A Winter Scavenger Hunt

While it can be tempting to stay indoors when it is cold and snowy outside, taking your children outside to discover the beauty of nature during winter is well-worth the effort of bundling up and getting out and about for awhile each day.

One of our favorite things to do is to create Winter Scavenger Hunts and as my girls get older, the hunting can get a bit more challenging.  Keeping in mind the ages of your children, you can print out a list of fun things to look for during your next winter nature walk.   Or, feel free to use our list below:

Can you find:

Melting ice?

Evergreen needles?

Nuts?

Dried tree sap?

A frozen flower?

Food for the birds?

Interesting tree bark?

Water dripping on a branch?

Winter berries?

Signs of old life?

Dead leaves?

Fungi?

Animal tracks?

A winter hideaway?

Here are some other fun items you may consider adding to your list:

Two similar rocks
A green leaf
Birds in winter
Squirrel
Roots
Pinecones
Icicles
Frozen water
Spider web
Nest
Living insect

We'd love to hear what you and your children discovered on your hunt.  If you'd like to send us photos of your discoveries we are happy to post them here.  Send to info@littleacornlearning.com

Happy winter discoveries!

May Day Crowns and Circle Time

May Day Crowns

Although I prefer to use all natural materials and real flowers, I wanted to be sure the children could take these special crowns home to keep for playtime.  

In this case I used artificial flowers with a wire backing, ribbon and colored bells.  

To make these easy crowns simply measure them around the child's head and make a knot in the back leaving ribbon hanging in length. 

Then, adhere the flowers onto the crown.  In our case, we simply twisted the wire backing around the ribbon but if you do not have this type of flower just glue or sew the flowers on.  

Next each child helped to string the bells onto the back ribbon hanging and we secured by tying a knot at the end.  

Maypole Song

(If you do not have a Maypole you can simply hold hands in a circle and move around while singing.)

Round the Maypole we are going,

On a holiday,

Round the Maypole we are going,

This is what we say,

All the colors we are learning,

In the rainbow gay,

So, back and forth we all are dancing,

In the merry May.  

May Day Circle

(this circle can be shared the entire first week of May)

Each child receives a color to be their "name" for this game:  Violet, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red and so on.  The children join hands in a circle (their may day crowns or ribbons can be their special color as a reminder if you plan ahead).  The teacher is Mother Rainbow.  

Mother Rainbow says:

"I count my children before I go.  Learn the colors of my rainbow."

She taps one child on the head and calls them by "name":

"*Violet* won't you play this game today?  Pick a friend and run away."

The chosen child (in this case Violet) must go up to another child and name her color and say:

"I choose *Blue* to come with me.  Off we go beneath the tree."

(this verse can be changed but if you have a nice tree the children can sit beneath it and prepare for snack or a lesson as they wait.)

Continue on until all children have left the circle.  If the number of children does not work out, Mother Rainbow can pair up with the last child and say the last verse instead of a child.  

If you are looking for even more ideas this week, don't miss our one day sale which ends tomorrow:

50% Off our Late Spring Festivals E-Book which includes amazing ideas for May Day and Mother's Day as well as other late spring festival celebrations. 

Happy May Day to You!

Cooking Camp

This summer I was lucky enough to be asked to run a week-long Cooking Camp through our town's Park and Recreation Department.  I had never run a camp before, especially a week full of cooking with 14 children by myself so I was pretty nervous. 

Each day we had a special recipe to make and I tried my best to tie in associated circle time songs, games, crafts, books and activities.

 The children ranged in age from 4 years old to 6 years old and also my three girls were there to assist.  Keira was a HUGE help and lead storytime and many of the crafts for me while I was setting up.

 We all made our own special aprons to wear throughout the week and as the days passed by we became like a little family.  I started to get to know each child and their individual personalities and they began to trust me and their friends and open up more.

 We made five different recipes including homemade individual pizzas, apple turnovers,

 homemade ice cream in a bag, homemade bread and banana surprise muffins.  I was SO lucky that each day the recipes came out great and the only problem we had was on the very last day my timing was a bit off and the parents had to wait an extra 15 minutes for the muffins to finish baking.

The children LOVED cleaning up.  Isn't it so amazing that children actually really enjoy these activities when we present it to them in a way that makes them feel capable and responsible?  They were all such wonderful kids and I miss them already.

 After that week of working with this age group in a class environment, I realized how much I loved it.  Yes, it was hard getting up each morning and being organized enough to have my supplies and my girls in the car on time.  And after camp ended each day, I was tired and did look forward to a break.  But I really did love it.

