Getting Ready for Autumn! + Link-Up

Autumn is definitely my favorite time of year. I find beauty and peace in the transformation of the leaves. The sights and smells of pumpkins, butternut squash, figs and falling chestnuts make me smile.

It's not quite autumn here in Berlin, though. It's been quite warm and the leaves are still green. But I know that autumn will come soon enough and I am already preparing. Just in case you are also gathering autumn ideas - maybe it already looks like autumn where you are - here are some things that we have done in years past.

Make an autumn nature table.

 Make a leaf crown.

Make animals and people out of chestnuts, acorns, or other nature finds.

Make rubbings with block crayons.

I've been sharing these lovely poems that are well-known in Waldorf circles with my students here in Berlin. Both are from The Waldorf Book of Poetry by David Kennedy.

“Summer is ending!” the father bear said,

“In yonder tree hollow I’ll build me a bed.” 

“Summer is ending!” said all the gold weeds,

And so, softly sighing, they scattered their seeds. 

“Summer is ending!” the hurricane cried,

Hurling and whirling harsh winds high and wide. 

“Summer is ending,” said fiery King Sun,

“My flame must grow fainter, then fade out to none.“

We recite this poem by using hand motions to act out the different autumn characters. We growl and make a bear face for father bear, sway our hands above our hands for the golden weeds, etc. My 1-3 graders love it!

The north wind came along one day,

So strong and full of fun.
He called the leaves down from the trees

And said, “Run children run”.

They came in red and yellow dress,

In shaded green and brown,

And all the short November day

He chased them round the town.

They ran in crowds, they ran alone,

They hid behind the trees,

The north wind’s laughing found them there

And called “No stopping please”

But when he saw them tired out

And huddled in a heap,

He softly said, “Goodnight my dears,
Now let us go to sleep."

We also act out this poem. One child is the North Wind, then others are the trees, and then the rest are leaves. It's organized chaos when the North Wind chases the leaves around the room. Definitely a bit hit with the kids!