Quick Look
This book is out of print but a new edition is available, combined with Autumn. Click on the cover in the carousel below.
Activities for winter include Advent crafts, working with wool, woodworking and making things out of clay.
Description
This book is packed full of fun nature activities that will help children engage with the season and learn practical new skills.
Activities for winter include making an Advent wreath, blowing walnut ships, making Christmas branches flower, working with wool, weaving, knitting, making felt, woodworking and making things with willow and out of clay.
The activities in this book are based on practical experience from the Children's Nature and Garden Centre in Germany, and are fully tried and tested.
Table of Contents
Foreword
The Story of this Book
Making room for play
Learning about opposites
The Children's Nature and Garden Centre
December
Advent
Song: The North Wind Does Blow
Advent: A Time for Contemplation
Poem: Advent
The Advent Wreath
Poem: Around the Advent Wreath
Advent: A Time for Candles
Blowing Ships
An Advent Story
Blooming Branches
Rattling Walnuts
Christmas Scenes
The True Meaning of Advent
Other Religious Festivals
January
Working with Wool
Working with Wool: A Rich Experience
Processing Wool
Clothing: Our Second Skin
Wool: from the Sheep to a Ball of Wool
-- Shearing sheep
-- Cleaning and drying the wool
-- Carding
-- Spinning
Song: Sarasponda
-- Twisting
-- Winding a skein
-- Washing the yarn
-- Storage
Wool: from a Ball of Wool to a Toy Sheep
-- Finger crochet
-- Weaving
Stick table loom
Cardboard loom frame
Rounded wood loom frame
Card weaving
Other looms and weaving options
-- Knitting
Toy sheep pattern
-- Felt
Making felt balls
Friendship bracelets
-- Magic Wool
Free Play with Wool
Stories
February (Part 1)
Working with Willow: Building Houses from Hedges
February: the Last Chance to Cut Willow
Willow: a Good Plant for Children
Song: Sleep, Thou Little Willow Tree
Willow: Creative Possibilities
Making a Latticework Willow Hedge
Woodworking
Wood: a Valuable Material
Poem: The Beech Tree's Guests
Forests
Wooden Toys
Listening to Wood
-- Tools
-- Carving twigs in kindergarten
-- Fences and railings
-- Doll's houses and furniture
Rattles and Stick Instruments to Scare away Winter
More Woodworking Projects
February (Part 2)
Working with Clay
Pottery: a Valuable Activity
Basic Rules for Doing Pottery with Children
Clay Bowls for Easter Grass
Clay Insect Nests and Bird Baths
Resources:
Further reading
Craft suppliers
Conservation of rare domestic animals
The Children's Nature and Garden Centre
Photograph and Illustration Credits
Reviews
'This brilliant book inspires you with the most wonderful activities and photos...beautiful activity scene ideas, wool carding and weaving...knitting patterns that even a complete non-knitter can follow - I tried them and they worked well.'
--Education Otherwise, Dec. 2006
'A wealth of ideas and inspiration for parents and children, beautifully illustrated with colour photographs of children taking part in the many activities.'
--The Green Parent magazine, Jan 2007
Author
Irmgard Kutsch, born 1952, trained as a vet before working with children with special needs. She established the Children's Nature and Garden Centre in Reichshof in 1994, where children and teachers can learn about nature and participate in workshops.
Brigitte Walden, born 1953, worked as a teacher for fifteen years. She has been a carer at Haus Hohenfried in Germany, a centre for people with special needs, for nine years.
Links
Here are more books in this wonderful series by Irmgard Kutsch which helps children to engage with nature and the seasons in practical, creative ways:
Spring Nature Activities for Children
Summer Nature Activities for Children
Autumn Nature Activities for Children
This book is focused on helping children connect with trees through games, activities and stories:
The Wonder of Trees: Nature Activities for Children by Andrea Frommherz
