Parent Resources
In this section you will find resources to support you as the parent on your journey. This will consist largely of articles from other sources such as those we might offer you at a parent meeting and the like. Please take from them what you find useful and feel free to talk about any of the materials with your child's teacher. Also if there is something you would like to know more about please ask your child's teacher again and they will do their best to help you.
Play articles by Paulene Hanna
Paulene Hanna is a well respected Steiner Early Childhood Teacher who was the founding teacher at St. Kilda Steiner Kindergarten and at Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School prior to that. She is now a trainer and mentor to Steiner Early Childhood teachers and schools. Paulene has a special interest in the power of play and in the correlation between children's play and art and how this expresses the inner life of the child. The following articles are well worth reading and highlight what can be seen in various types of archetypal play.
Rearrangement and Placement Play by Paulene Hanna
Shelter Play by Paulene Hanna
Connection Play by Paulene Hanna
International Association of Steiner / Waldorf Early Childhood Educators
Is the world a good place? Suggestions from the kindergarten for your home by Philipp Reubke
In difficult times how do I find and create goodness for my children? by Susan Weber
How to be a quiet adult: Five tips to encourage child-Directed Play - from the website screenfreeparenting.com
Home with kids? It's OK to do nothing by Nermeen Dashoush
Caring for children in our homes - from the Early Childhood Faculty of the Mt Barker Waldorf School Kindergarten
Rudolf Steiner Archive and e-library -
Many great resources can be found here including free full lecture transcripts of Steiner's lectures, foundational books and articles by others within the anthroposophical community.
Susan Perrow - http://susanperrow.com
A Handkerchief For Little Possum is a story for any children who are aware of what is happening and overly anxious about germs and getting ill. This story is by Susan Perrow and has been translated into Spanish also.
10 Little Fishies contains two rhyming poems to help children with hand washing and bath time. Again by Susan Perrow and translated into Spanish,
The Giant and the Gnome
The Giant and the Gnome is a story that was written by the late Joan Almon (and I believe published in Songs and Stories Together - a book and video of over 100 songs, verses and rhyming stories especially for 1-5 year olds by Kim Billington) and is often used for young children in playgroup. I have also used it successful as part of my morning circle to encourage children to put on their slippers or socks. The Giant walks around the circle and checks if children are wearing their slippers and if they are not they are sent off to get them to warm their cold feet.
Please add this anywhere in your day that feels best for you. I suggest at home trying to memorise this as you can use it every day whenever your child needs to put their socks or slippers on to warm their 'very cold feet'!