Reading through the Seasons

Far be it from me to complain, but I found winter quite long and I'm sure I'm not the only one. My children, at least, even though they love snow, have been telling me regularly for a few weeks now that they've had enough; they're ready for something else, they're ready to marvel at nature awakening. And so am I; I'm tired of hibernating (yes, yes, we went to play outside every day, but it's not the same!)

To intensify the beauty of spring's awakening in my children's minds (and my own!), I made it a habit a few years ago to coordinate children's books with the seasons. I do it for every season, but it seems that in spring, the meaning of this gesture is amplified: as a new season approaches or begins, I prominently display a few books that reflect the new season for my children. Without embarking on the complex elaboration of a nature or season table as proposed by Waldorf-Steiner pedagogy, I still take a few minutes to arrange the books on the upcoming season's theme in a visually appealing way. Sometimes, with the children, we add branches, pinecones, drawings, or other appropriate treasures, but I don't pressure myself to do so. However, I always do it for the books. It's simple, quick, and it speaks volumes to the children.

Since the idea is to celebrate the beginning season, I generally offer books that focus on nature and its specificities during that particular season. So, I put away books about winter, both winter storybooks and books about animal tracks in the snow, hibernation, or the solstice, to replace them with books telling stories of vegetable gardens, forest adventures, or waking bears. I also display our books offering scientific experiments related to nature, such as preparing seedlings or making a volcano, or educational books about the spring equinox or an insect guide. I find that bringing out a few books on the theme of the new season really sets the tone for the months ahead.

Not only do these books equip children with a better understanding of the passage of time by helping them appropriate concepts related to the cycle of seasons and the magnificent world around them, these books also awaken their curiosity about nature and inspire us with a multitude of activity and craft ideas for the season. They activate excitement and anticipation for these simple but rich activities: forest walks, bird watching and drawing, bug hunting to then delve into our books to find their names and characteristics, collecting nature treasures, etc.

These books fuel our discussions at home or during our nature walks and stimulate my children's sense of observation. They facilitate the connection between small daily actions (composting, caring for our chickens, preparing seedlings or repotting plants, choosing less packaged products or those free of harmful substances, etc.) and the world around us.

They invite us to open our eyes, to become explorers of the world. They inspire my children's crafts, their drawings, and their activities. It's not uncommon for us to gather around the table after reading a spring book to make a small bird feeder and then go outside to hang it in our trees, or to place dried beans in a glass jar and watch them sprout, day after day. It's also not uncommon for us to run off into the forest after reading a nature book, and my children's eyes spot a new element they had never noticed before during our outdoor walks.

With this approach, I feel like I am fully nurturing two passions that are dear to me, and that I want to pass on to my children: a love of books (of reading, of the curiosity that comes with it, of that encounter with oneself, of diving into a universe, all of it!) as well as a love of nature (its discovery, its knowledge, its understanding, the desire to immerse oneself in it, to touch it and to protect it. All of that too!).

By offering my children books related to the season we are in, I see their natural curiosity for nature intensify, their eyes marvel. They are even more sensitive to the idea of caring for the environment. In my mind and heart, it is a simple way (and one among many others) to contribute in my own way to creating a better world, a more peaceful and empathetic world.

You might be wondering why I don't just leave all the books available all the time? Am I complicating my life by doing this? Oh no! I'm actually making our lives much simpler.

By taking the time to put away books related to other seasons, I feel like I'm helping my children focus on the period of our lives we're currently experiencing, the current season. I feel like I'm helping them concentrate on this time of year, eliminating a certain dizziness of intertwined information. I feel like I'm equipping them to help them find their way in time and better understand the cycle of seasons and the passage of time, without overwhelming them.

By carefully bringing out certain books during a certain part of the year, I also rekindle their interest in reading these books without feeling the need to acquire new ones, in addition to limiting the number of books available at all times. Having only a certain number of books available at all times has several advantages: it has been proven time and again that offering too many choices to a child can create anxiety and stress, a state of overwhelm. This may seem counter-intuitive; yes, our children need to make choices, an important learning for the development of their autonomy, their confidence, and their personality. But too much is like not enough. Faced with too many book choices, they might flip through a bunch, but without delving deep, and quickly move on to the next. It is very likely that they will feel they don't have enough, that it's time to buy new ones. The brain region responsible for a young child's decision-making ability is still very immature, and too many choices will often lead to tantrums and frustrations. And we know: when everything is out and lying all over the floor in the house, it is often overwhelming and frustrating for an adult. Imagine for a little one with an not fully developed brain! Books are part of a whole, and as with everything else, offering a carefully chosen selection, in sufficient but not abundant quantities, often works better.

It will also be more difficult for young children to take care of their books when there's an abundance. There will be more chances that books end up scattered everywhere, that a few pages are torn, and that the parent has to repeat countless times for the child to put them away (not so well!). When a limited number of books is available at a time, the idea of putting away books and taking care of them no longer seems like an insurmountable task for a small child. Suddenly, the child puts them away more easily and gets into the habit of doing so more naturally.

Happy reading!

Do you want to have the chance to consult all the content published in the Magazine each month as a preview, and have access to our Toolbox including practical and fun free downloads? Subscribe to Belles Combines Magazine now!