What a Simple Kindergarten Day Looks Like | Day 14
Welcome to the LIVE audio version of our homeschool vlogs. In these videos, you'll hear the delightful voices of the children, my verbal instructions to the children (often too much instruction) and the quiet and slow between the projects, and the laughter and joy of the play.
Some days homeschooling my four-year-old triplet nephews for our Waldorf-inspired kindergarten are much simpler than others. On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, after weeks of anticipation, we are finally finishing our wet-felted wool pumpkins, and I could not be more pleased with how beautifully they turned out!
We started these pumpkins last week using wool batting felted around racquetballs, with a larger tennis ball for my 11-year-old nephew's pumpkin. Now that the wool has dried and the pumpkins have been dyed with madder root, it's time to cut them open, remove the balls, and add the finishing touches.
We cut around the upper third of each pumpkin to create a removable lid. Initially, I left part of the top attached, but when I asked the children whether they preferred a hinged lid or one that came completely off, they all wanted separate lids. The racquetballs popped out easily, while the tennis ball had slightly adhered to the wool, making it a little more challenging to remove.
Some of the pumpkin tops were slightly misshapen from the baking twine we used during felting. Next time, I'll try rubber bands instead. Still, the pumpkins held together beautifully, especially considering I had been concerned that we wouldn't have enough wool to complete them.
The finishing touch that really transformed these pumpkins was needle-felting the little green stems onto their lids. I had several shades of green wool to choose from, along with a felting needle. Normally, I would use a foam block beneath the wool, but I couldn't find mine. Thankfully, the felting needles came with a tiny piece of foam that turned out to be exactly the size we needed to fit beneath the pumpkin lids.
And our kitchen activity could not have been simpler. Each child sliced half an apple using their own cutting board and knife. We saved the apple seeds for a planting project later in the season. Their knife skills continue to improve, and I love seeing how much more capable and independent they are becoming through these everyday activities.
After snack, the children enjoyed imaginative play inside our beautiful wooden play structure from Head, Hands, and Heart Boutique. The structure is surprisingly spacious, although you can hardly see its size because I've covered it with an enormous piece of cotton fabric. I originally purchased the fabric for another project, but after cutting it in half and sewing the pieces together, it became the perfect covering for their play space. The children absolutely love it.
Meanwhile, my 11-year-old nephew continued practicing with his wood-burning tool. Last week, he personalized the children's new cutting boards, and now he's moving on to his own projects, including plans to personalize his skateboard.
Last week, the children cracked walnuts using our nutcracker. This week, we tried cracking hazelnuts with a mortar and pestle. They really enjoyed the process of breaking open the shells and discovering what was inside. The hazelnuts were a little old, but the children were still curious to taste them. Their greatest enjoyment, however, came from the work itself.
When the children begin their first math main lesson block in grade one, they will need manipulatives for counting and working with numbers. Rather than purchasing something new, I would love for them to use the hazelnuts they've collected and stored inside these beautiful wool pumpkins.
I love the idea of bringing something from their kindergarten years into their more formal academic lessons. By then, these pumpkins will carry memories of wet felting, plant dyeing, cracking nuts, counting, and all the meaningful work they participated in when they were four years old.
These are the kinds of experiences that make early childhood education so beautiful to me. The children are developing coordination, perseverance, practical skills, and early mathematical understanding without formal academic instruction. The learning is woven naturally into their daily activities.
I especially love the way these pumpkins turned out. We made a similar project several years ago, but I think this version is even more beautiful. The madder root dye created such lovely variations in color, and the slight imperfections give each pumpkin its own character. Sometimes those unexpected details are exactly what make a handmade project so special.
A simple morning of finishing our pumpkins, slicing apples, cracking hazelnuts, and imaginative play turned out to be one of our most satisfying kindergarten days.
