Winter Bauble Bird Feeders

Winter can be a tough time for wildlife, food is scarce and its lovely to be able to involve children in caring for the wildlife around them. The last couple of years we have found real joy in making these bauble bird feeders. They are great as they are not only practical for the birds, they make use of the autumn pine cones we have found on walks and brighten up winter bare branches!

What you will need:

• A selection of pine cones, we usually choose the biggest ones we have found.

• Peanut butter (make sure it has no salt content) or fat balls for birds

• A selection of mixed seeds and nuts, suet pellets for birds. If you have any specific species in your garden make a fun project and find out which they benefit from and like best

• Natural String or twine, do not use plastic or nylon as it can be a hazard for birds and nature

• A couple of spoons

• A table covering if you don't like mess.

How to make them :

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They are so simple and easy to make, even for little hands! Firstly you are best tying the string on, find a place on the cone which allows the string to be tied securely and tie in a double knot. Then put the seeds or pellets into bowls to make the next process easier.

Use the spoons to spread the peanut butter or fat onto the cone, ensuring it is thickly and liberally applied.

Holding the top of the cone, press it into the bowls of seeds and nuts. We do some in one type and some with a mixture to provide variety for the birds in our garden!

Finally hang them from a tree, high enough for birds to eat safely. Enjoy watching as they come back again and again. These are also a great activity for celebrating Yule and decorating a winter tree!

#steinerwaldorf #thewaywewaldorf #birdfeeders #yule #wintertree #naturalcrafts

My Basic Best of Both Bread Recipe

Back to Basics here is my basic best of both bread recipe, tried and tested!

You will need

• A loaf tin or tray to bake your bread on

• 250g strong white bread flour

• 250g wholemeal bread flour

• 7g easy bake yeast

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of golden caster sugar

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 1 tbsp softened butter

• 300ml of warm water

Method

• Mix together the flour until they are both well combined add the salt, sugar and yeast.

• Add the butter and mix with your fingertips until its well incorporated

• Mix the water in with a cutlery knife

• Turn onto a floured surface and knead fro around 10 minutes,

• Grease the mixing bowl with a little oil and pop the dough back in, cover with a clean teatowel and leave to rise until doubled in size.

• Once doubled knock back the dough kneading just a few times, mould into a smooth ball and pop in a lightly greased loaf tin or on a tray

• Leave to Prove under a clean towel until doubled in size again. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180 degree centigrade.

• Once double bake in the centre of the oven for 30 mins of so. When you can lift the bread from the tin and it sounds hollow when tapped underneath its done!

Enjoy and happy baking.

My thoughts on reading in Early Childhood (and beyond)

People often ask me about Steiner and Reading. Our home is filled with books, we all love to read - and read all sorts, from biographies to fiction, history and philosophy. We want our children to foster that love of reading.

Children in Steiner schools do not formally start reading or academics until they are rising seven, and their formative forces..physical development, the brain and nervous system, walking and motor skills, linguistic development and the establishment of behaviour patterns is rounded and secure. (In the EYFS in the U.K. this would be the three Prime Areas of Learning. A recent paper “Getting it right in the Early Years Foundation Stage” by the Centre for Research in Early Childhood, which examines the proposed government amendments to the EYFS and Early Learning Goals, there is a key understanding and clear response that a foundation of rich oral language must be in place before children are formally taught phonics and early reading. Alongside the urge to incorporate more arts and crafts in learning and the importance acknowledge to play based pedagogies beyond the Early Years (in the UK this is age 5) only supports the ideas and practices which have been used in Steiner education for 100 years.

Through my own experiences with my older children and their journey in reading I can say waiting is always better than trying to force reading on a child who is not ready - and it is this reason we are not going to pursue or encourage reading until Arya shows she is ready and wanting to do so. We have books with images - whereby free from narrative she can use her imagination to form her own ideas and scenarios, a lot of these books are richly illustrated and when we sit and look together the possibilities are still endless no matter how many times we have seen them. We still have books with text, and she has favourites, I so think it’s important that children know print carries meaning - and when she’s ready by her own will to understand that meaning we will follow her lead.

Reading should not be a race or a competition, it should be a journey of discovery, of wonder, that can be fostered throughout life. 📚 📖