Waldorf-Inspired Real Play

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While we don't specifically use Waldorf methods in our home (simply because I've never studied about it myself), I think that there are a lot of similarities in our philosophy of how we would like our children to learn and play, especially as home educators.  I've really enjoyed learning more about the Waldorf method from guest poster Cara!

Guest Post by Cara

Waldorf is a method of education
founded by Rudolf Steiner in the late 1800s that focuses on a natural
approach to child development. While we don't use everything from the
philosophy (it goes into some religion stuff that we don't agree with),
we do really like the approach to early childhood education.  Steiner
advocates allowing children to develop in a natural environment with a
focus on the natural rhythms of home life.  In this philosophy of
childrearing, children live their lives with purpose, imagination, and
love.  I learned about this method of education when the daycare that I
worked at four mornings a week as a teen underwent transformation from
a regular daycare into a Waldorf preschool.  I was amazed to watch some
of the daycare children turn from hyperactive, easily distracted, and
easily bored to calm happy kids with an excellent attention span.  The
play they engaged in was now Real Play, play with more meaning that
mimics what we do in every day life.

The following are some things that we do to facilitate Real Play in
our home.  It seems almost too simple, but it is quite enriching.

Starting
with my little babies, I help them to be a part of every day life by
playing near me on the floor, and when they want to be held they ride
on my hip in a sling, or on my back in a mei tai or Ergo.  I chatter
about what I'm preparing for supper, sing little nursery rhymes, and
give lots of smiles while allowing them to see what goes on in every
day life.  Letting them see you always being engaged in something,
rather than just passively being entertained (on the computer or TV)
helps prevent boredom through example.  When I am sitting and listening
to the radio or just having a conversation with my hubby, if I'm not
nursing a baby, I try to have some handwork to do, like knitting or
hand sewing. 

We don't allow screen time of any kind for children.  No videos, no
cartoons, no computer games.  I'm not a purist, my daughter has seen me
on the computer and she has seen cartoons at other people's house. But
as a general rule, we stay away from that, so that she doesn't get
conditioned to where she needs something to watch to be entertained. 
You will find that once your child develops a long attention span, they
are happy to play alongside you while you work and you will not depend
on the TV to keep them entertained while you accomplish your chores.

I
make a point to slow down what I'm doing and do things with purpose so
my little ones can see and imitate me, since that's what they do
naturally.  I don't rushidly fold the laundry. I carefully smooth out
each shirt, fold it, and place it in the stack.  I take care to place
my dirty dishes in the sink, then gently wash them.  I avoid looking as
if I'm a chicken with my head cut off as I rush around to catch up on
housework.  I smile as I work.  Really, it doesn't take much more time
at all, and it gives the children something to imitate.  This work is
your quality time with the children, young children especially enjoy an
activity like making bread with mom just as much (or in our case more!)
than a trip to the fair or amusement park.  It shows them by example
how to care for belongings, to find contentment in what must be done,
and it gives them peace of mind to know that Mommy isn't frazzled.

When
possible, I involve my children in my work.  It takes a little longer,
but my toddler receives much more joy in completely emptying the dryer
into the laundry basket for me than she would with a dozen 'Good Job!'
stickers.  I also pay attention to what will trigger a meltdown and
avoid it.  For instance, my little girl isn't happy just putting the
two cups of flour in my cookie batter; she wants to scoop the entire
flour canister into the mixing bowl. So, knowing this, scooping the
flour is something that just Mommy does for now, and she has a bin full
of rice and scoops where she can scoop to her heart's content.  When
helping isn't possible because of safety (like with sewing) or the
tendency to trigger a meltdown, I do try to provide some similar
alternative for her, again, encouraging her desire to imitate me.

We sing little songs throughout the day.  Children love repetition
and silly rhyming songs. A verse of "This is the way we wash our hands"
before lunch or after playing outside makes hand washing into a
pleasurable experience rather than a chore.  A little song can convince
a reluctant toddler to do what needs to be done as well, "This is the
way we buckle our carseat, buckle our carseat, buckle our carseat..."

Waldorf
puts emphasis on outside time as well.  And to allow children's
imagination to flow, unstructured open nature areas are encouraged over
playgrounds with play structures.  On play structures, children are
confined to what is there. In a natural park setting, children have
more of an opportunity to notice small things. They watch the ants
trailing out of the ant hill.  They collect pine cones.  They make mud
pies and daydream.

Natural toys are preferred, but if those are not available due to
money constraints, open-ended toys are the best.  The more specific a
toy is, the faster a child will get bored with it. Open ended toys are
toys that can perform a variety of purposes. A basket can be a bathtub
one day, an oven for baking bread the next, and also turned upside
down, covered with a playsilk, and used as a stage for a play the next
day.  By contrast, a flashing box with buttons that talks and tells the
child what to do is limited to its one specific roll, and quickly
becomes boring.  Having few toys is preferred to having many.  With
many toys out, the child is overwhelmed and stops playing with them in
search of more order and simplicity.

My first summer job as a daycare assistant greatly influenced how I
parent my children and live my life. I learned to slow down and
appreciate the little things with children. I learned that faster isn't
always better. I learned that children don't need to be constantly busy
to be happy. And I learned that children weren't nuisances to be 'kept
busy' until they could be taught later on, but they were to be joyously
included in every day life right along side an adult. I wanted to share
since I feel that what I've learned has enriched our family life, and I
hope it can enrich yours as well.

More Reading:
Why Natural Toys?
Dressing Children Simply
An example of Meaningful Work
Instructions to Make a Waldorf-Style Doll

Cara is the stay-at-home mama of two children so far; 2-1/2
and 7 months.  She writes about parenting and crafting at Green Bean, and health and food at Health Home & Happiness, and also has an Etsy shop where she sells Waldorf inspired dolls and more.

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