Kindergarten | Ages 3-7

The Grades
Kindergarten

The Waldorf Kindergarten

One area of child development that resonates deeply with me is the concept that children ages birth to 7 years learn best through play, movement, imitation and sensory experience. They do not learn best through intellectual instruction. People may say, “but my four-year-old is interested in the alphabet”, or “but a five-year-old can learn how to read”, or “my six-year-old is learning how to write”. There is a significant difference in understanding what a child can do versus what a child should do. Certainly children can learn intellectual based academics at a young age, but is that the best thing for the development? In my opinion, and according to research (showing ‘fadeout’ by mid elementary school, citation below), it is not in line with best pedagogical practices to focus on academics for children under the age of seven or under the age of “age of awareness”. The goal of this first stage of development (birth to age 7) is to protect the child sense of wonder and to strengthen the life forces through rhythm, warmth, and creative play laying a healthy foundation for the rigor of academic learning that will follow in the years to come.

If your child attends a school that keeps these pedagogical practices in mind, such as a Waldorf school or a Montessori school, you’ll see that the classrooms are set up very much like a home. You’re likely to see child sized versions of refrigerators, stoves, sinks, etc. gardening tools, building materials, and other objects typically use by adult for their work or chores. These young children will enjoy hours of pretend play with the familiar household materials, as well as toys, such as trucks, blocks and dolls. Often time, the kindergarten classroom or home environment will have natural materials like wool, cotton or wood and soft warm colors like rose, coral or pink. Creating this feel within the home can be achieved by using natural light, draping silks or other fabric across the windows so that the light is filtered as it comes through and minimizing electronics and plastic toys. Using cloth to cover things that may not support the harmonious imaginative feel of the place space for children is an easy affordable option that was suggested to me years ago. I loved the simplicity of the solution.

Within a home, children will naturally imitate the adults as they do their work. Often times this means children will try to sweep the floor when they see a parent to sweeping the floor. Small scale brooms, mops and vacuums and wooden kitchens with ceramic plates are provided so that the imitation may continue even if the parents work is done.

If you are creating this environment for your children for the first time, you may consider using soft colors for the kindergarten environment. Peach, rose, apricot, and coral tones may be used on the walls or furniture or in fabric as these colors reflect the warmth, comfort and closeness of this age group.

Natural materials are always preferred over non-natural materials and natural fibers like wool or wood from the plant and animal kingdom are preferred in the younger years over those from the mineral kingdom like metal or stone. This means that wood, silk, wool, beeswax, wool felt and natural fibers are preferred for toys, play structures, and garments.

When my children were young, I knew how important the sense of smell is in connection to memory. So I always wanted our home to be filled with the smell of good tasting food. Over 20 years later, that goal has been achieved. What’s important is that you choose the goals that you want to achieve with your children. Instead of the smell of food, you may choose to create a sweet smelling environment with the use of a diffuser or candles (Be mindful of the fragrances). Or maybe your furniture and accessories are made of wood and your children’s clothing is made from wool or cotton. Or maybe it’s not in what you choose but in what you avoid. Rather than premade snacks with artificial colors, you opt for minimally processed food. Or maybe instead of plastic toys that require batteries you offer for more simple wooden toys and fewer options. It comes down to establishing your values and working towards what’s reasonable and affordable to achieve.

Creating a learning environment that reflects your family’s values may take some time but over the months and years you’ll find something that reflects your personality, your goals and your values 

Daily, weekly and seasonal rhythm is quintessential to the kindergarten experience. In a classroom setting, these rhythms are the environment in which habits are formed. These rhythms and habits don’t just help the individual student in their growth and maturity towards self regulation and self discipline but also ensures that the classroom functions as a whole, in unison and harmony. The force of habits prevents burnout and exhaustion by the teacher because the students find comfort in the anticipation and knowledge of what comes next. The movement from one task to another becomes second nature and the energy of the teacher may be used towards teaching and training rather than redirection and management.

The same tips may be used in the home life to create harmony within the home. This can be achieved through regularity of meal times and bedtime, and a routine that can be expected and relied upon.

In many Waldorf schools, and even in Waldorf homeschools, a color or grain of the day often provides a natural rhythm for students to anticipate. There are deep reasonings behind the colors and grain choosen. While we did not follow this tradition, the following may be practiced if this aligns with your values and goals.

Typically Sunday is associated with the color, white, the grain: wheat, and the planet sun. While, the sun is not a planet, it holds clear astronomical significance, and is associated with the “first day of the week”. Monday is the color, purple, the grain: rice and the planet moon. Please note that the moon is not considered a planet in the astronomical sense, but in the ancient sense, it was “one that wondered in the sky” hence the moon is associated with Monday. Tuesday is the color, red and the grain: barley and the planet Mars. Wednesday is associated with yellow, the grain: millet, and the planet Mercury. Thursday is orange, the grain: rye and the planet Jupiter. Friday is green, the grain: oats, and the planet Venus. Saturday is blue, the grain: corn and the planet Saturn.

Daily rhythm can be achieved in the home setting or in the homeschool setting. While we did not participate in morning circle, often times morning circle is what starts a school day. It’s a time for singing, verses, movement games, storytelling and fingerplays. While it is a great way to bring cohesion to a classroom, you may find that doing circle time with only one or two children does not have the same unifying effect as circle time with more children. What’s nice about circle time even with one or two children is the opportunity to look at your children during storytelling or movement games. Often times my children would play when I would tell stories or read books, or they would sit on my lap. We often missed that eye contact but made up for it with physical contact. After morning circle, children love ample time for free play. Free play is incredibly important for the child up until age 9 or 10. Indoor imaginative play or outdoor open-ended play is essential for brain development, gross and fine motor development and overall well-being for the child.

