January 5-12, 2014 (Three Kings Day, Gnomes, and Cleaning the Bathroom!)

We have never celebrated Three Kings Day. As a mater of fact, this is the first year I had heard it referred to as such. I have heard of the Epiphany- which falls on the same day- but not referred to as Three Kings Day. 

This year, we participated in a Waldorf Craft Swap for Three Kings Day. The kids and I made beautiful wands made of oak dowels and hand dyed felt. The day we received our box of goodies from everyone was an exciting day! We couldn't wait to use them on Three Kings Day. 

I did not make many plans for our house for the day as we planned to go to Plagarden to celebrate the holiday. Very sadly, Playgarden had to be canceled due to rain. The driveway at the Farm likes to eat cars when the ground gets soggy. :(

I made a few last minute plans and we celebrated at home.  After breakfast we had a "Strawberry King's Crown" for snacking on before circle time. We then had circle time, using a few of the verses that came along with our goodies from the swap. I discussed with the kids the story of the Three Kings and they sat down to draw pictures of the story. 

While the kids were working on their drawings, I was working on my "Gnome of the Day" project. 

After they were done coloring, they noticed that the Three Kings had left them each ten gems in their treasure chests. Rainbow Girl started playing math games with her gems and quizzing Sugar Bear and myself. 

This week, Super Sam started his day making a cleaning list. He then worked hard his house and his Papa's house readying them for Mama and Baby Bird's return. They then went to the farm to gather milk and cream. Rainbow Girl loved having the figures and house to be able to act out the story on her own.

After retelling the story, we went downstairs and made a cleaning list of our own on the chalk board.

Circle time movement verses

Super Sam sleeping

By Tuesday evening, I had finished my daily- and weather- gnomes. They are little peg men with needle felted hats and wood burned details. Of the weather gnomes, I have made rainy, sunny, snowy, and windy. I have ordered more gnomes and plan on making more weather gnomes as well as seasonal gnomes- or maybe monthly gnomes. 

On Wednesday morning, after circle time, we sat down to make a cleaning solution. Cleaning the bathrooms was something that Rainbow Girl suggested she was big enough to help with. We made a kid friendly cleaning spray using 3/4 water, 1/4 vinegar, and a few drops of tea tree oil. 

The kids had a fantastic time cleaning the bathrooms. (We have two full bathrooms.) They scrubbed and scrubbed the tops, sides and underneaths of everything! It was hard to get them to stop when we were done! I hope this enthusiasm of cleaning the bathrooms continues for a while. :)

After a few days of playing with them, we have implemented the gnomes on our nature table. I have them all in a basket on the side of the table and every day, the kids go through and pick the gnomes that go with the day. 

I think I will come up with a different display solution at some point, but for now, this works beautifully.