It didn’t take any convincing for me to get on board with incorporating seasonal rhythms into our lives. I love being in nature and seeing how it changes through each season. Flowers push up through soil wet with snow runoff and spring rain. Summer thunderstorms roll in. Orange and yellow leaves crackle, their scent mingling with smoke from backyard fire pits. And in winter, snow falls to blanket the earth with a quiet known only in the stillness of that season.
In the spring, my daughter pulls on her rainboots and happily splashes in puddles. She loves running through the sprinkler and picking cherry tomatoes in the summer. In autumn, she collects leaves on our nature walks, and in winter, she sets out water in pails so she can break ice on the driveway.
We run outside to feel the heat of the sun, and months later huddle under blankets. We bundle up in scarves and hats and boots and then store them away when the sunshine and warm breezes return. Since our lives change in response to the changing seasons, it makes sense to me to embrace these seasonal rhythms and use them to fuel my daughter’s education.
Rhythm is a huge part of Waldorf education. Even as young children struggle to understand time, rhythms help them interpret their lives and surroundings. Like a beating heart, seasonal rhythms will carry them through the years. They will remember the sights, sounds, scents, and tastes of childhood and the unique traditions we share with them.
There are many ways to integrate the seasons into your lives. You can make it as simple as observing what you see outside throughout the year. If you wish, you can add special songs, stories, and recipes that relate to the time of year. There’s a good chance you’re already doing this in some way, whether it’s baking pumpkin donuts in the fall or drinking hot cocoa after building a snowman. When I lived in Florida, seasonal changes were more subtle, but winter was the time to go to the beach and find treasures like sea beans washed ashore.
Seasons also contain festivals, which is a broader term that includes any holidays you celebrate. Getting ready for festivals by making decorations and special food add a special touch to the seasons.
Seasonal activities and celebrations will be unique to your family. As a child, I lived in a town whose pride was the high school football team, so Friday nights were spent at the stadium. Raking leaves and jumping in leaf piles filled many autumn days. In winter, we baked Christmas cookies and went to church on Christmas Eve. Winter into spring was basketball season, and even though I always read books during the games, my parents took me with them. In the summer, we went to Scottish bagpipe band competitions on the weekends and made our annual trek to Myrtle Beach.
What is unique to your family? What do you want your child to remember from each season and celebration you spend together?
Free Resource: Seasonal Rhythm Planner
In the Library, there’s a free resource to help you think about how to embrace each season with your family. Enter your password to access the Library, and then look for “Seasonal Rhythm Planner.”
If you don’t have a password yet, you can get one by subscribing to Homeschool Rest and Restore by filling out the form below. I’ll also let you know about other free resources and new curriculum.