While artistic work like watercolor painting or beeswax modeling is highly encouraged in kindergarten, I found that my children preferred these activities when they were a little bit older. Other activities like gardening, finger knitting, and baking are highly enjoyable for young children. You may need to appropriate extra time for preparation and clean up when children are involved in gardening, baking or watercoloring or any activity really. Story time is a favorite of young children. While we reserved storytelling and read alouds for bedtime when the children were very young, we often read aloud throughout the day when the children were a bit older and very often as the children grew. Read alouds are not a typical Waldorf practice, but it is one that we did often. Children may enjoy outdoor play at any time of the day, but I find out a lot of children especially enjoy it in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. I do remember one friend whose child needed outdoor free play first thing in the morning if he was going to do any school. She would offer a long play period before school to ensure they had a smooth day.

A sample weekly rhythm for kindergarten may be Monday: painting, Tuesday: baking, Wednesday: coloring or handcraft, Thursday: movement activities or eurythmy, and Friday: soup day and outdoor play. 

Yearly and seasonal rhythm is just as important as daily and weekly rhythm. It’s also important to know that your environment and location play an important part and how you interact with the seasons. In Southern California, our winters are mild and lend themselves well to outdoor activities. In some places, the summers can be scorching hot and unpleasant, and some families have chosen to homeschool in the summer and take the entire winter season off. While homeschoolers are afforded more flexibility in this respect, finding something that works for your family, even if it is not conventional means that you would be able to do things that are representative of your family values and goals and align with your environment and weather.

Festivals are very important in the Waldorf pedagogy. We only practiced our religious holidays, which meant that we often did not participate in the festivals that are commonly associated with Waldorf schools. If you choose not to participate in seasonal activities and festivals, you may choose to create family traditions that can be enjoyed seasonally or yearly.

The Waldorf kindergarten does not have a formal curriculum nor formal academics. But you will see much practical work in the way of baking, cleaning, gardening, mending, sweeping and more. Artistic work will include watercoloring, modeling, and seasonal crafts. Imagination is the cornerstone of the Waldorf kindergarten. Children enjoy plenty of indoor and outdoor play that is open-ended and filled with imagination. Remember that imagination equals thinking, often deep thinking. The cognitive skills developed through imaginative play are those which will develop into critical thinking skills post puberty.

Nature walks, tending gardens and observing animals in their natural habitat either farm animals or wild animals like bunnies, birds or squirrels is how children first form their relationship with the natural world that will later be developed in the sciences of middle school. You’re not likely to find a stack of books that are going to be read aloud by the teacher in the kindergarten. But you will find stories being told from memory. Fairy Tales, nature stories, folk songs, circle games, seasonal verses and poems are often included throughout the day and especially during circle time.

The Waldorf kindergarten aims to strengthen the will forces, develop sensory integration and cultivate reverence and imagination. The Waldorf teacher is a model not an instructor, and the focus of the teacher should be on her personal development so that she may embody a calm presence that can help guide the children in purposeful activity and genuine reverence for the world around. The teacher is an example for the students to imitate. Children often love and trust their teacher deeply. In the home environment there is no distinction between mother and teacher. She is one.

According to a 2021 MDRC brief, two major studies found that while preschool boosts early academic skills, many of those gains fade by third grade (MDRC, 2021).

Kindergarten

Waldorf Kindergarten Curriculum

This video covers the four season books that are included in the Waldorf Kindergarten curriculum from Live-Education.

We use the Live-Education Waldorf curriculum as inspiration for grades K-8th. Today, I'm covering three of the seven books that come in the KG curriculum: Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG. You can find the curriculum and more pictures at Live-Education's website.

The other four books: autumn, winter, spring, and summer are covered in another video.

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Waldorf Kindergarten Curriculum | Seasons

This video covers the four season books that are included in the Waldorf Kindergarten curriculum from Live-Education.

We use the Live-Education Waldorf curriculum as inspiration for grades K-8th. Today, I'm covering three of the seven books that come in the KG curriculum: Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG. You can find the curriculum and more pictures at Live-Education's website.

Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG.

View the post

Kindergarten

  • Waldorf Kindergarten Curriculum | Seasons

    This video covers the four season books that are included in the Waldorf Kindergarten curriculum from Live Education. We use the Live Education Waldorf curriculum as inspiration for grades K-8th. Today, I'm covering three of the seven books that come in the KG curriculum: Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG. You can find the curriculum and more pictures at Live-Education. The other four books: autumn, winter, spring, and summer are covered in another video:

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  • Waldorf Kindergarten Curriculum

    In a Waldorf curriculum, the day follows a rhythm as does the week and the season. Each day of the week is devoted to a grain, color and activity, for instance Monday's color is purple and the grain in rice. Washing and cleaning dominate Monday's activities, while Tuesday's color is red and the grain is oats. Tuesday's breakfast may be oatmeal topped with red strawberries.

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  • Kindergarten Curriculum Haul | Waldorf

    I think the first thing that striking about the KG curriculum in the Waldorf philosophy is the absence of any 'academic' work. There are no workbooks, textbooks or even read aloud books. Instead the curriculum is filled with stories to tell, songs to sing, music to listen to, crafts to do, and toys to play with.

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  • Kindergarten Schedule | Homeschool

    I wish every week were kindergarten week! We had so much fun. Take a look at the projects we did and listen to how I scheduled our week. While I only allotted one week for our activities, we needed two weeks plus one day. Either we'll always break for two weeks for our kindergarten schedule or as we find our rhythm, we'll get used to just taking one week every 4-6 weeks.

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  • How to Play the Fairy Game | Preschool & Kindergarten Games

    Recently we got a lot of cooperative games from Peaceable Kingdom. Of all the ones we got, this is one of our favorite. It's perfect for kids about 4 years and up and is interesting enough for adults to enjoy it, too. Color three fairy cards in a single color to remove the flower's gem before Mr. Frost freezes the flowers. The concept is simple and the game is cooperative with light strategy.

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  • How to Play Mermaid Island | Peaceable Kingdom Games

    Looking for a fun cooperative game to play with children as young as three or four years old? Peaceable Kingdom makes an assortment of cooperative games for young players. Mermaid Island is especially suited for very young players because no reading skills are needed to play the game. The cooperative nature of the game lends itself well to children who are not ready for competitive games.

