The Elves’ Faire

Anna with the Acorn Elf

We had a blast yesterday at the 24th Annual Elves’ Faire put on by the Pasadena Waldorf School.

The leather craftsman modeling one of his masks.

Really. Amazing.

Imagine a fair or carnival designed FOR KIDS, but with all natural materials, nature- and magic-oriented, and nearly everything handmade AND nearly 100% green. There was live music everywhere; not only where there at least four different bands (mostly folk and kid’s stuff, but one rock band) but there was also a drumming circle with real drums and tambourines and a musician helping people along. Christian loved that spot, especially because there was an old table top in the middle that kids were jumping on as a makeshift see-saw (he just stood there and kept his balance while OTHER kids jumped up and down).

At the drum circle

And lest you think that sounds too airy-fairy, the games for the kids at the back of the fair were brilliant and imaginative. There was JOUSTING FOR KIDS! Two kids got to stand on a low balance beam and knock eachother about with gaily colored long padded sticks. No blows to the head were allowed – and it seemed to be mainly a game of balance and you could see the kids having a great time.

Other great games:

Walking a maze on stilts.

Maneuvering through a “labryinth” blindfolded.

A jumpline rigged with a tire horse: the kid (or grown-up!) got to wear a knight’s helmet and carry a jousting stick and try and catch the grass ring on the way down. (And the volunteer parent running this ride? JOHN C. REILLY!)

And there were others I didn’t even get to.

There were cool rooms and areas to visit, like the Doll Room (all kinds of Waldorf dolls for sale), Pixie Town (play area for toddlers – with things like small hills to climb and a rowboat full of sand), the Wishing Well (the school store filled with beautiful treasures), the Bake Shoppe (great baked goods and coffee), the Silent Auction and on and on.

Anna and her favorite heavy baby.

The fair was peopled with elves in full regalia and when we arrived there was an jester elf sitting on the ground with his legs splayed at the entrance playing his pipe. It was a great image but I was so in wonder that I forgot to take a photograph. Other favorites were the Pocket Elf, who had on a multi-colored coat with huge pockets. If you gave him a ticket, you could reach in one of his pockets and pull out a prize wrapped in tissue paper and raffia. We also loved the Acorn Elf who carried a large staff and was covered with pins and necklaces made from large lovely real acorns.

Another highlight was the Elves and the Shoemaker puppet show put on by the teachers. It was very inspirational as we’ve been doing (shorter and simpler) puppet shows at our weekly Waldorf in the Woods playgroup. There was a lot of singing and the traditional candle-lighting at the start of the show. I was captivated.

We loved the whole thing and will definitely be back next year. YOU SHOULD COME TOO.

P.S. It was the kind of place where the honey vendor had a display of live bees. The queen has a blue dot on her thorax.

Can you find the queen bee?

P.P.S. There were tons of craft booths for the kids too.

 

Craft-o-rama Waldorf-style

We’ve just completed one full cycle of our Waldorf in the Woods playgroup and the second cycle starts this Thursday.

Eeeep!

My intent was to ride the momentum of the first cycle through the start of the second cycle, since I know from experience how easy it would be to just drop the ball in between cycles – but then last night I realized, WAIT! There are new songs and handplays to learn! A new puppet show! And I’m hosting in three days! And I have to teach them to everyone!

I don’t think it’s as bad as that, as I’ve been learning and memorizing the lyrics and melodies as I’ve been finding them and playing them on various keyboards and pianos in south orange county. I do have to make sure that I know the proper order and that I have all the elements of my puppet show created this week.

Just performance jitters.

But a brag moment to take my mind off of that. We made a terrific range of crafts this first cycle. I made even say that the craft-making has been an unexpected pleasure and highlight of our weekly playgroup.

Here are some photos to show you what we made (there were eight in all):

The very first craft: the owl finger puppet to go with the owl poem we recited at circle time.

Corn husk people - from fresh corn husks!

Finger puppets that were claimed by kids literally as the last thread was being cut...

Okay, this is Devana's gnome...ours didn't turn out AS cute, but they were still pretty cute.

The jesters we made (from Feltcraft) were a big hit with the kids. The jingle bell on the tip of his hat is especially sweet.

We needlefelted our own pumpkin pin cushions.

We decorated beeswax candles with (more) beeswax. (Although we didn't use a particular craft kit, they can be purchased at a Child's Dream.)

