28/01/2026
Today I sat down and mapped out my term ahead. When I plan a playgroup term, I don’t start with activities - I start with reflection. I turn to the world around me. I begin with the season, the landscape around us, and the natural rhythms of the year. I map the weeks, note birthdays and festivals, and let these gentle markers guide the stories we tell, the crafts we make, and the play we invite. And I shape everything around these things.
In Waldorf early childhood education, repetition and rhythm are at the heart of learning. Stories are told for weeks so children can carry them inward, imagine the scenes deeply, and express them through play, art, and movement. Seasonal festivals and the cycles of the year help children live in time, understand change, and feel a connection to the world around them - a quiet, lived knowledge that shapes curiosity, awareness, and joy.
Every element in our playgroup, from the seasonal table to the baking, the crafts, and the circle games - are woven together intentionally. Planning this way allows children to experience the rhythms of life rather than just observe them, giving them a grounded sense of security, belonging, and wonder. To teach without 'teaching'.
This term, our stories, crafts, and play are guided by light, love, and the unfolding of the seasons. It’s a rhythm lived, felt, and shared - and it all begins with careful, heart-led planning.
When the boys were little and at home with me my planning looked much the same. We revisited stories and traditions that worked and that were loved. I often repeat some things in the playgroup year, but for the most I am influenced by what the current season is whispering.
How do you approach planning for the little ones in your care - whether at home, homeschooling, or running a group like me?
Do you plan ahead or wing it?