Grandpa Ivy & the Wool: A Waldorf-inspired circle time and storytime

Do you want your child to be connected with the natural world? Or… Are you looking for Waldorf-inspired songs and stories for preschoolers and kindergarteners for winter? Whether you’re interested in one or both of those, you’re in the right place! 

In this post, you will learn about using songs and stories to foster a deep connection between young children and the natural world and enjoy a video of a gentle, nature-based circle time and storytime that gives you winter-themed songs, poems and a story to share with your preschooler or kindergartener.

Using Creative Arts to Connect Young Children with the Natural World

Do you want to raise a child who is in tune with and concerned about the natural world? If you’re anything like me, you do. 

Here’s the secret: Young children learn best through creativity and imagination, not through science lessons or nature lectures. (There is time for that!) 

Singing seasonal songs and listening to nature-based stories is one of the best ways to add wonder and creativity to life. It’s easy to add these creative elements, whether you are homeschooling or attending school away from home. 

A parent once wrote to me to share a sweet story about her child waking up one day and seeing frost on the window. “She ran into our room excitedly, her eyes wide, and could barely contain herself as she said, ‘Jack Frost came to visit last night!’”  

This parent shared that her daughter’s connection with and interest in the natural world had grown tremendously since adding nature-based songs and stories to their life. In this case, the song “Jack Frost” created recognition and excitement about the first frost, which had gone unnoted in past years.

This is not unusual! It doesn’t take science lessons or nature lectures to pique a young child’s interest in the natural world. Instead, creativity and imagination are the primary means of connection for preschool and kindergarteners. It’s not hard to incorporate songs, storytelling, and creative arts.

Nature-based Poem for Wintertime: Jack Frost 

Jack Frost by Cecily E. Pike

Look out! Look out! 

Jack Frost is about.

He’ll climb a tree

So nimble is he

His sugary powder he’ll shake

To windows he’ll creep

And while you’re asleep

Such magical pictures he’ll make.

A Story for Wintertime for Preschoolers & Kindergarteners

I wrote this story as part of a puppetry course I took with Suzanne Down of Juniper Tree Puppets. This story also serves as an excellent introduction to wet-felting with wool and can be used when you teach young children to wet-felt for the first time.

Simple nature-based stories cause our children to pay more attention to the small shifts in nature and signs of life around them. 

Grandpa Ivy & the Wool, by Becca Lane

Grandpa Ivy is watching sheep graze in the meadow by his house when he notices they are leaving little tufts of wool behind as they move through the meadow. There are little white dots here and there on the grass blades, bushes, and low-hanging branches!

Grandpa Ivy collects the little bits of wool and brings them inside, where he uses soap, hot water, and a lot of hard work to make a little square of felt. He then leaves the felt to dry outside, where a little mouse finds it. The mouse thinks it would make the perfect blanket for the cold days of winter and gratefully takes it home with him.

The video above includes a short Waldorf-inspired circle time and a nature-based story for winter. Learn the full Jack Frost song and hear the story of Grandpa Ivy & the Wool. Use creative elements such as these to foster a deep connection between your child and the world around them. 

You may enjoy the episode of Storytime in the video above, and you can save the Purple Day RSS feed here. 

Storytime in the Schoolhouse follows a weekly rhythm of songs, storytelling, and creative arts. To experience a full week of Storytime, click here to sign up for our free Storytime Seasonal Sampler.