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  • Curriculum Comparison | Oak Meadow VS. Live Education | Waldorf Homeschool

    Oak Meadow and Live-Education are Waldorf inspired curricula, but what's the difference between the two and which one is more authentic to the Waldorf philosophy? I'm comparing the kindergarten curriculum for both Oak Meadow and Live-Education to give you an in depth look at how each curriculum is set up, what books come with each and how user friendly they are.

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  • Storage + Organization for Scarves

    Looking for a way to keep your play scarves, silks and wraps neat, organized and easy to get to? Look no further. I have a super simple solution you can do for just a couple dollars, as well as a more permanent slightly more expensive option.

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  • The Story of the Giant Turnip | Russian Folk Tale

    This is how we retell stories with props. My children are helping with the props while I tell the story. We did it three times and set two of the stories to music. The third story is without music. I edited the clips to give them movement, but basically these are unedited stories.

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  • DIY Fairy Wands

    I love making things for my children, and this craft delighted them! I'm going to show you four different ways to make these wands. This project is fast, easy and affordable. You can find all supplies at your local craft store and with four methods to choose from, you'll find one that suits your skill level.

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  • How to Make a DIY Craft Mat

    I learned how to make these craft mats from another YouTuber years ago; the only alteration I make to them is to add Con-Tact paper to one side to make a non-porous craft mat for watercolors. These craft mats are made from paper bags you get from the grocery store. Additional supplies are painter's tape or masking tape, and Con-Tac paper (optional). You'll also need a pair of scissors.

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Seasons

  • Autumn

    In the Waldorf approach, autumn is a time of observation, gathering, and gratitude. Students are gently guided to notice the world around them as it begins to contract and prepare for winter. Nature walks are a daily rhythm, where children collect leaves, seeds, nuts, and observe changes in animal behavior and plant life. These experiences are brought back into the classroom through watercolor paintings, beeswax modeling, nature journaling, and verses that celebrate the season’s bounty. Teachers may tell imaginative stories about trees releasing their leaves or animals preparing their winter homes, nurturing a child’s connection to the living world through wonder and narrative rather than analytical explanation. Science in these early years is sensory, experiential, and artistic—laying the foundation for deep reverence and curiosity about the natural world.

    Autumn

  • Winter

    Winter in the Waldorf classroom invites inward reflection and still observation. While the natural world may seem quiet or dormant, it becomes an opportunity to explore hidden aspects of nature: animal tracks in the snow, the bare structure of trees, and the deep silence of the earth at rest. Children may learn about hibernation, migration, and the cycle of light and dark through nature stories and verses. Candlelight, crystals, pine cones, and evergreen boughs often adorn the nature table, reminding children of life continuing even in the cold. This season supports the mood of quiet inner growth and wonder, encouraging children to recognize the rhythms of nature within themselves and the world.

    Winter

  • Spring

    Spring bursts forth with energy, and the Waldorf curriculum mirrors this joyful expansion. Nature study comes alive with the return of birds, blossoming flowers, and sprouting seeds. Children witness transformation daily—buds opening, eggs hatching, insects buzzing—and these experiences are celebrated through stories, movement, songs, and hands-on gardening. The emphasis remains on direct observation and reverence, not dissection or measurement. The teacher may guide students in planting seeds and observing their growth, or draw their attention to the changes in weather and the return of color to the landscape. The mood of spring in the early grades is one of celebration and renewal, and nature science is woven into the child’s sense of joy and discovery.

    Spring

  • Calendar

    For children, a calendar is abstract, but the seasons are experienced. The days of the week are abstract, but colors and grains are relatable. In Waldorf education, in the younger years and grades, colors, grains, and other representations of the calendar or seasons are used to help children find rhythm and routine.

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Calendar & Seasonal

  • Seasonal Peg Dolls

    These adorable peg dolls represent the seasons. We use them with our calendar peg dolls. Each day, the kids replace the day of the week and day of the month peg dolls. And each month and each season they replace another one.

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  • Four Seasons Mini Peg Dolls Tutorial

    This is a super cute and fairly easy four seasons mini peg dolls tutorial. We made these super fast and they were easier than the original set of four season peg dolls.

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  • Days of the Week Peg Dolls

    This has to be the cutest way to learn the days of the week. These little peg doll gnomes are easy to make, especially if you don't complicate the process as I did! I'll tell you how I did this project with my daughter, and I'll also tell you some shortcuts you take to make this project faster, but just as cute.

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  • 31 Mini Peg Dolls | How to Make Calendar Peg Dolls

    Invasion of the mini gnomes has begun! Brace yourself for this cuteness. These 31 calendar mini peg dolls are for our homeschool calendar. These small peg dolls were easy to transform into gnomes. I painted the peg doll with Lyra watercolors and twisted a triangular shaped piece of wool felt into a gnome hat. I love the colors and they look darling on our homeschool room window sill.

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  • Months of the Year | Peg Doll Tutorial

    These Months of the Year . We use them with our calendar peg dolls. Each day, the kids replace the day of the week and day of the month peg dolls. And each month and each season they replace another one. It's a fun way to keep track of the days, months and seasons. Each morning the kids look forward to changing the day. They can also use these with our weather gnomes we made last year.

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  • Phases of The Moon Peg Doll

    These are probably the cutest peg dolls I've ever made! I actually made a complete lunar phase set to last an entire month! Granted it did get a little tedious and some crescents and moons look awfully similar to one another, but we got a complete set! Now we can track the lunar cycle with these adorable moon phase peg dolls.

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  • Ramadan Calendar Tutorial

    Making a Ramadan Calendar for you and your kids is a great way to track this blessed month. There are so many different ways to do it, and this is just one color, crafty method.

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Autumn Crafts & Activities

  • Fall Nature Table Tour

    Our fall table ended up being more of a fall themed interactive table that my six-year-old loves for a few reasons. Before I tell you what she loved about it, let me share with you what's on our table. Our nature table is the top of a Kallax bookcase from IKEA. It's a snug space, but perfect for displays and perfect for standing-height play.

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  • Fall Morning Basket | Autumn Themed Unit

    Fall is my favorite season. It doesn't last long enough. September is still hot and by the time October is over, winter decorations are already hitting the stores! Eek! Too fast for me.