The walking finger puppet was our most ambitious and last project. General instructions came from the book, Feltcraft.

These chickens were not technically a group craft, but every mom knit her own to tell the story of The Little Red Hen.

Sierra's full cast for The Little Red Hen...

And a here's a preview of one of next cycle's crafts - this pocket baby is SO SWEET!

 

A Martinmas Puppet Show

My friend Darlene wrote this puppet show twenty years ago and it’s a hit every single year when she performs it for all the children at her annual Martinmas celebration.

[a selection of related highly recommended Darlene links: Apple Days, a Tea Party, the playroom at Darlene's house,  a description of a summertime puppet show, some video footage of aforementioned events.]

Since St. Martin is the patron saint of the poor, Darlene celebrates by hosting a potluck of soup and bread only. Later in the evening there is the puppet show, and then children and adults alike sing Martinmas songs and swing lanterns in a long procession up a dirt road by their house.

This year I will hosting my own first Martinmas with my attachment parenting group. I’ll tell the same puppet show that I’ve heard Darlene perform for so many years!

MARTINMAS PUPPET SHOW

(Two characters, a child and the sun)

Boy: “Oh I just love the summertime! I love to smell the flowers, and play with the butterflies, and sing with the birds! But, I’m sad because summer is over and all my summertime friends are going away. The flowers are going away, the butterflies are going away, and even the birds are going away! What am I going to do? It’s going to be so lonely without my summertime friends! And the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, and it’s getting cold! Brrr”
(the sun comes out from behind a cloud)
“Oh Hello Mr Sun! Mr. Sun, I don’t know what to do because my summertime friends are all going away and the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer and it’s getting cold outside! It’s so lonely without my summertime friends.”
Sun: “Yes, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer and it’s getting colder because Autumn has come and I am not around as much, and soon it will be cold, dark Winter. But, if you will make a little house for it, I will give you one of my sparks to keep you company until I start coming back again at the end of December.”
Boy: “Oh thank you Mr Sun! But, how shall I…. Oh, he’s gone behind a cloud again. I guess I will have to figure it out for myself. I’ll go home and see what I can do.”
Narrator: “So the little boy went home, wondering what to do. What could he make a house out of?”
Boy (in front of a table): ” Well, I found this piece of paper. I wonder if I could make a house out of this.”
Narrator: “So the boy went to work fashioning a house out of paper. He worked on it all afternoon.”
Boy (showing paper lantern with tissue paper windows) : “Well, here it is! I like it. I wonder if Mr Sun will like it. I think I’ll go find out right now.”
(he moves outdoors) Mr. Sun, Mr Sun! (sun comes out from behind a cloud) Oh, there you are, Mr. Sun. I made a little house for one of your sparks. Do you like it?”
Sun: “Oh, that is a beautiful little house! I like it very much!”
Boy: “Then may I have one of your sparks please?”
Sun: “Yes you may!”
(an assistant lights birthday candle in lantern)
Boy: “Oh look how the spark dances in its new house! It must be very happy! Oh thank you Mr. Sun! Thank you!!!”
(Boy sings) “The sunlight now is dwindling, my little lamp needs kindling. It’s beam shines far in  darkest night. Dear lantern guide me with your light!”

 

More Fall Waldorf Songs

We’re going into winter halfway through our second cycle of our Waldorf in the Woods playgroup – so I’m trying to make the transition with apple “stars.” (Winter will have more star songs…)

Some of the songs are repeated (and will always be repeated) from cycle 1. I will add video clips as I create them. Note: I don’t have a piano or keyboard at home so some of the videos are random views at Target or Costco while I plunk out the melody.

Follow, follow me

To the ring of the fairies

Follow, follow  me,

Where the fairies dance and sing.

Gather with now

All the magic you can carry,

As we circle ‘round the dancing fairy ring.

Now look around

We’ve made a ring

By holding hands you see.

Yes, here I am,

And there you are,

Together we are we.

Lanterne, Lanterne, Sonne, Monde und Sterne,

Brenne auf mein Licht

Brenne auf mein Licht

Aber nur meine liebe Lanterne nicht.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the winter, the snowflakes fall on me.

They glisten. They glisten.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the spring, the blossoms bloom on me.

They bloom. They bloom.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the summer, the breezes blow through me.

I bend. I bend.

This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree

In the autumn, the apples drop from me.

They drop. They drop.