 I know that working and advocating for children is what I am meant to be doing.  And something I will be doing more of in the future. 

 Now that our public middle school has decided to eliminate Home Economics from the curriculum and replace it with a 21st Century Internet Skills class, I am considering running an after-school cooking and sewing class so kids still have a way to learn how to cook their own meal and sew on a button after they've mastered searching the Internet and programming websites for the 21st Century (yes you are sensing some major sarcasm). 

 And I also hope to help run Cooking Camp again next summer and maybe even add on a week or two if I have the time now that I know what to expect. 

 Seeing how proud the children were of themselves was so fulfilling to me.  I love that I am helping them discover how amazing they are and all that they can create in this world.

 And, in the meantime, they are helping me find myself again.  

Truly a win win. 

Make a Parachute Toy

Parachute Toy

Supplies Needed:

Small Silk or Light Fabric for ‘parachute’

Four even pieces of yarn or strong thread

Small toy figure with flexible arms and legs

(we especially enjoyed using this dollhouse boy because each limb moves freely and the arms and feet were perfect for attaching our strings to – you could alternatively make your own bendy doll for this activity but the success may vary depending on the weight of your doll and fabric used)

Tie each piece of yarn to one corner of your silk or fabric attaching the other side of the yarn to your doll’s hands and feet. You will have to experiment and adjust the length of your string depending on the items you are using. When you drop your parachute toy from a high place you want for the wind to catch underneath so the toy floats down. Some toys will be heavier than others and may need a shorter length of yarn to make it work. We had to adjust ours a few times.

To Catch a Leprechaun

We tried to catch a leprechaun with tricks and traps,

We set it up so carefully with sticks and maps.

We tiptoed to our beds and listened for a peep,

Waiting for the sound of little leprechaun feet.

The night came on so suddenly, the next we knew

The morning sun was rising bigger as it grew.

We ran downstairs to see if we had caught the man,

We'd love him an we'd feed him as often as we can.

But as we opened up to see what he would do -

The trick was ours, he left a mess and candy too!

~ E. Straiton

King Winter Has Arrived!

Happy Winter Solstice from Little Acorn Learning!

To Celebrate Winter in a Magical Way we have put together a Special King Winter Theme Book just for YOU!


Everything You Need to Celebrate King Winter's Arrival in Your Home or School!
41 Pages of Waldorf Crafting, Recipes, Stories, Songs, Verses, Poems and Activities
ONLY $15.99

PLUS EACH PERSON WHO PURCHASES A KING WINTER THEME BOOK CAN ENTER TO WIN ONE OF THESE AMAZING GIVEAWAYS:

From Home Music Making

One Living Music From the Heart Kit: Music Curriculum Volume 1. It includes 1 lesson book, 2 penny whistles, 2 DVD's of teacher tutorials. Giveaway Value: $65

From Syrendell

One King Winter Kit (includes white roving, flesh colored roving (let us know depth of skin tone), blue/green/purple locks for hair and beard, carded blue/purple roving with sparkle, two needfelting needles, different gauges, recycled Aluminum foil) - All of the materials needed to make the puppet in our King Winter ebook!Giveaway Value: $15

From Bella Luna Toys

Two Lucky Winners will Receive a Snowman Needle Felting Kit from Bella Luna Toys! What a Wonderful Addition to Your Winter Crafting and Nature Table Display!

Here are the terms to enter to win:

1. Purchase a King Winter Theme Book from Little Acorn Learning ((Here))

2. Sign Up to Join Our Mailing List on Our Website , Facebook Fan Page or Blog

3. Spread the Word on Facebook, Twitter, Your Blog or Website and Link Back to This Blog Post

4. Leave a Comment on This Blog Post in the Comments Section Letting Us Know and/or Sharing the Link

The More Places You Share the Link The More Times You are Entered to Win!

Check Back Here on 12/27/10 To See if You Won!

Happy Winter!

Finding Balance

Balance (metaphysics): a desirable point between two or more opposite forces

Finding that place of ying and yang... Where both feet stand firm, move together... remain grounded...
Is challenging.

“Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.”

So we get up, move again... one foot in front of the other - until it feels right. Not too fast and not too slow.

Steady.

In harmony. Each move reminding us that we are part of a whole. Not alone.

“The hungry world cannot be fed until and unless the growth of its resources and the growth of its population come into balance. Each man and woman-and each nation --must make decisions of conscience and policy in the face of this great problem.”

Together. In unity... peace... with love.

“The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.”
~Albert Einstein