Winter Festival Prep in Rainbow Room

It is quite an intricate process to make one!

Firstly, we began with painting the paper in beautiful soft colours.

Once dried, we loved involving our parents one evening, around our kindergarten table, and together each one folded their very own child’s lantern.

The very next morning the children were filled with wonder to see their lantern hand-made by their own parent and we could hear the little voices of excitement saying, “I think my dad made mine”, or “oh it was definitely my mum!”

The following week each child carefully oiled their lantern, and we could clearly see the reverence, delight and love in their beautiful work.

Soon we shall prepare the handles and then our winter lanterns shall be complete.

Then as we slowly descend into the midwinter, before you know it, each child alongside their very own parents, will be singing by our back garden fire, sipping on delicious soup, and walking their way to the centre.

Jess and Chrissie
(The Rainbow Room Teachers)

What's Happening in Marri Miah

This term we have worked with the season of Djeran/autumn and with it our
farming program in kindy four.

The children have had stories and circles that show them what is happening
in the world of farming and gardening. We have planted potatoes, kale and
beetroot and the children started to dig up the sweet potatoes the children
from last year had planted. Now we are able to use our produce in our lunch
and tea programs and the children are starting to help with the cooking and
the bread preparation.

We are learning that food grows beneath the earth, not at the supermarket.
The children are also learning that it takes time for food to grow and that we
need to spend every day caring for our plants. We are helping the rain
fairies who have been having an extended holiday and making sure our
Potato Gnome knows we are making sure the potatoes have the time they
need to flourish.

Now we have moved into Makaru and the coming of true winter as of the
Winter Solstice 21 June.

We are busy hearing stories and circles of the coming of King Winter and
how to catch and make our own light to guide our way.

The children are now getting ready for their Winter Festival by seeing how to
celebrate the coming of the new light. In all our activities the children are
experiencing a sense of the winding inwards of the spiral motif that brings
the inner impulse of this time of year.

We are busy making lanterns and candles, for our spiral walk, that will catch
the little golden spark of light that will lead our way until Father Sun returns
to bring back the light of spring and summer. We will also, be making Jack-
O-Lanterns to light up our festival picnic tables. In our cooking we will be
making special spiral bread and apple spirals to share. In our painting,
drawing, craft and wax work the children are seeing spiral forms emerging
everywhere.

This is always a very exciting time of year that allows us the joy of creating a
very special festival. There are so many ways to bring the wonder of the
seasons and the cosmos to our children, so have fun.

With Love Fiona
Marri Miah Teacher