Waking up to birdsong, When the night has been so long; A fresh start, a new day, A new beginning, a song so gay!
Inspired by a grey and gay sing song morning I created these resources for us who play and sing to children
Music and Movement |
Finger Plays and Action Verses for Children Winter transition to Spring
Birds Flying
Up, up in the sky, the little birds fly (fingers flying like birds)
Down, down in the nest, the little birds rest. (hands form nest)
With a wing on the left, and a wing on the right (hands on each hip)
Let the little birds rest all night. (head to one side, like tucking under wing)
"shhhhh!! You might wake up the birdies!"(yelled, of course)
The bright sun comes up, the dew falls away,
good morning, good morning the little birds say.
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Little Robin Redbreast
Sat upon a rail
(crouch like bird with 2 hands behind back like bird's tail )
Niddle noddle went his head
(nod head)
And wag went his tail.
(use hands to make tail wagging)
Niddle noddle went his head
And wag went his tail.
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Five little birds without any home,
(raise 5 fingers of right hand)
Five little trees in a row.
(raise right hand high over head)
Come and build your nests in our branches tall
(cup left hand for nest-right fingers in)
We'll rock you to and fro.
(then rock both hands)
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Here's a bunny
(raise two fingers)
With ears so funny
And here's a hole in the ground.
(make hole with fingers of other hand)
At the first sound she hears
She pricks up her ears
(straighten fingers)
And pops right into the ground.
(put into hole)
Here's a nest for Robin Redbreast,
(Cup hands to form nest)
Here's a hive for Busy Bee,
(Fingertips together to form hive)
Here's a hole for Jacky Rabbit,
(Fingertips together to form hole)
And a house for me.
(Interlock fingers, knuckles up, for house)
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Two little birds sat up on a wall,
(one index placed on each knee)
One named Peter, one named Paul
(raise each finger in turn)
Fly away Peter, fly away Paul
(waggle finger as you move arm behind in arc. . .ditto return)
Come back Peter, come back Paul.
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Two little blackbirds,
(hands closed with thumbs straight up for birds)
Sitting on a hill,
One named Jack,
(wriggle one thumb)
The other named Jill.
(wriggle other thumb)
Fly away Jack
(toss one hand at a time over shoulder)
Fly away Jill.
Come back Jack
(bring back hands one at a time)
Come back Jill.
Two tall telegraph poles;
(index fingers)
Between them a wire is strung.
(join third fingers)
Two little birds hopped on it,
(thumb resting on third finger)
And swung, and swung, and swung.
(swing hands)
Up in the sky, the little birds fly.
(flutter outstretched hands)
Down in their nests the little birds rest.
(lower hands into lap)
With a wing on the left, and a wing on the right,
(wave left hand, then right)
The dear little birdies sleep all night.
(fold hands under cheek)
Whisky, frisky, hoppity hop,
Up he goes to the tree top.
(Spiral motion up)
Whirly, swirly, round and round,
Down he scampers to the ground.
(Spiral motion down)
Furly, curly, what a tail,
Tall as a feather, broad as a sail.
(Wave hand for tail)
Where's his supper - in the shell,
Snappity, crackity, out it fell.
(Thumb and index finger open and shut to crack nut)
Spring is coming
My Garden
This is my garden; (extend one hand forward, palm up)
I'll rake it with care, (make raking motion on palm with three fingers of other hand)
And then some flower seeds (planting motion)
The sun will shine (make circle with hands)
And the rain will fall, (let fingers flutter down to lap)
And my garden will blossom (cup hands together; extend upward slowly)
And grow straight and tall.
Ten Little Leaf Buds
Ten little leaf buds growing on a tree (fingers are buds)
Curled up as tightly as can be (curl fingers up into fists)
See them keeping snug and warm,
During the winters cold and storm. (snuggle fist under fist)
Now along comes windy March,
With his breath now soft, now harsh.
First he swings them roughly so (swing fists back and forth)
Then more gently to and fro (swing tenderly)
'Til the raindrops from the skies (stretch arms high, bring down to floor, tapping fingers as rain)
Falling pitter, patter-wise (repeat previous action)
Open wide the leaf bud's eyes. (arms outstretched, open fists and spread fingers at the word "eyes")
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Extract – Candlemas in the Kindergarten
by Julie Newman – Silver Birch teacher
As we come towards the end of January and the Three Kings are well on their journey homeward we begin to look for the snowdrops. Is it snowdrop time yet? ‘Can we sing the snowdrop song?’ It is a favourite amongst the children and one that always seems to stay with them throughout their school years and possibly beyond!
Snowdrops, snowdrops, little drops of snow,
What do you do when the cold winds blow?
Shake your little heads and say,
Cold winds, cold winds, go away.
When the children came in on Candlemas day there were the first few tiny snowdrops brought inside from our garden. The air soon filled with the scent of melting wax as we prepared it in readiness to make our earth candle. Into the big pot went the stubs of the candles that we had used over the year and last to go in were the tiny green, red and blue pieces from our Kings candles. We put on wellies and out into the garden we took the melted wax. The hole had been prepared the day before and now had a good strong plaited wick. We poured in the liquid wax and watched fascinated as it began to change colour at the edges. We decided to come and see it again later. What colour would it be, we wondered, once the other kindergartens had added their wax?
