Morning

Morning Verse

Morning has come, night is away
We rise with the sun to welcome the day

To Earth I come
To greet the sun
To greet the moon
The stones that rest
The plants that grow
And animals that run
To greet all people in this world
Love greets me in all I do
And I and you and the world are one.

Drawing

The Secret of Children’s Drawings
Translated by Genie Sakaguchi

“Whether a picture is quickly drawn in passing or drawn with great effort, whether a child carefully seeks for the right color or just grabs the first pencil that comes to hand — if one is asking about the ‘meaning’ of children’s drawing, one thing is certain: Children express their opes, wishes, dreams, visions, and expectations in their drawings — and also their anxieties, fears, hurts, and worries. Their drawings depict their actual experienced reality — an experience of the present with a connection to the past and the future.”

Story

Song & Movement

Throughout the year in Cedar Rose, we have been tall trees. In Autumn, the apples fell from our limbs, in Winter the raindrops dripped and dropped, and now it is Spring and the flowers are blooming!

This movement game invites the children to:

move and sing at the same time, which develops early literacy
cross the horizontal midline, a developmental milestone
touch their physical body to experience tactile sensory feedback
engage with the changes of the season in an imaginative way

This is my trunk
From standing, bend at the waist with straight legs and touch your toes
I’m a tall, tall tree
Run your hands up your legs and torso, eventually coming up to stand with arms over headIn Springtime the flowers bloom on me
Two arms overhead, make fists with your hands
They open
Right fist opens into a flower
They open
Left fist opens into a flower
Repeat 3 times.

Spring is Coming
Spring is coming
Spring is coming
Birdies build your nests
Weave together straw and feather
Each is doing their best

Spring is coming
Spring is coming
Flowers are coming too.
Pansies, lilies, daffo-dillies
All are coming through

Spring is coming
Spring is coming
All around is fair.
Shimmer, quiver, on the river,
Joy is everywhere.

Millet Recipe

Not everyone is familiar with millet, but this unusual little seed is an ancient, gluten-free nutritional powerhouse. One cup of cooked millet contains six grams of protein, two grams of dietary fiber, and a wealth of minerals and essential vitamins. We encourage you to give this nutty, golden grain a try!

Ingredients:
2 c dry millet
4 c water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes (or replace water and bouillon with 4 c vegetable broth)
2 tbsp Earth Balance or butter

Toppings:
Sunflower seeds
Golden sprinkles
Gomashio
Butter
Butter
Tamari or soy sauce
Chickpeas*

Instructions:
Boil the water and stir in bouillon to prepare the broth.

Sauteé the millet in the Earth Balance or butter in a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned. Add the broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Once boiling, stir and place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes. It’s okay to lift the lid every once in awhile to check on the millet, but don’t check it too often.

When most of the liquid is absorbed, turn off the heat and allow millet to sit with the lid on for ten minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve with your choice of toppings.

*Bonus Recipe: Cedar Rose Chickpeas

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas / garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp Earth balance or butter
Dash of tamari
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
Pinch of dried thyme

Instructions:
Put the chickpeas in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add all other ingredients and stir often until chickpeas are heated throughout. Serve as a topping for millet (also great as a side dish).

Afternoon

Evening Wind
Adapted from Wilma Ellersiek

Blow the evening wind so mild
Rest my little flower child
Lu lu lu lu lu, lu lu lu lu lu

Flowers Grow
Words by Monica Stone
This verse can be accompanied by gentle therapeutic touch to help your child come to a state of rest and wellbeing.

The flowers, they grow on your ten little toes
With forefinger and thumb, gently caress and massage each toe
All the way up to your little nose
Gently draw finger down the length of child’s nose
The petals, they softly brush your cheek
Gently brush each cheek with back of your hand
As you lay down and fall fast asleep
Gently run fingers along child’s brow

My Big Blue Boat
I love to ride in my big blue boat, my big blue boat, my big blue boat.
I love to ride in my big blue boat, over the deep blue sea.

My big blue boat has two red sails, two red sails, two red sails.
My big blue boat has two red sails.
Come ride along with me.

My big blue boat goes splish and splash, splish and splash, splish and slash
My big blue boat goes splish and splash, over the deep blue sea.

Weaving Activity

Create your very own loom and a beautiful weaving with a few simple materials!

Follow this wonderful tutorial by Ms. Grace and have fun with this truly engaging handwork project.

Wednesday: Millet Day