ecobites.com

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Wed 03 May

Lyn and Thierry, Leanne, Grace and Cait arrive at 8.30AM to set up for arrival at 9.30AM, the children place a piece of organic fruit in the bowl to share for morning tea and then settle into unstructured creative play, with all the play things being made of natural materials.

We make the 'sea' of blue silk, surrounded by sea-shells, basket ducks, wool felt animals, gumnuts and seed pods. A little house is created with wooden frames and cloths adorned with more cloths and wooden pegs. Then the dolls corner with cloth and felt babies are sleeping in the wooden cradle and the hammock. Next is the 'kitchen', where true masterpieces are created with a small wooden chopping board, rolling pin, wooden egg cups and wooden eggs.

The tea table - set up with fresh flowers and cups, saucers, tea pots and jugs, freshly prepared camomile tea and pure water. Scrub the rocks with the wooden nail brush and a  space for work with timber offcuts and little sanding blocks. Perhaps a timber block fence is made to keep the timber animals in. The favourite old rocking horse and hobby horse to ride, or fill the barrow up with leaves or pull along the whale and of course 'dress up' with cloths and the wool felt gnome hats.

Our nature table is decorated with Autumn leaves that we collected and wool felt gnomes and toadstool, fruit from our garden to take home and the modelling beeswax sit amongst the fresh flowers and plants.

10.15AM we wash hands to a hand washing song and the children don their aprons. We create Autumn apple muffins, the children stir, scoop and pour, ready to take home to share with Daddy.

10.30AM After the fruit blessing we share the platter of beautiful prepared fruit. We water the wheat grass sprout pots and take them home to care for and to eat.

11.00AM We sing a tidy-up tune and we all pack away.

11.15 AM Allison tells the story - A toadstool in my garden using wool felt toys and simple props, followed by seasonal tunes and Goodbye circle. We collect our cooking and go home.

Wed 10 May

A special day today as we celebrate Mothers Day and Ella's birthday.

We make lavender bags and Mother's Day Macaroons. Our cooking is prepared with lots of Love and always, all organic products and NO sugar.

We celebrate Ella's birthday after a birthday blessing with a beautiful small mini watermelon with three candles and we all have fresh coconut water straight from the young coconut with a straw (Click here to see our photo gallery).  Welcome to Ella's Grandmother from New Zealand who joins us.

Wed 17 May

Today we bake grated beetroot, zuccini and apple and organic dried apricots and quinoa Pat-A-Cake. Iced with banana, carob powder, arrowroot and coconut oil, YUM!

We picked lemons from the bush lemon tree in the garden, Leanne bought some beautiful Pomelos to take home from their new organic farm at Mutarnee.

We had two very special familes visit us - Joanna and Damien, International visitors who attend a Steiner Group in Luxembourg and Zara and Dylan from a cattle property near Mt Isa.

Wed 24 May

RHYTHM, REPETITION, SECURITY, CONTINUITY.

How lovely to hear little Grace arrive and ask "what are we cooking, today?" Tahini cookies, as always created with lots of love and all organic and bio-dynamic  ingredients - millet flakes, ground almonds,apricots, sultanas, dates, pepitas,orange juice, egg and tahini. We have had a lot of inquiry this week. Our aim when starting Healthy Planet Playcircle was to start with a Steiner Inspired Parent and Toddler Group (Playgroup) and expand to encorporate a Kindergarten (three to six years). We started in February 2006 with the aim of 8-10 families to join us on Wednesday mornings. We now have seven families plus today two families joined us for the first viist. We now are thinking about extra days, as there is clearly a considerable demand for what we are offering.

Wed 31 May

Today we created biscuits, the little bakers loved the sticky mix of - millet, buckwheat and brown rice flour + ground oats, grated fresh coconut, coconut milk, the lovely organic black apricots (no bright orange apricots with sulphur etc) and sultanas, eggs, chocolate sapote (picked from our garden) grated apple and carob powder.

Along with our fruit platter, Grace helped mash the avocado, and spread onto bio-dynamic Essene sprouted bread, which was enjoyed by all.

We swept the Autumn leaves.

a little child came down to Earth,

Angels do help her both day & night,

to fill her heart with love & light.

Two & four special candles we do prepare,

to shine upon her birthday fair." 

We celebrated Cait's 2nd birthday on the 4th October & Grace's 4th birthday on the 14th October with 2 & 4 candles lovingly placed in the organic apples, ready to blow out and make a wish!

National Playgroup Day

On Tuesday, 24 October we helped celebrate National Playgroup Day at Dan Gleeson Park.

The theme was Preserve, Protect and Play.

Along with our Spring cooking activity we made Spring shaker cans.  

 Wednesday September 06

"Spring, the most welcome of seasons, comes yet very slowly. The spell of winter is hard to shake off. Catkins seem in no hurry to lengthen, a new shoot passes through a clod of earth but lingers, reluctant to rise in the cold air. As the days grow longer and the breeze softens, we patiently wait and hope. The stony ground realizes, the ditches gurgle with the spring rains, and juicy buds swell on the twig. Suddenly comes the surprise of a warm day, and with it the urgent activity of growth. Beneath our feet the ground turns lush, the hedges fatten in a haze of green, and a hungry bee flies past. Nature springs effortlessly into creative action; the birds sing praise in concert."