Back in the kindergarten we began to dip new bees wax candles for the year ahead. Mmmm the scent of new bees wax! The children sang as they walked around the table carrying their slowly growing candles.
Snow drops, snow drops, little drops of snow,
What do you do when the sun shines bright?
Shake your little heads and sing,
Ting‐a‐ling, ting‐a‐ling, here comes Spring.
The candles were hung up to harden and slowly over the course of the morning they changed to a deep golden hue.
After tidy up time we all settled down for a rest and we knew that the gnomes would be resting too as they must have been very, very busy deep down in the earth. Later one of the children whispered to me, ‘They must have got a nice surprise!’
At garden time we went to see the shining wax earth candle. It was beautiful, and with help it was soon encircled by crystals and moss and flowers and looking even more beautiful. We wanted to help to warm the earth and acknowledge all the hidden work being done by Mother Earth and her helpers.
Soon it was time for the Mummies and Daddies to join us. We all gathered around the earth candle singing our snowdrop song. Then it was quiet as we watched Basia lighting the candle and Carole, Julie and Fran spoke a special verse:
Cradled cosily, cradled deep, wrapped in the warm earth baby seeds sleep.
Light we shed on you, light divine, seeds in the darkness twinkle and shine.
Sleep til the Spring sun climbs through the skies,
Sleep til the Spring comes and bids you arise.
We sang the snowdrop song again - and again and again over the next few weeks!
The next day the earth candle was lit again and a teacher watched over it at garden time as little children came and went. Some came and stayed a while, crouching and watching the dancing flame, some came and smiled and went to off to play.....
Deep sleeps the winter, cold wet and grey,
Surely all the world is dead, Spring seems far away,
But wake, the world awakens it is not dead for lo,
The fair Maids of February stand in a row
Mother Earth
Mother earth, mother earth,
Take or seed and give it birth.
Father sun, gleam and glow
Until the roots begin to grow.
Sister rain, sister rain
Shed thy tears to swell the grain;
Brother wind, breathe and blow
Then the blade green will grow.
Earth and sun and wind and rain
Turn to gold the living grain.
Candlemas Is Coming!
Candlemas is on February 2 and celebrates the beginning of the lengthening of the days, and in some traditions is considered the beginning of spring. It is my understanding that this day is also halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. This festival began in pre-Christian times as a Celebration of Lights and of the Celtic goddess Brigit (February 1st). Candlemas takes its name from the blessing of the candles on this day for use in the church throughout the coming year. It is also a celebration within the church of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple to Simeon and the elderly widow Anna. In the Catholic Church, I believe this is also celebrated as the Feast of Purification (of Mary). This is now also a celebration of Saint Brigid and also a time where we look to the hibernating animals to come out and see if it is winter and whether or not we will have an early Spring. This is also a traditional time of preparation of the fields for later planting.
In the book “All Year Round” by Ann Druitt, Christine Fynes-Clinton and Marije Rowling it says, “At the beginning of February, when the infant light of spring is greeted thankfully by the hoary winter earth, it seems fitting that we should celebrate a candle Festival to remember that moment when the Light of the World was received into the Temple, when the old yielded to the new.”
For children under the age of 7, the celebration of the festivals is not in the verbal explanation of the day, but the doing. An answer to a very small child’s question of why we do this or that for many festivals is just that we do! As a child approaches seven, there can be more explanation for the reasons behind things, but please do not spoil the magic and mystery of the festival by all the history.
Here are some ways that Waldorf families celebrate Candlemas:
One would be to think of goals and things you would like to see happen in this New Year together, in this time of new beginnings, as the earth becomes Spring again and do something to celebrate that.
Of course, the major activity is usually candle-making in some form – rolling candles, candle dipping, making earth candles outside in the ground and lighting them. Some families have their candles blessed on this day.
STORY TIME
Father Sun is under a spell by the evil North Wind sent by King Winter.
Father Sun is fast asleep, still covered by a thick blanket of snow.
Mother Earth is looking for anyone brave enough to break the spell.
She asks the Robin,The Hare, the Fox...etc...
each animal has a good excuse for why they cannot do it.
At last a tiny sparrow steps up and says he will do it.
He flies over the meadow, through the forest and over the mountains and past the frozen lakes and rivers and finds Father Sun still asleep. The sparrow flaps and beats his wings. Father Sun is still asleep...Sparrow pecks here and pecks there and everywhere trying to make a noise...Father Sun still asleep.
Sparrow then lifts his breast and puffs his cheeks and sings the loveliest song he knows.
Father Sun wakes up slowly the thick blanket of snow melts away drip drip water
Snow drops rang their bell nice and loud and crocuses and daffodils heard and sang we will follow soon!
The warmth of the sparrow's courage scares Jack Frost and the evil North Wind and King Winter retire back to their Icy Castle.
More info on Candlemas on this website:
