Quiet Time and Craft Corner with Margaret

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April 10th, 2020

Hello kindergarten families. I hope that you all continue to be well this spring. I miss seeing you and your sweet children.

I would like to share a song that I sometimes sing in the kindergarten yard, while pushing the children on the swings. It is the African American folk song called ‘Peace Like a River’. Many of you may know it already. A parent recently reached out to me and said their child was asking them to sing “the song that Miss Margaret sings, about a river”.

Here are the lyrics:

“I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river,
In my soul.

I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river,
In my soul.

I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
In my soul.

I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
In my soul.

I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
In my soul.

I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
In my soul.”

This is such a beautiful, grounding, and reassuring song. I encourage you to sing it to your children. You can learn the tune by listening to one of my favourite children’s musicians, Elizabeth Mitchell, singing the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_wNLCp9bA4

Here is a link to me singing the song, that you may like to share with your children if they are missing me as much as I miss them!
  Listen Here

Some of you may be celebrating Easter this weekend. In the Spring, Ms. Moni often leads the children in making simple baskets. Here are some instructions:

1) Cut a square or rectangle out of paper. The pattern works for either shape! I cut a 21 cm X 25cm rectangle. I suggest using a thicker paper such as watercolour paper, if you have it.

2) Have your child colour or paint the paper. You could also use an old watercolour painting that your child made in kindergarten, as I did.

3) Draw a checkerboard pattern on the ‘wrong’ side of the paper.

4) As you can see, some of my lines are blue, and some are pink. Fold along the blue lines and cut along the pink lines. 

5) Fold the paper into a basket! Staple or tape the sides. Cut a strip of paper to add for a handle. 

6) Your child can decorate their basket some more by adding stickers or using a glue stick to add bits of cut paper. You could also cut out small squares of tissue paper for your child. Then they can crumple up the tissue into little balls and stick them to the basket using a brush dipped in white glue. Here is a link to a website describing this technique in more detail: https://happyhooligans.ca/crumpled-tissue-paper-easter-egg-craft/
Of course, a simple basket is also lovely!

7) Line the basket with wool roving or shredded paper, if you like. Then your child can fill it with spring-time treasures!

I hope you enjoy this song and this little basket activity, everyone. Have a lovely weekend.

Take care and be well,

Miss Margaret

April 1st, 2020

Hello dear Kindergarten families.

I hope that you are well during this unusual time, and that you are able to find some peace and rhythm in your days at home.

In this space, I intend to post weekly songs, stories, crafts, and other offerings to inspire you while the South Shore Waldorf School Kindergarten is closed. Please check in regularly for new posts!

As many of you know, one of my duties at our school is to put the Chickadee Hollow children down for a rest every day at quiet time. I will share a little about our quiet time routine, so that you may use it for inspiration for rest time at home.

At about 1:00 pm, Miss. Moni and I begin to set up mats for quiet time and cover the windows. We sing this simple song softly as make the classroom cosy:

“So, so, so
Off to rest we go
Birdies in their nests
Time to take a rest
So, so, so
Off to rest we go…..”

Here is an audio file of me singing the song, so that you can learn it: Listen Here

I tuck the children in on their mats, with a stuffy. Sometimes I like to wrap them up like a burrito in their blankets! I sprinkle imaginary cheese on their bellies, and put a dab of imaginary hot sauce behind their ears. They love this!

Then I sing them a lullaby. Everyday, I sing the song “Morningtown Ride.” This song was written by Malvina Reynolds. I learned it from a Raffi record I had as a child. Here is a link to his lovely version: Watch on YouTube

Here is a recording of me singing the song. You may use this to learn the song yourself, or play this recording for your children if they are missing me: Listen Here

Here are the lyrics I use. I have slightly altered them from the original to make the song more suitable for our quiet time:

“Train whistle blowin’
Makes a sleepy noise
All through the village
Go all the girls and boys
Ready for some quiet
Time to rest from play
All bound for Morningtown
Many miles away.

Finlay’s* at the engine
Lilah* rings the bell
Hazel* swings the lantern
To show that all is well
Rockin’ rollin’ ridin’
All along the bay
All bound for Morningtown
Many miles away

Maybe it is raining
Where our train will ride
But all the little children
Are warm and dry inside
Rockin’ rollin’ ridin’
All along the bay
All bound for Morningtown
Many miles away

Somewhere there is sunshine
Somewhere there is day
All bound for Morningtown
Many miles away”

*Replace these names with the names of your children and their friends or kindergarten classmates! I usually repeat the song until I have named every child in Chickadee Hollow.

After my song, I tell a story that I have learned by memory. I tell the same story every day for a week. Many Waldorf teachers will tell the same story for an even longer period. This allows the children to deeply connect to the story. They often learn it by heart!

Here is a delightful springtime story that you may want to learn and share with your child:

The Sleepy Turtle

Once upon a time, there was a little turtle, who watched the Autumn leaves fall to the ground,
and felt the cold winter winds coming. She decided to dig a little hole and snuggle inside so that she could sleep, and stay warm, all winter long.

Just as she was settling in and getting cosy, the little turtle heard a ‘knock, knock, knock” at her door. She looked to see who it was. It was Fox. “Turtle, come out and play! Do you want to wander to the pool with me today?”

“No thank you, Fox” said the little turtle. I am far too tired. I will come out when spring is here”.

“Suit yourself” said fox, and off he went.

The little turtle had a nice long sleep, but after a while she heard another “knock, knock, knock” at her door. She looked to see who it was. It was Bear. “Turtle, come out and play! Do you want to visit the meadow with me today?”

“No thank you, Bear” said the little turtle. I am far too tired. I will come out when spring is here”.

“Suit yourself” said Bear, and off she went.

The little turtle slept for another nice long while, but the again was woken by a “knock, knock, knock” at her door. She looked to see who it was. It was Bird. “Turtle, come out and play! Do you want to search for grubs with me today?”

“No thank you, Bird” said the little turtle. I am far too tired. I will come out when spring is here”.

“Suit yourself” said Bird, and off he went.

Turtle covered herself with earth once more and fell into a deep sleep. She slept and slept for a very long time. She dreamt of warm spring days, sunning on rocks, and splashing in the pond with her friends.

Just as Turtle was waking from her long winter’s sleep, she heard another “knock, knock, knock”. She looked to see who it was. It was Butterfly, floating above her. Butterfly did not say anything, but simply lifted her wings, and flew away on the warm spring breeze.

Turtle looked around and saw little seedlings sprouting, crocuses blooming, and new blades of grass growing. Turtle felt the warm sun on her face. She knew that spring was finally here. She crawled out from under the earth, and made her way to the pond, to splash and play with all her friends.

The end.

I found this story in the spring guide from Whole Family Rhythms, a Waldorf inspired website by Megan Rose Wilson. She creates free downloadable seasonal guides filled with rhymes, crafts, recipes, and stories. I used these guides often when I was working as a nanny and beginning to learn about Waldorf Early Childhood education. Here is a link to this wonderful resource: https://meaganrosewilson.com/

I hope you have found these offerings inspiring, everyone. Thank you for reading. Please give your children a big hug for me!

Love,
Miss. Margaret