From the wonderful book: All Year Round

We put the winter cloths to bed and replace the wool etc on the Nature table with the beeswax bee, caterpillar and butterfly. We made a May Pole as our centerpiece – a small clay garden pot filled with potpourri, a wooden skewer in the centre with ribbon wrapped around draping to the little spring people going around the may pole.

The little chefs helped create spring garden cakes – rolled oats,buckwheat flour, softened organic dates, sultanas and apricots + grated freshly picked zucchini and carrots and Brayden did a wonderful squeezing job of the oranges and a little  orange rind +a little sheeps milk yoghurt. Scooped into muffin tins and baked, ready to eat at story time and take one home to share with Daddy.

We told the Fairy story and put her to bed as next week we will make caterpillars and butterflys for the lovely new Spring story.

Happy Blessings for Spring!

Wednesday September 13 

A very busy day today … little hands were very busy making a caterpillar and butterfly from pipe cleaners and coloured wool, ready for the new season story, songs and rhymes.

Thierry helped mummy bake the little cakes, very early in the morning, made with lots of love and care + millet, buckwheat and brown rice flours + softened organic dates, grated fresh beetroot, zucchini and apple, banana, fresh coconut grated and the coconut water. Ready for the little chefs to don their aprons and transform into butterfly cakes.

The icing was made with lots of little helpers, mashing the bananas which we picked the huge bunch last week from the garden, the sifter was busy adding the organic carob powder + a squeeze of lime juice and to finish with some freshly juiced beetroot. Little wings were added to the top of the cakes. 

More beetroot juice with morning snack with added carrot and apple.

Our very little folk, Louie and Tara have a diluted taste! 

A green silk is tucked over the shoulder, with the butterfly hiding under the folds of the silk and the caterpillar climbs up the green silk and spins his cocoon and then hides in another fold of the silk right next to the butterfly, comes smoothly out of the same space with a light touch.

A traditional Spring story (author unknown)…

A caterpillar crawled to the top of a tree‘

I think I’ll take a nap’, said he

So under a leaf he began to creep

To spin his cocoon and he fell asleep

 All winter long he slept in his bed

Til Spring came along one day and said

Wake up, wake up little sleepy head

Wake up, it’s time to get out of bed 

So he opened his eyes that sunshiny day

Oh! He was a butterfly and flew away! 

Wednesday September 20 

Little hands were busy shelling the lovely organic peas for our Spring activity today.

Five peas in a pea pod pressed

One grew, two grew, so did all the rest

They grew and grew

And did not stop

Until one day

The pod went POP! 

Little feet joined in with the little hands to make prints with the beetroot juice to take home to show Daddy.

Next week is school holidays and we shall still meet for our playcircle.

Until than, Blessings to all!

Wednesday September 27

Little hands were very busy helping make the Spring kites with the pretty wax paper, a hole was punched and pieces of coloured wool was chosen and tied, along with shapes of the wool felt, ready to fly in the wind.

Spring time rock cakes were made with lots of love and organic ingredients of – rolled oats, millet, grated zucchini, carrot and apple, coconut, sultanas, currants, dates and apricots, orange juice and rind and cinnamon, ready to eat at story-time and take some home to share.

We will still meet again next week, the second week of school holidays.

 Healthy blessings.

Good morning to the birds as they fly on by

Good morning to the trees so straight and tall

Good morning to the nest where the possums rest

Good morning everyone!

 Blessings on the blossoms

Blessings on the fruit

Blessings on the leaf and stems

Blessings on the root

Blessings on our meal 

******

To and fro

Sweeping with my broom I go

All the fallen leaves I sweep

In a big and tidy heap 

Sweeping and cleaning and dusting all day

Sweeping the dust and the cobwebs away

Wiping the mess and the spills from the floor

Making our little house clean as before

Shining the windows, we’ll rub them all ‘round

Up to the ceiling and down to the ground

Open the windows and let in fresh air

For our sweet home we do lovingly care

 Healing Blessings

 Healing, healing, healing water

Healing, healing, healing tears

Bidding goodbye to the hurtIn your eyes, farewell to the pain

Hello gentle rain 

Healing, healing water for my little daughter/son

Healing, healing has begun

Now the pain begone, begone 

Painting

There’s a bridge of wondrous light

Filled with colours shining bright

Red and orange, yellow, green

The fairest colours ever seen

Blue and violet, magic rose

Down from Heaven to Earth it goes 

Cooking

Stirring batter, stirring batter

Stir it as it does not spatter

Round about the bowl is right

White and gold and gold and white

Winds itself and finds itself

Patient stirring, makes the cake

Which the baker’s man can bake

 Mix the batter

Stir the batter

Shake the flour in

Mix the batter

Stir the batter

Place it in a tin

Sprinkle little raisins on

Pop batter into bake

Open wide the oven door

And out comes a cake! 

