Connecting with Nature’s Rhythms

Part of Waldorf/Steiner education asks us to bring children into a close relationship with the world around them, rooting young people in knowing where they are in the world. We support the development of capable humans who can live on earth with reverence and respect. Part of this happens through practical work with our hands: knitting, gardening, building, cooking, and creating things of beauty. The other aspects are more subtle, yet no less important. Through stories, a celebration of festival life, nature walks, and a general reverence for all living things, we support each individual’s soul connection with the natural world and recognize that we, too, are part of it. In today’s world of increased industrialization and materialism, being intentional about bringing children into a relationship with nature is more important than ever. 

As we move into autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, our attention is drawn once more to the changes happening in nature. Colder mornings and darker evenings remind us that winter is coming. The festivals of autumn remind us to kindle inner light and courage, as the outer world is passing out of its fruitfulness and into a time of rest. Festivals are more than excuses for feasts and parties. They remind us of what is happening in our soul life, reflecting the earth’s seasonal changes. I grew up in Hawaii, where seasonal changes were less noticeable, but still present. As humans, we still yearn and crave the inwardness of winter, just as we luxuriate in the expansiveness of summer. In today’s world, humanity is increasingly distant from nature, and many of us must intentionally strive to keep this connection alive if we are to truly know ourselves. 

For the young child, bringing attention to nature and its changes is an integral part of each day, and therefore each lesson. The wonder they bring naturally lends itself to learning through seasonal stories, descriptions that highlight what is special about what they see, and imaginative pictures that breathe life into nature. The changes in the environment become the lessons themselves, as children wonder at the golden leaves or the sparkling trails that Jack Frost has left behind. Children at this age want true, living pictures of nature, not deadened scientific facts. Encouraging wonder and imagination deepens their connection with the natural world. 

Just as nature goes through rhythms and changes, so do we as humans. As children grow older, we are called upon to give them an experience of what it means to be humans on earth. The curriculum supports the child’s developmental phase by awakening a child's sense of how expansive and how connected the world is, moving from local geography to the geography of one’s continent before spreading out to explore the world as a whole. Children become increasingly interested in how things work, and science lessons awaken curiosity alongside knowledge. The seeds planted in the early years on nature walks are now ready to be discussed in scientific terms, with no less wonder or reverence. We keep that spark of awe alive because it supports a child’s healthy development into capable, confident, and strong adults. 

Easy ways to support a connection with nature:

• Take daily (phone-free) nature walks- from infancy through adulthood!
• Have your child help in the garden- even a potted one. As they get older, they can design and care for their own garden. This gives you a visible, tangible reflection of seasonal changes. 
• Support your young child’s natural curiosity and wonder about nature by answering their questions with living, imaginative pictures of processes rather than stale scientific facts. We want to be truthful, but keep the magic and wonder alive! 
• Facilitate free play in natural environments, without toys or other distractions, as much as possible. If your child isn’t used to this, it might take time to feel comfortable, but I’ve found that children often make their most wonderful discoveries in nature during these unstructured play times. 
• Celebrate and honor the seasonal changes in nature through festivals or family traditions (such as apple picking in the autumn or staying up late to look for shooting stars in the summer).
  

- Ms. Jaia