Savez Vous Planter Des Choux

Right now in circle time we are doing a traditional french song called Savez Vous Planter Des Choux.  The song talks about planting cabbages with different body parts.  We have started planting cabbages with our "doigt" or in english "fingers".  As the month progresses we will add more body parts to plant with.  It's lots of fun and I'm always amazed at how quickly the children pick up the words!

Here is a video with the song.  Enjoy!

Zittle's Farm Pumkin Patch Field Trip...

Just wanted to drop a note to let you know that this Wednesday October 13th is our annual pumpkin patch field trip!  Our groups tour starts at 9:30 sharp.  You can meet us there...or walk with us at 9am from our home.  The children will visit farm animals...take a hay ride...walk through corn stalks...and get a pumpkin!

Parents and siblings are welcome to come.

The cost is $6.00 cash per child (parents may also have to pay admission depending on number of parents present).

See you then!

New Preschool Year!!

We are so excited!  This year will be magical!

Here are a few things we're especially excited about...

Today the children and I started working on our new and improved "Nature Hut".  This one is taller and has more room to roam than it's predecessor.  Come the cold and rainy season it will be a wonderful place to huddle and get warm together...and even get out of the rain.  One of the children today suggested that we should drink hot chocolate with marshmallows in the hut!  Yum!  Well...maybe for a REALLY special occasion...but more likely we'll just have some herbal tea!

We have some baby chicks on their way from Murray McMurray hatchery!!  (As seen above in all their cute glory!)  The children love to watch them grow...and of course name them.  And collecting their white...brown...and even greenish blue eggs never get's old!

We also have plans for some special new things to do throughout the year.  Special outings...new activities...some more fun seasonal baked goods...and just more imaginative fun!

Of course the year will be filled as always with all kinds of songs and rhymes...games...puppet plays...and fairy enchantment!  We can't wait!

Girls Entering Puberty Younger and Younger...

Recently I have seen a few articles that speak of how girls as young as 7 years old are entering puberty.  I'm sure that all conscientious parents would want to delay their child's entering puberty as long as possible so as to avoid their child having to deal with the emotional and physical challenges that accompany it.  But not only that...early puberty is being linked to increased chances of breast cancer.

I bring this to your attention...so you can keep your eyes out for those things that are speculated to trigger the early development...and to keep your child away from them!

So what is causing this?  Most of the articles have "experts" saying something similar to the following...

"He speculates that its primary driver may be overweight and obesity, because estrogen is sequestered in fat tissue.  But environmental exposures to chemicals - including pesticides and endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A, commonly found in plastics, and phthalates, which are contained in many personal-care products - could also play a role."

Many in the Waldorf community already believe that those things are poor for your health...and have adjusted their lifestyles.  Using metals and glasses instead of plastics.  Avoiding growth hormones in foods and other pesticides and herbicides by eating organic.  Watching the things that come into our bodies by eating and even what we absorb through our skin.

Here is some good advice...

"Until we know what the cause is, the best way to slow puberty may be to “start living green,” says Biro. “It may help for families eat together and to consume well-balanced diets. Regular physical activity may help, too.”

Floating Swimsuits...

It's summertime again...and time for swimming!

Just wanted to give you a recommendation if you are need of finding a way for your non-swimming child to stay buoyant this season. We are big fans of the "floating body suits". Here is why we like them...

1. They offer decent sun protection.
2. The floats are on the chest...not the arms...which allows the child full range of motion with their arms. It seems this helps them to learn to swim on their own faster.
3. If the child still feels they need more to keep them up...they can still fit a floating ring around their bellies.
4. They are comfortable for the child.
5. They look cool!

They make them for boys and girls...and are available most everywhere swimsuits are sold.

Imperfect Landscaping Good for Kids!...

Ahhh....the smell of cut grass is in the air! For many of us...that means at least a portion of our weekend plans are going to be out in the yard...tending. Now...in my pre-organic days...I used to purchase all of the potions that were designed to kill everything but the grass...but now...my perspective has changed. Now because I have youth playing in the yard...I don't care to have those sprays on the lawn for fear of poisoning them...but in addition to that...I like having the variety of "weeds" that grow in the lawn to be a part of their outdoors experience.

This of course defies the culturally ingrained belief that only a mono-cultured grass can be a thing of beauty! And...I don't deny that it is a beautiful thing. I just feel that there is also beauty and value to be found with some dandelions poking up here and there ready to be blowing into the wind or some white clover flowers begging to become ingredients in their "soup" that the children make daily. To me...it is one step closer to getting the children a to a true "nature" experience. Less altered by man's hand to become perhaps too unnatural.

I also like for the children to see how the native plants develop and flower. Many of them are more beautiful in my eyes that the plants I'd have to pay for and nurture to keep alive!

Now...I know about social pressures. I know about the struggle to keep good home values by keeping homes looking nice. Lawns can be a sore spot for neighbors who don't like seeing weeds. Perhaps what most people could stand to do as a compromise is to strive to keep their front lawn manicured and green...but the backyard a little unkempt for the children to play.

I am not advocating never cutting lawns or letting things get out of control. When the lawn get's too long...it can actually be an impediment to some forms of play as they can't run through it effectively...or kick a ball through it. When I do my lawn duties...I mow everything...but leave some weeds here and there to grow. It still can look pretty sharp...and allow the children a slice of the "wild".

Just some food for thought to make your own homes a bit more Waldorf!

Melty Crayons and Scratch Paper...

On rainy days like today...we often do "melty crayons". Two trays are plugged in...and they get just warm enough to make crayons melt when placed on the tray. It's like painting with crayons! The kids love it and never seem to tire of it. It also serves to warm up rainy day cold hands.

They are often to be found at your local thrift store...as they were really popular a few decades ago. They look like the one in the photo above...only without the soup!

Or...they can be purchased at places like Amazon for like $50 or more! (I say look at a thrift store!)



When the kids really start getting into their art...it doesn't take them long to go through a good amount of paper. Instead of giving them brand new paper for the 5 masterpieces they might do in one sitting...we prefer to give them recycled..."Scratch" paper.

As a request...if you think to...will you please save your paper that could be used as scratch paper? It can be any size...any color...it just needs one blank side. Just make sure that it doesn't have any sensitive information on it!

You may find that your contribution comes back to you like a boomerang...only with priceless art on it...and a meaningful and often lengthy conversation about it's meaning! Wonderful!