Last week Punxsutawney Phil and Massachusetts official groundhog, Ms. G, saw their shadows so apparently there are six more weeks of winter and if today is any sign they will not be nice weeks of winter. We have snow with blizzard warnings and requests to stay off the roads. This makes me want to think about spring (and somehow this time of year always gets me thinking about spring no matter what the winter weather has been). Today I am going to share with you two new books perfect for thinking about early spring and nice weather. The first is My Color Is Rainbow by Agnes Hsu an Yuliya Gwilym.
In this fun book little white arch knows he is more than just white and wants to discover his own color. He dreams of the possibilities of the colors he could become and hangs out with other colors to see if he wants to join them. He thinks about the fun he has had with the different colors and their unique qualities and decides he doesn't want to be just one color. He wants to be all of them!!
This simple book has some nice messages in it. First a child does not have to pick one group to belong to or one thing to do or love. A child can have many characteristics and like different activities. A child does not have to follow just one idea, friend, etc. There are so many important lessons about doing what you like and being who you are built into this story. I love the simplicity of the story with the strong messages that come after it.
To go with this book we painted a rainbow on a rock while doing our rock painting last week.
Hazel used paint markers to make it. I also thought of this book while reading the papers outside Hazel's classroom. Each student wrote about their favorite two colors and why they like them.
I also wanted to share all the fun rainbow crafts and activities we have done through the years.
1) Painted Rock
2) Waldorf Birthday Story
3) Chalk Marker Rainbow on Slate
4) Beaded Rainbow & Needle Felted Rainbow
5) Rainbow Wind Wand
6) Rainbow Reminders
7) Rainbow Necklace and Bracelet
8) Rainbow Search
9) Felt Rainbow
10) Rainbow Flower Search
11) Mixing Colors
12) Cereal Rainbow
13) Rainbow Stew
14) Rainbow Fish craft
15) Rainbow Maker to go with Rainbow Book
Another great book to make you think about spring is Spring Hare by Eugene Yelchin. This is a wordless, magical book. A baby hare is out discovering the spring world and goes on a magical flight to discover the world and beyond. This hare flies with airplanes and birds and rides the top of hot air balloons and rainbows. Throughout the story a young girl seems to be with the hare in different ways. She is on an airplane passing the hare and even in space when the hare rides a shooting star. The two become friends and enjoy quite the imaginative adventure together.
Now we fell in love with wordless books when Hazel was young and attended a Waldorf school. They help grow the imagination and develop other senses that lead to reading. They also tend to have a fantastical element to them with lots of little details to notice as they are reread. This one is no different. Seeing the same girl in each different part of the story adds to the magic of the adventure. It is such a lovely look at spring.
Now we have rabbits instead of hares in our neighborhood and Hazel has the nickname Bunny thanks to my sister, so bunnies are very popular in our house. My mother made us all bunny slippers for Christmas.
They were a last minute project for her and the ears did not stay on. I sewed mine and Hazel's on that day, but did not get them on really well. She basically used foam ears and put them on store-bought slippers. They were a hit!
Bunny Ears Headband
Hazel fell in love with this headband at Gymboree. They make her the perfect little bunny! I may have to get one for my sister as well. I also thought we would share a round-up of our bunny crafts for you!!
1) Bunny tote bag, bunny change purse, bunny jars, bunny lantern, paper bunnies and towel
2) Knitted mini bunny
3) Needle felted grey bunny
4) Peeps inspired bunnies
5) Bunny mask
6) Brown Needle Felted Rabbit
7) Bunny Peg Doll
8) Knitted white rabbit
9) Needle felted rabbits (fluffy blue and white ones)
10) Fingerprint Bunny Pictures
11) Bunny Stick Puppet
12) Large Chenille Stem Rabbit
13) Cookie Cutter Needle Felted Bunny (pink)
So check out these books, try some fun crafts and think spring!!
