Transitions

Transitions are the way we move rhythmically from one part of our day to the next. Predictable transitions support children as part of the rhythm of the day. Each Kindergarten room will have their own transition songs, verses and rhymes. Here I am just putting those that you may be able to incorporate easily into your day. With the meal blessings you may choose to just pick your favourite from those offered and use it at every meal. if you have older children in the school maybe you could alternate between their blessing and the kinder one using one for each meal. I would suggest starting by adding one or two new elements at a time - just what you feel you can maintain consistently.

Adults verse

It is helpful for the adults to start with a morning verse on their own before the children arrive. I usually do this before I leave home in the morning while picturing each child entering the kindergarten. Instead of my usual verse, here I have offered a small and simple one for you to fit into your busy days:

Into my will let there pour strength
Into my feelings let there flow warmth

Into my thinking let there shine light
that I may nurture this child
With enlightened purpose

Caring with hearths love

And bringing wisdom into all things.

Pack away

I usually begin to pack away while the children are still playing to reduce the overwhelm for them I will put like items in piles for the children to help find their homes when I begin singing. We then sing the dusty gnome song and children will work independently to pack away the toys, with some working with each other or adults to move heavy items and to fold the blankets and cloths singing the folding song.

I met a dusty little gnome
Who said it's time to clean our room
Dust, dust, dust
Swish, swish, swish
Clean our room.

Corner to corner, meet and greet

Fold our cloth so nice and neat

Morning Circle Gathering Song and Verse

Please see the morning circle page for our morning circle verses and songs.

Morning Tea Blessing

We sing a blessing before each meal to acknowledge where our food comes from and all that goes into bringing it to us. In Mother Holle our morning tea and lunch blessing are sung with hand gestures - see if your child can. show you.

Blessings on the blossoms

Blessings on the fruit

Blessings on the leaves and stems

And blessings on the roots

A very happy morning tea (spoken)

At the end of our morning tea we sing another verse in thanks for our food:

Bless the sun,

and bless the rain

and bless the earth

that grows our grain.

Thank you for our morning tea (spoken)

Story time

To bring the children back inside for story and transition from outside play we begin by washing all the outside dishes and packing away our outside play. This forms the beginning of the transition to story time. The children love washing with bubbly warm water!

Story song

Fairies of the story time,

Come and share your story with me

Candle lighting song

Fire fairies come,

bringing golden light from the sun

Candle extinguishing song

After story a child is chosen to snuff out the candle as we sing:

Watching the fire fairies dance away,

story will come another day.

Children wash their hands and go to the table for lunch.

Lunch Blessing

The silver rain,

the shinning sun

and fields where scarlet poppies run

and all the ripples of the wheat

are in the bread that I do eat

so when I sit for every meal

and say a grace I always feel

that I am eating rain and sun

and fields where scarlet poppies run.

“Blessings on our meal” (spoken)

Afternoon Tea Songs (ask your child to teach you the actions)

There is a new Spanish version of "This Little Piggy" for them to learn

Sally Goes Round the Sun

Sally goes round the sun

Sally goes round the moon

Sally goes round the chimney tops

On a Saturday afternoon.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

how I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

how I wonder what you are.

Brilha Brilha Estrelinha (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Portuguese)

Brilha, brilha estrelinha,

Quero ver você brilhar.
Brilha, brilha láno céo,

Brilha, brilha láno mar.

Brilha, brilha estrelinha,

Quero ver voce brilha

The Moon is Round (we use a warm lavender water face washer and wash our face)

The moon is round

It has two eyes

and it doesn't make a sound

This Little Piggy (we do this while washing each individual finger with the washer.)

This little piggy went to market.

This little piggy stayed home.

This little piggy had roast beef.

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy went,

"wee, wee, wee, wee",

All the way home.

Este Cochinito (This little piggy went to market in Spanish from https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=ss&p=129 )

Este cochinito fue al mercado.
Este cochinito se quedó en casa.
Este cochinito tuvo rosbif.
Este cochinito no tuvo.
Y este cochinito dijo,
"Bua, bua, bua, bua",
Todo el camino a casa.

Ending Verses (spoken with gestures)

If your child is usually on a full day they will know both of these verses so you could pick one that feels right for you.

Half day

Open wide the doors

Take love as you depart

Walk gently on the Earth

With kindness in your heart.

Full Day

Our work, our play, our song

In us becomes a light

We carry it along 'til stars shine in the night.

And with love we bring it all