Kelly, Author at Happy Whimsical Hearts ~ Page 34 of 213

Children’s Winter books

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We have some lovely new Winter storybooks to enjoy in our book nook (a space that has changed to include a bench seat since I last shared about it ~ much more comfortable for me!).

I love changing our books to suit the seasons. And the children really look forward to finding old favourites and seeing any new books as the seasons change. I haven’t actually shared our Winter books before, so I will share a little about our current favourites *grin*

Winter’s Blanket

Phil Cummings and Donna Gynell

This sweet book is about a mama bear telling her daughter how they will know when Winter is coming. The young bear asks sweet innocent questions about Winter, like ‘does it sneak and creep about like a ghost?‘ And the answers always make my children laugh. The illustrations are fun and full of movement. It is a really fun book to read and my favourite this Winter.

Winter

Gerda Muller

This beautiful board book about Winter is my daughter’s favourite. It is a wordless book full of lovely illustrations of Winter. And although we don’t have snow during Winter where we live, she really connects to the imagery. She uses the illustrations to tell me her own tales of Winter and likes to tell me which children in the pictures are her and her brothers.

Winter’s Child

Angela McAllister and Grahame Baker Smith

The illustrations in this book are truly beautiful, with magical icicles and the hint of King Winter in the background. Even reading this story makes me feel cold! My eldest son enjoys this Winter storybook the most. I think he is draw to the Winter adventures the boys enjoy. But the deeper story of a lingering Winter and the impact this can have also hold meaning for him. It is a wonderful story where Winter’s Child personifies the season.

The Winter Solstice

Ellen Jackson and Jan Davey Ellis

This is an informative book about how different cultures celebrate the Winter Solstice. It also includes the scientific aspects of the solstice in an engaging way. It is a book you can dip in and out of, or read the whole way through in a sitting. The illustrations are lovely bringing the celebrations of the Winter solstice to life. I know that we will use this book more as the children grow.

What are your favourite Winter stories?

Happy reading,
Kelly

August 10, 2015 by Kelly

A Winter lantern walk

Playgroup last week was extra special.

The children excitedly held their lanterns and walked through our playsilk spiral to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Some of the children held lanterns they had made themselves, while others held lanterns made for them. The warming flames held their attention, as one of the playgroup mums sang to lead them through the spiral, twisting and turning through.

My plan had been to use leaves to make a more traditional spiral. On the day though I placed colourful playsilks instead, making a pretty silk spiral that was interspersed with candles and flowers. The spiral was actually made of two spirals, so the children could make their way through without having to leave the spiral the way they entered.

A spiral lantern walk is a traditional way many Steiner communities mark the Winter Solstice. It represents the inner aspects of the season, an introspection. While the lanterns represent hope, inner light and warmth. And as we spiral out we mirror nature with the days now becoming longer.

It was a beautiful morning!

And like many things in life, our playgroup has changed and evolved since my friend and I started it. Playgroup is now held in my home (my lovely friend has moved far away!). With the changed surroundings our rhythm has also shifted.

We now start our mornings inside with the children playing with the play kitchen, balance board, blocks and dolls. And of course there is bread making ~ I’m not sure playgroup would feel the same without it (although when we go to the gardens we bake a cake and it is still lovely *grin*).

The children are really drawn to our bread making and their bread creations are becoming really wonderful. This week we had snails, butterflies and spirals. They all want to take part in making our morning tea whether it is cutting the fruit or buttering the warm bread.

Then outside we venture, the children running out to the cubby house and sandpit. Wanting to see if anything has changed since last time. We draw them close for morning tea by singing seasonal songs. After enjoying our bread and fruit they all venture off to play. In the mud kitchen, back to the cubby house or even a visit around the side to see the chickens *smile*