Down with darkness, up with light

Up with sunshine down with night

Each of us is one small light

But together we shine bright

Go away darkest, blackest night

Go away, give way to light!

The leaves are floating gently down, (Wave silks up and down)

They make a soft bed on the ground

Then WHOOOO!

The wind comes whistling by, (Waves arms wildly)

And sends them dancing back to the sky (Flutter silks up)

On my head my hands I place,

On my shoulders, on my face.

On my lips and by my side,

Quickly behind me they will hide.

I can hold them way up high

And let my fingers gently fly

I can hold my hands in front of me

And clap 1-2-3.

The leaves are green

The apples are red

They hang so high above your head

Leave them alone ‘til frosty weather

Then they will all fall down together

Apple Secrets

Who would think an apple

Red, gold, or green and round

Would have a secret deep inside

When cut it can be found!

I thought this secret only shone

In deep and darkest night

But when I cut my apple

It shines with five points bright!

And now you know the secret

Where shining stars are found

In every crunchy apple

Red, gold, or green and round

(Cut open apple perpendicular to stem to find the “star,” then quarter and give pieces to the children to enjoy.)

Dot, dot, dot

And a big question mark.

Little spiders crawl up your back

Little spiders crawl down your back

Little spiders crawl up your arms

Little spiders crawl down your arms

Cool breeze, tight squeeze.

Egg on the head and the yolk drips down.

Creepy crawlies, creepy crawlies…

Gotcha.

The Story Song

Anything can happen

In a fairy tale or rhyme

When you say the magic words

Once a upon a time

 

OR I like this one from raw mom’s blog:

BE QUIET YOUR FACES, BE STILL EVERYONE

FIX DEEPLY ON ME YOUR EYES

AND OUT OF MY MIND A STORY WILL COME

THAT IS OLD, AND LOVELY AND WISE

Handwashing Song (sung in the mood of the 5th)

Time to wash our hands,

Time to wash our hands

 

Welcome, welcome

Welcome to our table

Welcome, welcome

We all join hands together. (We sing this until every one is sitting)

Snack Time Blessing

Earth who gives to us this food.

Sun who makes it ripe and good.

Sun above and earth below,

Our loving thanks to you we show.

Blessings on our meal.

 

Hands together hands apart

Hands together, we’re ready to start

 

Clean-up Song

I met a little dusty gnome

Who says it’s time to clean our home

Clean our home

Clean our home

Goodbye Circle

Who will come to my wee ring?

My wee ring

My wee ring

Who will come to my wee ring?

And make it a little bit bigger?

The earth stands firm beneath my feet. The sun shines high above. Here I stand, so straight and strong – all things to know and love

I can turn myself and turn myself and stop me when I will. I can reach high on my tippy toes and hold myself quite still.

Goodbye now, goodbye now.

We leave you now

And off we go

Goodbye now

Goodbye to all of you.

Thank you for coming.

Rainbow Bridge Song

Goodbye, goodbye

Blessing on your way.

May the sun shine bright

In your hearts today.

 

**See clips of Devana singing some of these songs and others, here**

 

Waldorf in the Woods

So far my Waldorf in the Woods weekly playgroup has been everything I’d hoped for. We are having a great time! What’s more, the moms and kids are growing closer and more comfortable with eachother – I feel really good about this community we’re building for our children.

 

Needlefelting Mother Earth

Devana's Earth Mother and her flower children.

Last weekend Devana gave a full day workshop to ten of the mothers from the attachment parenting meetup to show us how to make the beautiful Earth Mother pictured above.

It was really a special treat. Not only did we each produce our own unique and lovely Earth Mamas (for our Nature Tables), but we had great conversations – it would be hard to go wrong with a such a cool group of crafty, Waldorf-inspired, attachment moms – and a delicious potluck lunch to boot.

Devana had her store set up: lovely items, many handmade, at reasonable prices. Note that the wool roving is plant-dyed by Devana.

This is what the room looked like when we arrived.

Us, having a crafting blast.

Each doll was an expression of her maker... (this one's hair is not quite finished)

Another totally beautiful, totally different doll.

More finished creations. Devana's "original" is in the back with the green apron. Mine is the bald one, but I had Christian to run after.

 

The First Waldorf Playgroup

was a resounding success!

We managed to create exactly the kind of environment I want around Christian: calm and focused, AND I had fun (very important indicator of success). From the looks on everybody’s faces, children and adults alike I think everything went smashingly well and we all had fun.

