A Quick Guide to Celebrating Spring with Young Children
- Erica Russell
- Sep 21, 2022
- 3 min read
There’s something special about the start of spring. The increasing morning light, growing activity of the birds and the butterflies emerging.
Celebrating the seasons with our children can enrich their lives, as well as our own. Creating a theme for the season is one way in which to do that.
These simple butterflies have tied in beautifully with our theme for this season. I have been telling the magical story of a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly for a few weeks now (which my boy absolutely loves!) and we have incorporated caterpillar and butterfly songs into our morning circle. These silk butterflies were a lovely extension of our theme.
Celebrations in Spring
Which festival is celebrated in spring?
In the Northern Hemisphere celebrations for spring equinox are traditionally reserved for Easter. However, in the Southern Hemisphere Easter doesn’t align with our springtime celebrations. Instead, spring can be used to celebrate the Earth awakening after the deep sleep of winter. It is a time of renewal and new life. Steiner describes the spring equinox as ‘the re-awakening of Nature and the reviving life of the earth.’
This sentiment is evident in our local area. The wattle are in full bloom, buds are emerging and daffodils are abundant. After the darkness of winter it is a time to embrace the awakening world. A time to return to human nature and to ‘know thyself’.
Butterflies tie in beautifully with the theme of reviving the earth. They create their cocoon as a caterpillar and emerge transformed. A symbol of transformation and change.
Waldorf spring celebration ideas
If you are planning a Waldorf Spring festival with friends, family or your playgroup here are a few ideas:
Butterfly making activity (instructions below)
Flower crown making with local flowers and leaves
Flower bracelet or daisy chain making activity
Share a spring story about a caterpillar becoming a butterfly
Have a picnic outdoors
Drink water infused with edible flowers
Eat focaccia decorated with fresh herbs
Spring Celebration Butterfly Tutorial
These silk butterflies have brought so much joy to my son. They are light and flutter realistically in the breeze. They capture the imagination and are easy to play with. Such a simple way to bring magic to the season of spring.
I am thrilled to share these instructions with you from Purely Felt Craft. These butterflies can be used to decorate your seasonal table, engage children in open-ended play and they also look beautiful en masse at springtime festivals.
Materials
Most of the materials are easily accessible; a small piece of silk, pipe cleaner and thread are all that is needed.
Alternatives to silk
If you don’t have any silk on hand you can also use crepe paper, tissue paper, thin cotton material or even just coloured paper. However, the thicker material won't give the same flutter effect.
Optional extras:
You may also like to decorate your butterfly with a gel pen or glue small beads on the antennae.
If you make these butterflies be sure to share them with myself and Purely Felt Craft on Instagram.
Silk Butterflies Tutorial
Materials required
Coloured silk, crepe paper, tissue paper or off cuts of cotton fabric
Small beads (optional)
Craft glue for beads
Pipe cleaner
Gel pens to decorate
Thread or wool
Stick from the garden or found on a walk
Tools needed
Sharp scissors (especially for the silk)
Instructions
Please read all the instructions before beginning.
Re-iron the silk before beginning; it will hang better when finished.
Cut a rectangle or square.
Fold in half
Fold in half again, hold the fold in place with thumb and pointer finger.
With the folded corner facing in towards the palm of your hand, cut a rounded shape on the 2 raw sides.
Open out the folds.
Optional: decorate the silk wings gel pens.
Trim the pipe cleaner to a suitable length.
Use pliers or bend the pipe cleaner wire back and forth to snap the wire.
If not using a bead, bend the sharp ends of the pipe cleaner wire over at the ends.
Cut a length of wool or thread.
Tuck the thread under the pipe cleaner. Decide the best spot to place so the butterfly isn't doing a nose dive.
Tie to the pipe cleaner to hold in place.
Tie the other end of the string or thread to a stick.
Optional: Make a loop or knot at the end of the string to hang on a branch for the seasonal table.
The children love to walk around with a floating butterfly on the end of a stick. Take care with little ones, sharp sticks, the ends of pipe cleaners and small beads.
This post was a collaboration with Purely Felt Craft.
Email: purelyfelt@bigpond.com
Website: www.purelyfeltcraft.org