskets of nature objects for toys (currently pine cones and corn husks left over from the popcorn we got from our CSA)

Never thought of that!

:

[AngelBee]

Where is a good resource for sewing cards?

[That Is Nice]

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