Description

This book is packed full of fun nature activities that will help children engage with the season and learn practical new skills.

Activities for winter include making an Advent wreath, blowing walnut ships, making Christmas branches flower, working with wool, weaving, knitting, making felt, woodworking and making things with willow and out of clay.

The activities in this book are based on practical experience from the Children's Nature and Garden Centre in Germany, and are fully tried and tested.

Table of Contents

Foreword
The Story of this Book
Making room for play
Learning about opposites
The Children's Nature and Garden Centre

December

Advent
Song: The North Wind Does Blow
Advent: A Time for Contemplation
Poem: Advent
The Advent Wreath
Poem: Around the Advent Wreath
Advent: A Time for Candles
Blowing Ships
An Advent Story
Blooming Branches
Rattling Walnuts
Christmas Scenes
The True Meaning of Advent
Other Religious Festivals

January

Working with Wool
Working with Wool: A Rich Experience
Processing Wool
Clothing: Our Second Skin
Wool: from the Sheep to a Ball of Wool
-- Shearing sheep
-- Cleaning and drying the wool
-- Carding
-- Spinning
Song: Sarasponda
-- Twisting
-- Winding a skein
-- Washing the yarn
-- Storage
Wool: from a Ball of Wool to a Toy Sheep
-- Finger crochet
-- Weaving
Stick table loom
Cardboard loom frame
Rounded wood loom frame
Card weaving
Other looms and weaving options
-- Knitting
Toy sheep pattern
-- Felt
Making felt balls
Friendship bracelets
-- Magic Wool
Free Play with Wool
Stories

February (Part 1)

Working with Willow: Building Houses from Hedges
February: the Last Chance to Cut Willow
Willow: a Good Plant for Children
Song: Sleep, Thou Little Willow Tree
Willow: Creative Possibilities
Making a Latticework Willow Hedge

Woodworking
Wood: a Valuable Material
Poem: The Beech Tree's Guests
Forests
Wooden Toys
Listening to Wood
-- Tools
-- Carving twigs in kindergarten
-- Fences and railings
-- Doll's houses and furniture
Rattles and Stick Instruments to Scare away Winter
More Woodworking Projects

February (Part 2)

Working with Clay
Pottery: a Valuable Activity
Basic Rules for Doing Pottery with Children
Clay Bowls for Easter Grass
Clay Insect Nests and Bird Baths