The Pattern of the Morning
We start with free play in our welcoming room there is a pretend “house area” with
wooden cooker and washing machine, baskets of crafted wooden toys, some lovely
horses to ride/rock on and a very fluffy sheep called “Woolly”. New children are usually
quick to feel at home in the inviting play space. During this time there is usually a craft
activity which is seasonally inspired. Or there might be an activity such as baking,
planting, going for a walk, collecting wood or picking elderflowers or apples.
We then clear up with the tidy away song and have a “ringtime” with songs and
rhymes accompanied by gestures which engage the toddlers. Then we wash hands,
go to the table and say a blessing. There follows a cooked snack, usually savoury rice
with warm herb tea. We sometimes also have seasonal produce from our garden.
After this there is garden time when the children may play in the sandpit or playhouse.
And finally, in the summerhouse, there is a short story which portrays seasonal
events as a gentle puppet show.
This rhythm provides children and adults alike with a peaceful and nourishing morning.
As one parent said, “I feel as if I’ve had therapy!”
Nature and the Cycle of the Year
The activities of the morning are inspired by nature and the cycle of the year. We might
start the school year by grinding wheat and baking bread and end it by making bark
boats to sail off into the summer. We also change the colours and other features of the
room to reflect the changing seasons: there is a nature table with, for example in spring,
snowdrops, woven nests and handmade ”bulb babies”, which can strengthen the
experience of the natural year. Experiencing rhythm is reassuring for children, and can
be nourishing for adults too.