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  • Needle Felting for Beginners | Pumpkin

    Felting pumpkins is one of the easiest beginner projects. Just be careful when working with children as the needle is very sharp and it's all too easy to accidentally strike your unsuspecting finger while felting.

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  • How To Make Candles | Autumn Craft

    This is probably my favorite upcycling project yet! I’ve been saving the last bits of candle from our beeswax candles for a couple years waiting to make them into new candles. Recently, I found what I needed: A candle making pot!

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  • Watercoloring Pumpkins

    Have you ever limited your paint pallet to just yellow, red and blue? Having the freedom to choose from a myriad of colors is thrilling, but equally thrilling is being able to make a variety of colors with just the three primary ones.

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  • Mini Baby Peg Doll Tutorial

    If peg dolls weren't cute enough, they go and make these tiny bunting babies! They are adorable no matter how you make them. This set is for our nature table in our homeschool room. They were easy to make and are perfect for using up scraps.

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  • Wet Felting Tutorial for Beginners | Pumpkin

    I admit when I bought this kit, I thought it was a needle felting pumpkin kit. But you can't imagine my joy when, after a moment of confusion, I realized it was a wet felting kit! I haven't done wet felting in years, and I'm excited to get back into it.

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  • Window Art | Kite Paper| Pumpkin

    Making decorative window art is fun and beautiful. These laminated translucent pumpkins can be reused each year. This is a great project for kids four years and up. If you aren't doing this project in the fall, you can print out a simple image of a tree or flower. I find that pencil drawings or silhouettes work best for this project.

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  • Fall Inspired Peg Dolls | Nature Table

    It's official, it's no longer pumpkin season, it's peg doll season! We've made more peg dolls in the past month than all the peg dolls we've ever made combined. We're on a roll. And now we are adding themed ones to our nature table and having a blast doing it.

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  • Honeycomb Candle Rolling Kit

    This was the best activity we did during Kindergarten Week. My five-year-old daughter loved this project in part because she could do it all on her own! I showed my kids how to roll one, then they rolled the other five.

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  • Apple Pie Tartlet Dessert

    I had the best of intentions when I bought pound after pound of fresh gala apples at the start of apples season. I wanted to make all kinds of apple deliciousness. We did manage an apple pie and some caramel apples, but then our apples rested at the bottom of the crisper for literally months....

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  • Moroccan Couscous

    This is one of my favorite recipes of all time! It's so warming, nourishing and healthy; it's perfect for cool autumn days or for a cozy dinner with friends. I have my dear friend, Laura, and her husband to thank for sharing this recipe for me.

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  • How to Make a Felted Owl

    WoolPets are the best kits for beginners looking to try wool felting. The kits are also an amazing value, you can get at least 4 owls from this kit (the package says 2), and if they are a bit smaller, you can get 6 adorable owls :)

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  • How to Bake Bread

    Baking bread is a quintessential kindergarten experience in a Waldorf school. We take this tradition and bring it home. In this video, I'll show you a quick and easy recipe for making bread

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  • Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

    Did you carve a pumpkin this fall? I hope you saved those pumpkin seeds because you can roast them with a bit of salt and olive oil for a fast, tasty and healthy snack. Don't forget to reserve a few seeds to plant them next spring/summer and hopefully you'll have your very own pumpkin next fall!

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  • Vegetable Soup in a Pumpkin

    This is a show stopping center piece that tastes great and looks amazing! Add drama and intrigue to your dinner party with this perfect-for-fall vegetable soup served in a pumpkin. It's actually easier than you'd think to make, is the perfect meal or appetizer for large groups and warms you to the bone on cold autumn nights.

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  • How to Make Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

    It is timely that our unit study on the Colonial Times, the voyage of the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving nestled perfectly with this time of year. Reservations about the actual events aside, this pumpkin pie was delicious, easy and ties in well with our unit study.

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  • Tortilla Soup Recipe

    Tortilla soup is a family fall and winter favorite because it's so warming, hearty and delicious. It's also super fast! Not only can you make the soup in about 30 minutes, while it's simmering, you can garnish the soup with cilantro, avocado, pepper jack cheese and fresh homemade tortilla chips.

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  • Walnut Shells Sleeping Babies

    These little sleeping babies in walnut shells are adorable. They'd make charming ornaments, cute table scape decorations or one-of-a-kind party favors. We made them to decorate our Fall Nature Table, but truthfully, they were barely there before being swept away to be played with along with our peg dolls and finger puppets.

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  • How to Knit a Pumpkin

    Every fall, we seem to add a new autumn inspired project to our repertoire, and this year we are knitting pumpkins! This is a super easy and very satisfying project that takes little time and other than the stem, doesn't require many supplies.

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  • Waldorf Autumn Craft | Stitching and Embroidery

    Welcome autumn with this simple, yet beautiful handwork project that's great for children about eight years and up. All you need is felt and embroidery thread. You also need a needle and a pair of scissors.

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Winter Crafts & Activities

  • Winter Themed Unit

    Curious how we are doing our non-religious winter themed unit? I'm sharing what materials we are using and how we picked them. This Waldorf inspired winter themed unit will last from December through February and will include fairy tales, songs, poems, activities, watercoloring, block crayon drawings, form drawing, crafts and cooking.

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  • Winter Nature Table

    This winter inspired nature table is more than a place to display our nature finds from walks, it's a themed table with winter peg dolls, winter books and an assortment of decorations that turn this winter nature table into a themed play center.

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  • Winter Star Suncatchers

    Making suncatchers is an easy satisfying craft for the whole family to enjoy. You can find this kit at A Child's Dream. It comes with an instructional book with several star designs with easy-to-follow step by step instructions.

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  • Winter Peg Doll Tutorial

    If you're looking for a simple winter inspired peg doll tutorial, this is it! These bunting babies with white painted snowflakes and petite bonnets are fast, easy and super adorable. I made this trio of snowflake babies to accompany our other peg dolls and finger puppets on our winter themed nature table

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  • Winter Peg Doll Tutorial | Mama & Papa

    I made this set for my daughter for our Winter Nature Table. While these are winter peg dolls, I found that because of their detail and size, they did not get enjoyed as much as the simpler, more generic dolls and so they were gifted.

