Waldorf Inspiration

I mentioned recently I'm incorporating more Waldorf inspiration into our homeschooling, so I thought I'd start blogging about that a bit. It is something I've been interested in for a while now, and have added elements into our lives very, very slowly over time (anyone who has tried to make plastic play a smaller role in their lives know what I'm talking about here).  It's not just about the plastic stuff, but also about the curriculum itself.

So far as I can tell (my studies on the subject have been haphazard and only online at this point), Waldorf education is one in which play is encouraged. Legends, fairy tales and other stories play a big role in the early grades especially. This quilt is currently hanging over our couch, which is next to the kitchen table where our morning circle time will take place. I wanted it there to provide an imaginative backdrop to some of the great animal fairy tales I am planning to tell the kids. Below is a closer view....

I don't remember who made this quilt, but I have always loved it!

Here's my little gem, my Butterfly Fairy, playing with some wooden animals I have slowly collected over time.  She figured out all on her own that a green scarf makes a great grass substitute.

We interrupt this inside tour with a picture of a spider friend in our yard. My son and I looked this handsome guy up and found out he is a Yellow and Black Argiope Garden Spider.  Apparently it is harmless to humans. My son thought it was just the coolest thing, and now that I know it is harmless, I have to agree ;)

Here's my first attempt at chalkboard art. This is another element of Waldorf education that plays a prominent part in classrooms and homeschools.  The idea is to create inspiring and beautiful displays, including monthly and seasonal celebrations, poetry and story themes, etc.

This is a song from a book entitled Maine, The Way Wild Life Should Be, a collection of Maine-themed poems. This second chalk drawing is a little less bold than the first, but I wanted to keep true to the poem.

Here are the two chalkboard drawings displayed up on the wall. My daughter is there playing on the silk scarves, which is another Waldorf inspiration. Silk scarves are emphasized in Waldorf education, as they are great for the senses and the imagination.

Here is the Good Morning song we'll be doing during circle time. There are other songs and poems we'll be doing before we settle down for story time.  After story time, we'll be doing some Waldorf-style wet-on-wet watercolor painting, which I'll try to capture a few pictures of to display on this blog.

After the painting, we'll work on some Language Arts (handwriting) and Math (a dot-to-dot worksheet). I'm purposely making it a pretty light day, since it will be our first official homeschool day of the new year.  We're introducing new things (ie. the poems and songs during circle time, as well as a clothes pin system that I'll post about soon), so I don't want to fill the day with too many things at once to absorb. I want our first day to be fun, lighthearted, and full of play.

I've instituted a new rule of "No Devices Before 11am".  This is also only available on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are DEVICE FREE days, and the weekends are often also device free.

 There may be the occasional exception to this rule, but for the most part this is going to be the new rule in our home.  I want mornings to be filled with play and wonder. There will be plenty of time the rest of the day for devices if we so choose - although I'm planning to make a general move away from so many hours of devices. According to Waldorf principles, TV and Internet should be avoided in favor of play during the first 7 years of life. I think it is an idea for every age, to be honest with you!

I can't wait for tomorrow! Homeschooling has become so exciting for all, and I find myself looking forward to each new day.