Waldorf in the Home

Wooden playstands and a few cloths can encourage children's imaginative play and afford hours of enjoyment. While they available for purchase from many sources, they can be expensive and heavy to ship.

What is the "Waldorf view" about clay projects with children from ages 2-6?
Rahima replies:

In Waldorf schools, clay isn't introduced until after the "nine-year change" in third grade. Up until that time we do modelling with colored beeswax with the children.

A mother wrote asking about how to encourage her daughter's imaginative play:
I'm a mom of three girls and also run a Waldorf-inspired home daycare.

I'm considering taking waldorf teaching training or lifeways training next summer but would love some ideas if you have them.

Rahima replies:
One of the things I'm hearing in your description is aptly described by Steiner (where escapes me): when you address something directly with a young child, he or she naturally resists or runs the other way. He was referring to trying to teach the child something directly (early academics, today), but the same principle would apply if you're trying to "get her to play."

It sounds like she needs less attention on the matter and more what I call "benign neglect, " which means providing a safe and inviting environment, but then not appearing to be aware of her. In this case, it would probably involve giving up any ideas of how things "should" be for her. In fact, she'll probably stop sitting on the couch and being bored once there's nothing in you to push against.

Another key that will probably make a big difference is a new understanding of how imitation works. The piece we often miss is that the children need to see us doing real work, which will then be expressed, transformed, in their play. So, rather than playing next to or with her, is there real work that you could be doing? Is there anything she could do with you? LifeWays is wonderful about "having life be the curriculum," so could she, in fact, help with baking or with dishes or with folding laundry (again, not as a chore or as a teaching moment, but (remembering that young children are not goal directed), doing it lightly, enjoying being together, perhaps with a song?

Or could you start making something during the time when you and she are home alone? Perhaps start sewing a doll that will in fact be a Christmas present for her (there are wonderful kits for sale). Or making little Christmas presents or embroidering cloth napkins for every child in your program?

If you get out of the picture, she may end up playing on her own--or perhaps she's "played out" and simply needs quiet time? Consider how her day is "breathing," i.e. the balance of activity and quiet time for her. Are she and the other children having a quiet time in the afternoon, or is everything busy all day? Even if children don't nap, a rest time after lunch enables the young child to digest all the impressions from a busy morning.

Those are a couple of things that occurred to me--I'd be interested to hear what you do, and how things change. Also, try taking your question into your sleep: make a mental picture of your daughter as you see and love her, and then give over this situation to her angel, asking for inspiration. Sometimes just doing this can change a puzzling or frustrating situation, and sometimes we'll be blessed with a wonderful new thing to try.
All the best! --Rahima

Barbie and Violence
by Rahima Baldwin Dancy
We’ve had a lot of response from readers to our articles “Barbie Come Home, All is Forgiven!” and “Barbie Dolls.” Here’s more, on a study describing children’s destructive behavior toward Barbie dolls.

The source for this information is an article in the British press called “Barbarism begins with Barbie, the doll children love to hate” by Alexandra Frea, Social Affairs Correspondent for The Times (12/19/2005).

Creating Play Spaces for Young Children
Workshop by Simone Demarzi

What is free play and how can we design our play environments to encourage children to play both indoors and out? We will talk about toys, the four elements, and how to begin the transformation in your home or program.

Re-Creating Play
Workshop by Joan Almon

Once upon a time parents said to children, "Go out and play and don't come home 'til suppertime." While we may not be able to do that freely today, what can we do to re-create time and opportunities for play at home and in our communities?

The Rebirth of Play
Keynote Address by Joan Almon

Creative play--which is so critical to the well-being of children and culture--has been disappearing from children's lives. Just when caring parents and professionals began to give up hope of its return, signs of change have begun to emerge during the past year. Joan explains why play became an endangered activity and how it is coming back, including the Alliance for Childhood's work to restore play to all children.

Joan Almon, Chair of the US Alliance for Childhood shares the following about their important work in promoting play [Note that we have two talks on play available by Joan, The Rebirth of Play and Re-Creating Play.]

Our last update invited you to help us promote the new PBS documentary Where Do the Children Play? by organizing a local screening of the film. You responded with a flood of requests, and we have now sent out more than 250 copies of the film for screenings in the U.S. and abroad. The reports we are getting say that audiences are provoked, moved, and inspired to take action in their communities.