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  • Peg Doll Comparison & Winter's Cape Wool Felt

    It's time for some winter crafts! Do you make peg dolls, finger puppets or anything with felt? Check out this winter collection by A Child's Dream. It's called Winter's Cape and the colors are beautiful for all kinds of fall and winter inspired projects.

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  • Candle Making in Silicone Molds

    Looking for a creative way to use up old bits of candles? Try melting them down to make new candles! We did just that for this project. I used leftover wax from a large three wick candle from Colonial Candles from Cape Cod.

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  • Hand Stitched Snowflake

    This is one simple yet beautiful project you can complete in no time, especially if you do the stitching like my 11-year-old son and not like me! We used gold and metallic DMC thread to stitch designs on the wool blend die cut snowflakes using two simple stitches: the running stitch and the back stitch.

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  • Winter Inspired Dolls Grey

    How darling and cozy do these little winter inspired dolls look?! I have to say that to date, these are my favorite set of finger puppets. I had to dip into a large 18x18 inch piece of grey felt that I was saving for another project, but it was worth it!

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  • Winter Inspired Doll | Double Long Braids

    It's the season to get cozy with hot chocolate sitting by the fireplace while the little ones play. Add these charming winter inspired dolls to your kids' pretend play toys for hours of open-ended creative play. Supplies for this project are wool felt, wool batting, wool yarn, finger puppet base, enamel dots, glue gun and scissors.

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  • Winter Inspired Doll | Green Finger Puppet Tutorial

    This is the last in a set of three winter inspired finger puppets. Perfect for this winter season, whether you live in a place that snows or not. These cozy looking puppets will inspire sitting around the fireplace with hot cocoa. Add these puppets to your kids' stash of pretend-play toys for hours of creative open place.

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  • CRAFT + HOMESCHOOL HAUL

    Looking for felt that's of better quality than the acrylic felt from craft stores but more affordable than 100% wool felt? How about a wool blend? Or bamboo felt! I found Over The River Felt during a search on Amazon and later contacted the company to see if they'd like to donate products for my felt comparison video.

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  • Winter Themed Unit Review

    Let's see how we did. Our winter themed Waldorf inspired unit has come to an end. Some things we enjoyed and others really started to annoy me. I was surprised that winter themed books were eventually going to rub me the wrong way.

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Spring Crafts & Activities

  • Spring Nature Table

    Like clockwork, when spring makes its first appearance, the energy in our home shifts. Suddenly, we can't sit still, we can't concentrate and the strong urge to declutter and clean out takes hold of me. Though I'm a big fan of winter and cozy evenings, I found that we didn't get the winter we hoped for.

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  • Spring Nature Unit Set Up

    It's spring and that means it's time for a new unit study. It also means it's time to put away our completed history units and bring out the new spring science units.

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  • How to Make Suncatchers | Waldorf Craft

    Welcome spring with a craft the whole family can enjoy. Suncatchers are star shaped origami designs you can make with your children. My six and ten year old made these with me and now they are hanging in the homeschool room window adding a bright festive spring feel.

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  • Spring Nature Finger Puppet | Intermediate Level

    We've started a new tradition this year and that's to have a special seasonal finger puppet for the our nature table. Our Nature Table is more of seasonal table decorated with toys, crafts, books and things found in nature.

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  • DIY Build Your Own Fairy House VS. Kit

    I wasn't sure about this kit the first time we placed it in our cart. Then it sat in our school room for a month or so. Finally I opened it and looked curiously at the contents. I didn't feel like putting it together, but my kids were restless that spring and I handed my 11-year-old and 7-year-old this kit. An hour later I was blown away by what they made!

    Make It

  • Spring Crafts for Kids & Adults | Peg Dolls

    In a last minute moment of inspiration, I turned these darling spring bunting baby peg dolls into magnets. I used super strong magnets, and it worked! I love the versatility of these mini peg dolls. Since the fall, I've had a set of three seasonal peg dolls grace our nature table. Each set has been unique.

    Make It

  • Ladybug Peg Doll Tutorial for Beginners

    This is my first attempt at making animal peg dolls, and I can tell you, I love it!! These adorable ladybugs were inspired by both a similar design in Margaret Bloom's Peg Doll book as well as a mini glass ladybug my sister gave me. To get the shiny gloss, I polished them with all natural beeswax polish.

    Make It

  • Sensory Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten | Rainforest Seeds

    I'm once again impressed by the kits by Nature-Watch. They are creative, innovative and educational, not to mention environmentally responsible. These seeds are sourced from Costa Rica and are hand-drilled by local artisans.

    Make It

  • How to Grow Herbs

    I can't say enough about the Nature-Watch kits we've used so far. They are well designed and take all the hard work out of doing hands-on projects and replaces with simple projects that are easy to do with great results.

    Make It

Gardening

  • How a Seed Grows | Root Observation

    It's a quintessential rite of passage to grow plants from seeds, and now you can watch the growth of the roots with this Root Observation kit from Nature-Watch.

    Watch It

  • Mason Jar Herb Garden

    Here's a fun little project you can do so you can have fresh herbs at the ready when cooking. A big bonus is that these frosted blue mason jars look super cute on your kitchen counter. And once the herbs start growing, they add a splash of vibrant green that brightens your space and brings the outdoors in.

    Watch It

  • Garden Update | Gardening with Children

    Welcome to my garden! Again, I'm trying to grow a little vegetable and herb garden and soon I want to add fruit trees, too. But my problem is that I don't have a green thumb! In fact, I'm pretty convinced I have the opposite.

    Watch It

  • How to Grow a Pine Tree from Seed

    I can't tell you how much we love the kits we got from Nature-Watch. The one I'm sharing to day is a classroom kit for 25 students called Forever Forests. In addition to providing content for a lesson, this kit comes with enough supplies to plant more than 25 pine trees from seed

    Watch It

  • How to Compost

    There are two ways to compost: The right way and my way ;) I don't compost with the intention of balancing nutrients; I compost primarily to keep our kitchen waste from ending up in the landfill.

    Watch It

  • How To Grow A Medieval Herb Garden

    We made this Medieval herb garden for the first time back in 2010. I kept the materials and used it again in 2014 when we returned to this unit and again 2018 when we circled back to that unit for the third time (my children are about four years apart so we tend to circle through our units every four years).

    Watch It

  • DIY Mason Jar Herb Garden

    Grow your own herb garden using supplies you probably already have around the house. This DIY indoor Mason Jar herb garden was easy to do and you can make one, too! All you need is a mason jar or similar jar. Wide neck is easier than a narrow neck. You also need sand, rocks, soil and seeds. We used basil for our herb garden, but you could use a variety of herbs.

    Watch It

  • How to Grow Herbs Indoors for Transplant | Indoor Greenhouse

    I can't say enough about the Nature-Watch kits we've used so far. They are well designed and take all the hard work out of doing hands-on projects and replaces with simple projects that are easy to do with great results. The projects are meaningful, educational and long lasting. And because we've purchased the classroom kits for projects, we have left overs to use again and share.

    Watch It

  • What Does Compost Look Like After 3 Weeks?

    Curious to see what kitchen scraps look like after three weeks in the dirt? It's probably what you'd expect, but each time I turn over soil that's been composted, I'm always surprised and thrilled at the same time. It's incredible how quickly the right materials will decompose and how unchanged materials that take eons to decompose look like after weeks, months or years. Another surprise is the temperature.

    Watch It

  • How to Grow Mushrooms

    Growing mushrooms is watching nothing happen for weeks and then suddenly they emerge and grow overnight doubling in size in days. That's what happened with our Mushroom Adventure Grow Edible Mushrooms kit from Gardeners. We bought this kit for our spring nature study, but really had intended to buy when we did our Botany Main Lesson Block to accompany the lesson on fungi.

    Watch It

  • How To Grow A Bee Friendly Garden

    Growing a Bee Friendly garden is just about as easy as growing wildflowers in a pesticide free urban garden. We used the Nature-Watch classroom kit for this project. The kit comes with everything you need to grow wildflowers in easy-to-transport containers for 25 students. We love the kits from Nature Watch and have used them in our homeschool for years.

    Watch It

Kindergarten

Waldorf Kindergarten Curriculum | Seasons

This video covers the four season books that are included in the Waldorf Kindergarten curriculum from Live-Education.

We use the Live-Education Waldorf curriculum as inspiration for grades K-8th. Today, I'm covering three of the seven books that come in the KG curriculum: Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG. You can find the curriculum and more pictures at Live-Education's website.

Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG.

In a Waldorf curriculum, the day follows a rhythm as does the week and the season. Each day of the week is devoted to a grain, color and activity, for instance Monday's color is purple and the grain in rice. Washing and cleaning dominate Monday's activities, while Tuesday's color is red and the grain is oats. Tuesday's breakfast may be oatmeal topped with red strawberries. Tuesday's activity may be bread making or soup making. Each week the same pattern is repeated, but instead of strawberries, raspberries top the oatmeal. When the seasons change, so do the activities and celebrations. May Day, singing, outdoor activities and gardening dominate spring time, while candle making, baking and holidays dominate the winter.

Toys are simple and made of natural materials with wool being preferred over cotton and wood being preferred over metal. There is a tendency towards items made from living things over non-living things, so wool is from a sheep while cotton is from a plant and wood is from a tree while metal is inorganic. Plastic is highly discouraged. Natural light is favored over artificial light and candle light is preferred over oil, as candles are made from beeswax. Colors are natural and derived from plants.

Playthings include but are not limited to silks, faceless dolls (allows for greater imagination), wooden toys and blocks, wooden or felt swords and shields, child-sized versions of tools such as broom, mop, ironing board, kitchen, garden, wood shop, etc. and other dolls like finger puppets or peg dolls.

Activities and play time are open ended and lend themselves well to creative imagination. Art is focused on water-coloring and drawing with block crayons in yellow, blue and red on large pieces of paper or watercolor paper (typically 22"x17"). High end supplies are always encouraged and are a staple to the Waldorf philosophy.

No academics are present in kindergarten.

Festivals and celebrates mark important milestones in the world of five and six year olds.

Some books I recommend:

Children and Their Temperaments by Marieke Anschutz

Storytelling & The Art of Imagination by Nancy Mellon

Healing Stories for Challenging Behavior by Susan Perrow

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin

The Education of the Child by Rudolf Steiner

The Kingdom of Childhood by Rudolf Steiner

The following are the materials we got from A Child's Dream:

Art Tissue Paper -

Stockmar Beeswax Crayons - 16 Colors, Block -

Stockmar Beeswax Crayons - 16 Colors, Stick -

Beeswax Candle Rolling Kit -

Wood Cup (4) -

Wood Egg (6) -

Olive Wood Nutcracker -

Paint Jar Holder & 6 Jars -

Crafts Through The Year by Berger -

Holland Wool Felt Warm Colors, Yards + Cuts -

Holland Wool Felt Cool Colors, Yards + Cuts -

Holland Wool Felt Neutral, Baby Colors, Yards + Cuts -

Stockmar Modeling Beeswax - 12 Colors -

Come Follow Me CD - Volume One -

Come Follow Me CD - Volume Two -

Finger Puppet Bases (5) -

Wood Peg Doll - Large (10) -

Wood Peg Doll - Female (8) -

Smooth Mohair Yarn - Undyed -

Lyra Opaque Watercolor Paint Set - 24 Colors -

Beeswax Pumpkin Candle -

Sail Boat Building Kit -

Wind Car Building Kit -

Respect the Spindle Book by Abby Franquemont -

Stockmar Watercolor Paints - Set -

Making Peg Dolls & More by Margaret Bloom -

Paper Suncatchers - Window Stars Kit -

Numerica - A Waldorf Book of Counting -

LMNOP Alphabet Book by Howard Schrager -

LMNOP Alphabet Wall Cards -

Mini Playhouse Kit -

Creative Silk Pack - Winter Night Sky -

Wood Gnome with Pipe Cleaner Arms -

Wood Doll with Pipe Cleaner Arms -

Wood Finger Puppet with Pipe Cleaner Arms -

Waldorf Kindergarten Curriculum

This video covers the four season books that are included in the Waldorf Kindergarten curriculum from Live-Education.

