Since opening our school at the new location in November, the PreK has heard the story of “Grandmother Wind”. We have been observing Silvia squirrel doing her work in the trees outside our classroom, we have witnessed the leaf children dancing in the wind down to the ground, and we have felt the chill most mornings. We have heard Grandmother Wind whistling through a crack in the front door at meal time! We have observed that it stays dark longer in the morning, and it gets dark as we are leaving school. The children are very excited for Father Winter to come on the Solstice!
This story is courtesy of: Antioch University New England “Growing Teachers Blog”,
The sun faded and the days had started to get shorter. The trees all around began to sing sweet melodies to Grandmother Wind. When the trees sang, beautiful colors appeared on them: crimson, rust, orange, gold, and lemon yellow. These colors then awakened the leaf children who loved to frolic and play with Grandmother Wind. One of their favorite games was to see how long they could float in the sky with Grandmother Wind, before they would eventually tumble to earth below. However, as the days became shorter the leaft children could not play as long during the day and began to argue about who would play when and where. When Grandmother Wind heard them bickering she was sad at the sight of their arguing.
“Have patience dear children. It is important your playing days are shorter now and you will soon know why.”
“When will we know why Grandmother Wind?” they uttered back.
“You will know soon enough,” she answered reassuringly.
And so it as that the leaf children kept playing and trusted Grandmother Wind knew why their playing days were getting shorter and shorter. As the days continued many of the leaf children noticed they were tired more easily and did not want to play as long. The leaf children felt content to lie on the earth’s floor, because if felt soft and warm to them. They watched Silvia the Squirrel gather nuts and hide them in strange spots all over the meadow. The leaf children’s game now was to count all of the places Silvia hid her nuts. So, their play changed from that of the sky to that of the earth. When Grandmother Wind saw they were all comfortable lying on the earth she knew it was time to talk to them.
“Your blanket over the earth is very important,” she whispered to them. “Now Father Winter will know it is time for him to come. And soon enough he will tell the snow fairies it is their time to come. Without your help he would not know. Thank you leaf children, you are so dear to me.”
Just then Grandmother Wind moved more strongly about as she felt Father Winter approaching.
