Welcome to Day 8, September 15, 2026, of homeschooling my triplet nephews, who are four years old, using a Waldorf inspired kindergarten approach! We are still working on establishing a good rhythm for our homeschool days, but I am beginning to understand how much time we need for each activity. I have found that planning approximately one activity per hour works well, especially now that the children are becoming more engaged in free play and imaginative play.

The children are becoming familiar with our routine, and when they arrive, they are ready to begin our projects. Most days, we start in the kitchen, although I would eventually like to begin our mornings in our little kindergarten room, which I have created in our unused dining room.

Today, we are continuing our gardening projects by transplanting the beautiful seedlings that the children planted previously. My 11-year-old nephew is joining us, and I love having him participate in these activities alongside the triplets. He is able to approach the same projects with greater complexity and ease, and today he helped demonstrate how to carefully transplant the little seedlings into larger pots.

One of the things I am learning through this experience is the importance of showing rather than telling. In Waldorf kindergarten, we want to demonstrate the work and allow the children to learn through observation and imitation. I have noticed that I sometimes explain much more than is necessary! With my older nephew, I can offer more detailed explanations, but with the younger children, a simple demonstration is often all that is needed.

Each child was supposed to transplant one seedling, but when one of the children selected a little pot containing two seedlings, everyone else wanted two as well. Once the other children had their two seedlings, the first child wanted another pot, which meant he now had three plants. Naturally, the other two children noticed immediately! Everything needs to be either the same or completely different, and they are very particular about making sure everyone has their fair share!

We continued filling our pots with soil, although I quickly realized that our little shovel was not quite large enough for the job. I will need to find a better one for our next gardening project. We are also still working indoors at the kitchen counter because our backyard and front yard are being landscaped, but that has not stopped us from enjoying these wonderful gardening experiences.

Next, we prepared some labels for our little plants. I printed pencil illustrations of butternut squash, acorn squash, and tomatoes, and the children used our Lyra opaque watercolor paints to add color to their vegetable drawings. Some of the children were very particular about choosing the correct colors and staying within the lines, while others simply enjoyed painting however they liked. I love seeing how differently each child approaches the same activity!

As part of our daily rhythm, I try to include some meaningful food preparation during every kindergarten session. Today, we seasoned our butternut squash and acorn squash with salt, pepper, and a little olive oil before roasting them in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour.

While the squash was baking, we continued with our gardening and painting projects. Once it was soft, the children helped transfer the roasted squash into my NutriBullet, and I blended it with some coconut milk to make a beautiful, creamy soup that we served at room temperature. The children also enjoyed some chia seed pudding with fresh blueberries for a little snack.

We even received an exciting new package for our kindergarten room! The children helped me open the box, but I am saving the full unboxing for our next homeschool day. I cannot wait to show you what is inside!

We ended our day with some wonderful imaginative play. My 15-year-old daughter has been bringing out some of the old dress-up clothes that my boys used to play with, and she has been doing such a beautiful job engaging the triplets in pretend play. My 11-year-old nephew joins them as well, and together they create their own games and stories.

I really appreciate having these different ages together in our kindergarten experience. The older children bring new ideas and possibilities into the imaginative play while also providing gentle guidance when little disagreements arise. It is such a natural way for children of different ages to participate in life together.

Our two hours went by so quickly that we did not even have time for our story today! The children gathered their things, put on their shoes and socks, and said goodbye until our next kindergarten day.

We are still finding our rhythm, but each day brings new opportunities to observe the children, adjust our approach, and create a meaningful kindergarten experience filled with practical work, creativity, and imaginative play!