We use the Live-Education Waldorf curriculum as inspiration for grades K-8th. Today, I'm covering three of the seven books that come in the KG curriculum: Folk and Fairy Tales, The First Seven Years and Introduction to KG. You can find the curriculum and more pictures at Live-Education's website.

The other four books: autumn, winter, spring, and summer are covered in another video.

In a Waldorf curriculum, the day follows a rhythm as does the week and the season. Each day of the week is devoted to a grain, color and activity, for instance Monday's color is purple and the grain in rice. Washing and cleaning dominate Monday's activities, while Tuesday's color is red and the grain is oats. Tuesday's breakfast maybe oatmeal topped with red strawberries. Tuesday's activity may be bread making or soup making. Each week the same pattern is repeated, but instead of strawberries, raspberries top the oatmeal. When the seasons change, so do the activities and celebrations. May Day, singing, outdoor activities and gardening dominate spring time, while candle making, baking and holidays dominate the winter.

Toys are simple and made of natural materials with wool being preferred over cotton and wood being preferred over metal. There is a tendency towards items made from living things over non-living things, so wool is from a sheep while cotton is from a plant and wood is from a tree while metal is inorganic. Plastic is highly discouraged. Natural light is favored over artificial light and candle light is preferred over oil, as candles are made from beeswax. Colors are natural and derived from plants.

Playthings include but are not limited to silks, faceless dolls (allows for greater imagination), wooden toys and blocks, wooden or felt swords and shields, child-sized versions of tools such as broom, mop, ironing board, kitchen, garden, wood shop, etc. and other dolls like finger puppets or peg dolls.

Activities and play time are open ended and lend themselves well to creative imagination. Art is focused on water-coloring and drawing with block crayons in yellow, blue and red on large pieces of paper or watercolor paper (typically 22"x17"). High end supplies are always encouraged and are a staple to the Waldorf philosophy.

No academics are present in kindergarten.

Festivals and celebrates mark important milestones in the world of five and six year olds.

Some books I recommend:

Children and Their Temperaments by Marieke Anschutz

Storytelling & The Art of Imagination by Nancy Mellon

Healing Stories for Challenging Behavior by Susan Perrow

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin

The Education of the Child by Rudolf Steiner

The Kingdom of Childhood by Rudolf Steiner

The following are the materials we got from A Child's Dream:

Art Tissue Paper -

Stockmar Beeswax Crayons - 16 Colors, Block -

Stockmar Beeswax Crayons - 16 Colors, Stick -

Beeswax Candle Rolling Kit -

Wood Cup (4) -

Wood Egg (6) -

Olive Wood Nutcracker -

Paint Jar Holder & 6 Jars -

Crafts Through The Year by Berger -

Holland Wool Felt Warm Colors, Yards + Cuts -

Holland Wool Felt Cool Colors, Yards + Cuts -

Holland Wool Felt Neutral, Baby Colors, Yards + Cuts -

Stockmar Modeling Beeswax - 12 Colors -

Come Follow Me CD - Volume One -

Come Follow Me CD - Volume Two -

Finger Puppet Bases (5) -

Wood Peg Doll - Large (10) -

Wood Peg Doll - Female (8) -

Smooth Mohair Yarn - Undyed -

Lyra Opaque Watercolor Paint Set - 24 Colors -

Beeswax Pumpkin Candle -

Sail Boat Building Kit -

Wind Car Building Kit -

Respect the Spindle Book by Abby Franquemont -

Stockmar Watercolor Paints - Set -

Making Peg Dolls & More by Margaret Bloom -

Paper Suncatchers - Window Stars Kit -

Numerica - A Waldorf Book of Counting -

LMNOP Alphabet Book by Howard Schrager -

LMNOP Alphabet Wall Cards -

Mini Playhouse Kit -

Creative Silk Pack - Winter Night Sky -

Wood Gnome with Pipe Cleaner Arms -

Wood Doll with Pipe Cleaner Arms -

Wood Finger Puppet with Pipe Cleaner Arms -

Kindergarten Curriculum Haul | Waldorf

I think the first thing that striking about the Waldorf kindergarten curriculum from Live-Education is the absence of any 'academic' work. There are no workbooks, textbooks or even read aloud books. Instead the curriculum is filled with stories to tell, songs to sing, music to listen to, crafts to do, and toys to play with. The natural rhythm of the day is enhanced with imaginative stories and pretend play with child-sized brooms, ironing boards, wooden trucks and simple dolls. Meals are events celebrated with an opening verse. They are varied with flavored, wholesome and thoroughly enjoyed. The toys are simple and all natural.

All supplies are from A Child's Dream.
The complete list of products are as follows:

Paint brushes are from Waldorf Supplies and the Broom set by Melissa and Doug is from Rainbow Resource

Kindergarten Schedule | Homeschool

I wish every week were kindergarten week! We had so much fun. Take a look at the projects we did and listen to how I scheduled our week. While I only allotted one week for our activities, we needed two weeks plus one day. Either we'll always break for two weeks for our kindergarten schedule or as we find our rhythm, we'll get used to just taking one week every 4-6 weeks.

We departed from our regular schedule (except my 9th grader) and focused on Waldorf inspired kindergarten activities. My 5th grader participated in 'Kindergarten Week', too. He still likes these activities and would otherwise be distracted if I had encouraged him to continue with his daily work.

When scheduling a week like this I was quickly reminded the tremendous amount of prep and clean-up time. No sooner had we finished an activity, my five-year old was asking what was next. I admit there were moments I was a little exasperated. 'Hang on child!" I would say. But then I realized how much she had been missing out and how much she was soaking up the attention and activities. There was a fair amount of playing while I set up and tidied up each project. I was needed to be present for every activity, so this was a very hand-on week for all involved.

