Handwork in Early Childhood

🪡 Handwork in Early Childhood

It’s been a while since I posted some #wednesdaywaldorfwisdom today I thought I would share something I often get so many questions about. Handwork in early childhood, what should it look like, what should it be, what should a child be doing. I think with all the skill involved in handwork in later grades there can sometimes be confusion as to how to approach it in the early years.

The answer is a simple one, children do handwork everyday. Handwork encompasses everything they are doing in play and exploration, from building, to baking, in craft and in purposeful work….all of these things develop the muscle memory and skill which prepare them for more intentional handwork in the grades.

Living in a crafty home, it’s inevitable that the little one has picked up a bit of a desire to imitate mummy, however this sweet shot of her here using the embroidery hoop is a rare one. She and many children her age will find much more interesting things to do that sit still and focus on such things, and that’s fine. That has in no way whatsoever delayed her ability to pick up a needle and control it as she passes it back to front through the fabric stretched through the hoop.

All of the things a child does on a daily basis in their early years are giving them those skills needed for more specific tasks - and they are learning them whilst deeply engaged in things meaningful to them.

The most meaningful way we can enable our child to develop skills ready for and in basic handwork such as sewing, wet felting and finger knitting, is to do it together, with love and purpose . Allowing our children to see us take joy and time in tasks of all descriptions will allow them in turn to watch and absorb what we do, to have a go for themselves and find joy in the art of creating with the hands is one of the most valuable things we can help them adopt in early childhood to provide them with a beautiful foundation to learning and developing their own skills as they grow.

Sycamore Seed Moth

Sycamore Seed Moth 🌙

The nights are getting darker, but it’s warm enough to have the windows open a smidge, which means inevitably we have had a couple of moths inside the past week.

The little one was fascinated so we made some felted moths today with Sycamore seed wings and Antennae.

The unfortunately my phone ran out of charge whilst making them, but they are super easy to make at home.

You will need:

Warm soapy water (natural bar soap rubbed in the water will do.

Natural soap

A tea towel

Wool roving

Sycamore seeds (on their stalks preferable)

Watercolour painting (pans are better for this you could also use crayon and pencil)

A needle and thread OR Florist wire, if you want to make ones which sit wobbling on a wire like me.

Method:

• Pull tufts of roving, put them in a pile and sold them over until they are around An inch long, submerge in water and then gently roll in the palms to felt to a sausage shape. Leave to dry when felted.

• Paint / colour your sycamore seeds. Remove the stalks and set aside

• When your wool moth body is dry either attach the wings with a needle and thread (2 pairs of seed per moth) OR push florist wire up through the moth around a third of the way along the body leaving a long stem (you want about 1.5cm through the top side) thread the wings onto the wire then bend down. If you like you can wrap the longer length of wire around the body under the wing to secure further, bring it back under the tummy of the moth.

• Finally cut the stems from the seeds so you have Y shape pieces, attach these with a single stitch to the moth head, or use a speck superglue if you wish.

I will be adding our moths to our seasonal table by inserting the wire into the felt, you could stand yours in a jar or hang them if you wish with a length of thread.

Enjoy making and happy weekend to all!

Modern childhood and Waldorf Education

Modern childhood often seems at odds with Waldorf Education, and as a parent following Steiner’s methods with my own child I struggle, it often feels like walking a tightrope as I try to strike a balance living in a community where nobody knows about Steiner and everyone we meet sees us as going against the grain. I know I won’t be the only one who feels this especially when your heart is invested in this beautiful approach to experiencing and growing in life.

It can be all too easy to be hard on ourselves, but I want to remind any parents out there who feel this way…don’t.

Yes choose natural over plastics where you can, choose nature over TV, but don’t underestimate the wonder and power both these things can nurture. Who couldn’t be blown away by the enchanting light on these tiles as it sits on the table surface, just like that magic of stained glass windows, and open ended too. Who couldn’t be in awe of the wonder of clips from Attenborough’s planet earth for example. Let’s not forget how technology too has kept the world in touch during much needed times.

I don’t know what Rudolf Steiner would make of the world we are in, it’s granted a lot of his predictions and fears have manifested as we have moved through the modern age, however it’s not all doom and gloom and as he was a scientist I am pretty sure he would be blown away by some of the things we have willed into reality from the very depths of our own imaginations in this technological age.

Technology is not going to disappear, so let’s raise our children to slowly embrace it for the good it can harness with a deep respect for the natural earth they are part of for the future.

Technology modern toys and gadgets should not be so prevalent as to mould our children. But at the same time ideas from past should not define their future.

So if you have a dilemma I had, if there is a ‘modern toy’ you feel would absolutely set your child’s imagination on fire. Don’t feel bad or second guess it, that spark could be one that stays with your child their entire life.