Of course there are things that I would love to improve upon – especially material things, like wishing I’d finished the handmade animals for the story – but the overall feeling and mood was perfect. For instance, I’m expressing regret about not finishing my animals or not having more props, but the children were absolutely riveted to my version of The Little Red Hen even though the cat was an old beanie baby of Bella’s. And impressed even with my single strum of the lap harp before beginning the story. (That’s what so GREAT about kids!!)

And despite all the worry, the transitions went smoothly, the craft was appreciated, the brown rice and fruit was devoured, and the two hours flew by. I think we even did a good job with balancing “out” energy with “in” energy.

It was interesting to note how different the energy was from our regular open-to-everybody playdates in the park. I don’t know whether it’s just because the group was smaller (eight families) or because of all the structure, but the energy was noticeably different; it was a very pleasant focused energy. We still did lots of chatting and running after children, but the clear delineation of jobs (who’s watching the kids, who’s taking care of food) really allowed each mom to relax and focus on her hand project.

Also, within that structure, there was little to no feeling of being rushed or being pressed for time. Activities seemed to flow into each other and the songs came easily. We were all pretty relaxed.

I am really looking forward to meeting with this group of mamas every Thursday for as long as we can. Now I have to start planning the second cycle!

P.S. The simplicity and pleasure of the puppet show gave me new confidence. To see a post of another example of a Waldorf-style puppet show check this link at my friend Darlene’s blog. She also posted a sweet photo of a puppet show she gave almost twenty years ago here.

 

First Day Jitters

Tomorrow will be our first Waldorf Playgroup in the Woods, and I’m hosting.

And really, instead of posting, I should be cutting out more owls for the craft the mamas will be doing, but I’ll consider this post a playgroup rehearsal.

I intend to arrive by 9 am, even though the group starts at 10, because I will have a lot of stuff to haul in and set up. That said, here is my list of what to bring:

• cooked brown rice and paddle
• bowl for fruit salad and serving spoon
• cutting boards and knives
• table
• tablecloth
• 12 bowls and spoons
• handwashing station plus a couple squirts of dish soap
• a couple hand towels
• owl finger puppet

• silks: for covering food and story set-up, for the owl rhyme, for the rainbow bridge, and for the scenery of the story
• animals and hand puppets for the story
• lap harp to strum before the story begins

All the moms and kids will be arriving around 9:30 am to set up their blankets, say hello, and let the kids run off some energy.

I will sing them into the circle with “Follow, Follow Me” (which we’ve just discovered is in Shea Darian’s book Seven Times the Sun). The rest of the songs and lyrics for the circle are here.

After which I will release the kids into playtime while the mamas have craft time. I am thinking that I will transition them into play by having them spin, and the mamas can quickly make their way over to the blankets

where there will be seven little craft packets waiting. Everybody will make a wise old owl finger puppet to go with the poem we are using. He stands perched on my arm which is draped in brown silk while I recite the short poem. I’m pretty proud of this owl as I designed him myself from a photo of an owl in the Zoonews magazine we get from the San Diego Zoo.

Note: two moms will be assisting me tomorrow – my main mom assistant came over yesterday to make the owl with me which worked out well. She’ll probably not have time to make one tomorrow.

After 30-40 minutes, I will sing the kids back to me with a handwashing song. We’ll proceed through the handwashing station and be sung to the table, which will have 12 stainless steel bowls full of brown rice and fruit salad. (Prepping the salad and setting the table is the job of the main assistant. The fruit salad is made from the washed organic piece of fruit that each child brings to contribute.) We will sing a short grace and eat all together sitting on a blanket. I need to be mindful to keep the children together and calm while eating.

As each child finishes, he or she will rinse his or her bowl and go to play some more. The assistant will mind the children playing while I set up the story, which is The Little Red Hen. I will be telling the story from memory with stuffed animals and puppets (mostly handmade). There is of course a short verse to sing before the beginning of the story.

After the story, I will sing the children right into the closing circle, which consists of two short verses with motions and then two short goodbye songs.

And that’s all! It seems quick and easy when I write it up like that.

Still to do:

• Cut owl finger puppet kits
• Make a red hen (!!! I left the red hen I made in Thailand and it’s currently in the post on its way back to me…)
• Make a lamb (can use a turtle hand puppet I borrowed if I don’t get to this)
• Finish my pig (can use pig puppet I also borrowed…)
• Nail the closing songs.