Of course, there are still meals to cook and chores to be done. We also had some unexpected guests visit on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, plus our KG co-op on Wednesday, so it's no surprise that our scheduled activities took two weeks. We also added an outing to the library on Thursday that was spontaneous, but on our way to the fabric store where we needed to go to buy fabric for our crayon case project.

I was so pleased with our two-week KG adventure, I can't wait to do another one. Though our next KG week will undoubtedly reflect the changing season.

To see the complete list of activities, check them out on my website at the blog post that accompanies this video. The blog post includes pictures as well as links to all the video tutorials we shot during our KG week.

Check out the playlist with our kindergarten activities.

How to Play the Fairy Game | Preschool & Kindergarten Games

Recently we got a lot of cooperative games from Peaceable Kingdom. Of all the ones we got, this is one of our favorite. It's perfect for kids about 4 years and up and is interesting enough for adults to enjoy it, too. Color three fairy cards in a single color to remove the flower's gem before Mr. Frost freezes the flowers. The concept is simple and the game is cooperative with light strategy.

The Fairy Game is great for preschool, pre-k and kindergarten children as well as young kids 6 to 10 years of age. I noticed that when my children turned about 9 years of age, they quickly lost interest in cooperative games and favored competitive games instead.

We love our board games in our homeschool and you can see some of our favorites here.

You can find this game as well as many more at A Child's Dream.

How to Play Mermaid Island | Peaceable Kingdom Games

Looking for a fun cooperative game to play with children as young as three or four years old? Peaceable Kingdom makes an assortment of cooperative games for young players. Mermaid Island is especially suited for very young players because no reading skills are needed to play the game. The cooperative nature of the game lends itself well to children who are not ready for competitive games.

The game is easy to play, albeit slightly longer than what I would expect from a game for little children. The potential for the mermaids to start back at the beginning is a little discouraging, but you can quickly catch up and make it around the board by way of the bridges the sea witch cannot take. The game takes about 15 minutes to play and is designed for 2-4 players aged 5 years and up.

The tiles, game board and box are all of high quality cardboard making it durable for children and for many years of enjoyment. But, the best part is that if you lose a game piece, all you have to do is call the company to have the piece replaced.

We love our board games in our homeschool and you can see some of our favorites here.

You can find similar game as well as many more at A Child's Dream.

Curriculum Comparison | Oak Meadow VS. Live Education | Waldorf Homeschool

Oak Meadow and Live-Education are Waldorf inspired curricula, but what's the difference between the two and which one is more authentic to the Waldorf philosophy? I'm comparing the kindergarten curriculum for both Oak Meadow and Live-Education to give you an in depth look at how each curriculum is set up, what books come with each and how user friendly they are.

For more information on the Live-Education KG curriculum as well as recommended supplies and a growing list of KG tutorials, check out this playlist.

For a look at the updated version of Oak Meadow 1st grade curriculum.

For a review of Oak Meadow KG and 1st grade.

You can find the kindergarten curriculum for Live Education on their website.

Storage + Organization for Scarves | Sarah's Silks

Looking for a way to keep your play scarves, silks and wraps neat, organized and easy to get to? Look no further. I have a super simple solution you can do for just a couple dollars, as well as a more permanent slightly more expensive option.

With just a dowel, shower curtain rings and some string, you can have a beautiful solution to how to store your scarves. Simple put your shower curtain rings onto the dowel and slip your scarves through the shower curtain ring. Hang your dowel anywhere using screws and some string. Silks are easy to retrieve and easy to put away. Hang at child's height so children can have easy access.

This helped solve the problem of crumpled silks and instead turns them into classroom decoration as well as playing inspiration!

You can find other organizing solutions here.

You can find Sarah's Silks at A Child's Dream.

The Story of the Giant Turnip | Russian Folk Tale

This is how we retell stories with props. My children are helping with the props while I tell the story. We did it three times and set two of the stories to music. The third story is without music. I edited the clips to give them movement, but basically these are unedited stories. I made a couple mistakes, but that doesn't matter as the kids like spotting the differences or just ignore them. They are not perfectionists usually, so if you are weary to try this, know that your children will delight in whatever you do. The stories can be simple, and you definitely don't need as many props as what we have. We (I mean I) got carried away with it, as I normally do, but the time was well worth it and we all love it.

I made no introduction to this video so it can be enjoyed by both adults and kids. I left all three versions in one video because children like to hear/watch the same thing again and again and this way, there's variety.

There is also significance to stories that are repetitive. While this may seem annoying to some adults, children love the anticipation of the repetitive nature of stories.

This story has been modified from the original in the book Autumn by Wynstone Publishers. We changed it so we could fashion all the characters out of peg dolls.

We felted the turnips and made the peg dolls. You can see the tutorials for the peg dolls here:

You can see how we make pegs dolls in this playlist.

Here are the finger puppet tutorials.

If you want to see more videos like this, let me know in the comment section.

3:32 and 6:37 are the stopping points for the new stories.

Grandpa, Grandma, Mom and Dad tutorials.

DIY Fairy Wands

I love making things for my children, and this craft delighted them! I’m going to show you four different ways to make these wands. This project is fast, easy and affordable. You can find all supplies at your local craft store and with four methods to choose from, you’ll find one that suits your skill level.

These Fairy Wands or Fairy Dusters are a crafty durable solution to plastic wands found at most stores. You can decorate and accessorize to meet your child’s needs. These toys help facilitate hours of creative open-ended play your children will love. Play is an important building block in the development of a child.

Supplies:

Dowels 1/4″x12″ (one for each wand), paint or markers, wool or cotton balls, felt, accessories like gold twine, gems, embroidery floss and sequence, scissors, template, glue gun and glue, and needle if you plan to sew your felt.

Directions:

Plug in glue gun. Paint dowels and set them aside. Cut templates and felt. Begin gluing felt, leaving an opening for wool or cotton balls and the dowel. Fill design with wool and add a generous amount of glue inside design. Slip dowel in and secure the edges with more glue. Add accessories to finish off the fairy wand. Enjoy hours of play!