May 2019 Lessons, Activities & Ideas

Little Acorn Learning
In This Issue
May Festivals & Holidays
Spring Festivals EBook
Celebrate Spring
Learn to Crochet
Full Flower Moon
Memorial Day Fingerplay
Gardening with Children
Brownie Game
Message
Oak Meadow
Elemental Nature Space
Beekeeping
30 Free Spring Ideas
May Festivals & Holidays

May Day/Beltane - May 1st 
Cinco de Mayo - May 5th 
Mother's Day - May 12th 
Full Flower Moon - May 18th
Memorial Day - May 27th




 




Advertise your business or products in our monthly Newsletter reaching 16000+ natural minded parents and educators.  
Contact Us to reserve your space for June 2019! 
Celebrate the Season with These Timely Publications from Little Acorn Learning: 
Crochet eCourse Trailer - Little Acorn Learning
Only $34.95 for Entire 5 Week Course
Learn to crochet a variety of projects with one hook. Beginners and those who know a bit of crochet welcome. This five week course includes step-by-step directions and inspiration in words, pictures and videos each week. 
Full Flower Moon, May 18 2019
May Moon
The May full moon is often called the Full Flower Moon due to the abundance of flowers typically visible this time of year. Other variations also include the Full Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.
 
**Take the children outside once in the morning and then again at night to see what changes the flowers in your garden or neighborhood have exhibited. Do they close up their petals at night? Are they moist with dew in the morning?
Memorial Day Fingerplay

Ten little soldiers forming into line 
One heard his mother call and then there were nine
Nine little soldiers marching very straight 
One fell over and then there were eight 
Eight little soldiers stepping brave and even 
One chased a butterfly and then there were seven
Seven little soldiers playing funny tricks 
One left disgusted and then there were six 
Six little soldiers with frolic all alive 
One got hurt and then there were five 
Five little soldiers went to search for more 
One went off pouting and then there were four 
Four little soldiers ran to chase a bee 
One was pretty badly stung and then there were three 
Three little soldiers to their banner true 
One went home crying and then there were two 
Two little soldiers playing all alone 
One ran away and then there was one 
One little soldier sitting on a stone 
He fell asleep and then there was none
Are you looking for some inspiration on gardening with the children in your life?

Check out our Gardening with Children Pinterest Board for some fun ideas! 

 

Brownie Game
 
Tune to Round and Round the Village.
Children stand in circle spreading out arms to represent trees. About four children are chosen for brownies.  For the first set, the brownies go around the circle of children for the oak trees.  For the second set, the brownies weave in and out of the arms of the circle of children.  For the final set, the brownies join hands and dance around the center of the circle.

 
Children sing:

Go round and round the oak trees, 
Go round and round the oak trees, 
Go round and round the oak trees. 
The little brownies dance.
Go in and out the oak trees, 
Go in and out the oak trees, 
Go in and out the oak trees, 
The little brownies dance.
Go dancing round together. 
Go dancing round together. 
Go dancing round together. 
The little brownies go. 
We are raising butterflies at our home! Come follow our journey on Instagram!


This Month's Featured Sponsor: 
~ Oak Meadow~

Mother's Day to Memorial Day, SAVE  20% on  Oak   Meadow 's flexible K-12 curriculum
Waldorf-inspired in the early grades, the w eekly lessons are  rich in experiential learning, actively engaging the student's mind, body, and imagination. Your children will experience a multisensory education as they explore letters, numbers, color, song, rhythm, and verse while learning about themselves and the world around them.  Visit Oak Meadow's bookstore May 12 to 27. 
Elemental Nature Space
 
This week add the four elements to your nature space with the children. Following are some ideas for each of them:
 
Earth: A small bowl of soil from your garden, a potted plant, brown or tan silks, a rock, moss or root
 
Air: A handmade pinwheel, a small hand fan, a white silk hanging above your nature space, a watercolor painting of 'the wind', a whistle or kite
 
Water: A small pan of water, jar of rainbow water, blue silk, a small fish tank or tiny umbrella
 
Fire: Beeswax candle, red or orange tissue paper in a cup, red or orange silks, jar of red beads or incense

We recently started beekeeping and it has already been quite the journey! This month in our May Kindergarten program we celebrate the Bee and Community so it sure is fitting!   


Are there any other fellow beekeepers out there? Have you and your children enjoyed the benefits of local honey or beeswax? 

Share your experiences with us on the Little Acorn Learning Blog!

May Preschool/Kindergarten Themes:

Week One, May
May Day, Dancing

Week Two, May
The Turtle, Progress

Week Three, May
The Bee, Community

Week Four, May
The Caterpillar, Transformation
30 Free Spring Ideas & Activities for Caregivers of Children
Photo by Robin LaRoy, 
A Little Acorn Mama

1. Take out old make-up or face paints and paint each other's faces.
2. Play a game of tic-tac-toe together.
3. Color a picture of a butterfly.
4. Have a dance party in your living room.
5. Make a homemade drum out of empty containers.
6. Go on a wildflower hunt outside.
7. Have a picnic with your children in your backyard.
8. Take a dog for a walk.
9. Take your children outside before dinner and play catch.
10. Look for shapes in the clouds today.
11. Be more mindful of how much water you use today.
12. Empty out one drawer that needs decluttering together.
13. Stack and balance rocks you find outside.
14. Paint plain flowerpots and turn them into something beautiful.
15. Play a game of marbles together.
16. Make a flower out of beeswax modeling material.
17. Try meditating for 15 minutes today.
18. Let the children go outside and roll down hills!
19. Watch the sunset together.
20. Pick flowers outside and press them in a big book.
21. Create a better recycling system or inspire someone else.
22. Go to a local park for the day.
23. Go outside and sketch a part of nature in full detail.
24. Let the sun hit your face today. Pause and let it warm you.
25. Have the children set the table for meals today.
26. Lay with your child at bedtime for 15 minutes and let them do the talking.
27. Wash your floors together.
28. Organize a game of kick the can with neighborhood kids.
29. Set up a special date with each one of your children alone.
30. Review any negative feelings you've had this past month. Why? 
Spring Childcare Menu
 
These monthly childcare menus are set up using the daily grains specified by Rudolph Steiner and widely used in Waldorf Kindergartens and homes the world over. We have included many recipes that are easily doubled or tripled so that you can serve homemade wholesome foods every day without having to spend all day in the kitchen.

The recipes invite story telling, either while preparing, serving or at the table. These childcare menus include a full week of recipes that are meant to be rotated throughout the season. This is done to create a predictable rhythm to mealtime in the home that the children and caregiver can depend upon each day, warming the child both spiritually and physically throughout the season.

Each day offers a recipe for breakfast, two snacks and lunch. Keep in mind that some of these foods do require a good amount of cooking and baking time - a process that the children should be involved in each day. Many of the meals are easily frozen for those of you who wish to cook in bulk ahead of time for convenience.
Be sure to also check out our Afterschool Menus which provide meals for weekday dinners and full meals on weekends.
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