Pat-a-cake, pat-a –cake, bakers man

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

Pat it and prick it and mark it with ‘B”

And put it in the oven for baby and me 

Stir the pot, add what’s what

Turnip tops, nuts and hops

Leaves and shoots, tasty roots

Sprinkle salt, barley malt

Steady, steadySoon its ready…..

Tra la-la la la la –la

We mix the dough

 we knead the dough

 we let it rise

Hot brown loaf from a little ball

 it rises up to feed us all

 Juicing Fruit

This is the way we juice the fruit

Juice the fruit, juice the fruit

This is the way we juice the fruit

Early in the morning

Push it down and turn it round

Push it down and turn it round

Push it down and turn it round

Early in the morning 

BiIRTHDAY BLESSING

The stars were shining, when for her birth

A little child, came down to earth

Angels do help her, both day and night

To fill her heart, with love and light

(...special candles) we do prepare

To shine upon, her birthday fair

Pease porridge hot

Pease porridge cold

Pease porridge in the pot

Nine days old

Some like it hot

Some like it cold

Some like it in the pot

Nine days old

A-ram-sam-sam, A ram-sam-sam

Guli-guli-guli-guli-guli

Ram-sam-sam

Arafi, a rafi, guli guli

Guli guli guli ram-sam-sam

A house the stars have built for me

Of silver tones and gold

Then come inside with one, two, three

To share the gifts I hold

Fuzzy wuzzy, creepy crawly

Caterpillar funny

You will be a butterfly

When the days are sunny

Winging, flinging, dancing, springing

Butterfly so yellow

You were once a caterpillar

Wiggly, wiggly fellow

Two little dicky birds

Sitting on a wall

One named Peter

One name Paul

Fly away Peter

Fly away Paul

Come back Peter

Come back Paul

This is a house for Robin (make a nest with hands)

This is a hive for a bee (two fists together to make a hive)

This is a hole for a bunny (thumbs and pointers on both hands to make a hole)

And this is a house for me (arm & hands form roof overhead)

Caterpillar, caterpillar you are such a pretty sight

Caterpillar, caterpillar green & yellow, black & white

Take care what you do, Robins are a watching you

Take care what you do, Robins are a watching you

Caterpillar, caterpillar creep away & hide you soon

Caterpillar, caterpillar spin yourself a warm cocoon

Dark & silent lie, til you are a butterfly

Dark & silent lie, til you are a butterfly

Healthy Planet Play Circle Rhythm With Songs

Free unstructured play on arrival

Time to clean away the tables in preparation for today’s cooking.( No pressure to perform, if the little chefs don’t want to create cooking or whatever the activity, can just be observers)  

I met a little dusty Gnome

He said it’s time to clean my home

Round, round, round 

Swish, swish, swish 

Clean my home 

 

The little tin bucket is filled with warm water with the addition of organic castile soap and a few drops of pure lavender oil. Washing hands (good habits – the foundation for later self-discipline – have been established through imitation and reinforced with repetition)

Wash, wash, wash your hands

Wash them in the tub

Wash, wash, wash, wash

Rub-a-dub a dub

Dry, dry, dry your hands

Dry them on the towel

Left one, right one

Now they’re both done  

Put on your apron

Put on your apron

Put on your apron

We’re going to make biscuits 

Rolling, rolling ball of dough

Round and round the table we go

Rolling, rolling ball of dough

All the way to … 

Roll them cut them, nice and neat

Put them on a baking sheet

Bake them, count them 1-2-3

Serve them to my friends with tea

Wash wash wash your hands….. I met a little dusty Gnome….. 

The table is set with napkins and place mats, ready for the beautiful organic fruit

Earth, who gives to us this food

Sun, who makes it ripe and good

Dear Earth dear Sun by you we live

And loving thanks to you we give

Blessings on our food and peace to all on Earth (last line spoken)

Sing a song of washing up

Water hot as hot

Cups and saucers, plates and spoons

Dishes such a lot!

Work the dish cloth round and round

Wash them clean and clean

Polish with a dry white cloth

How busy we have been 

Pick it up and pack it up

Put it all away

Now its time for story

Play another day 

Train whistle blowin

Makes a sleepy noise

Underneath the blankets

For all the girls and boys

Rockin’ rollin’ ridin’

Out along the bay

All bound for morning town

Many miles away

Driver at the engine,

Fireman rings the bell

Sandman swings the lantern, to show that all is well

Maybe it is raining, where our train will ride

All the little travellers, are warm and snug inside

Somewhere there is sunshine, somewhere there is day

Somewhere there is morning town, many miles away

Dear candle, dear candle

Please share your light

Dear candle, dear candle

Make us all bright 

 The candle is put to rest with the gum nut

Come to the circle where dreams are found

Take my hand we’ll dance a-round

Ha-la ha-la ha-la ha-lo

Round and round and round we go

Ring a ring a – roses, I’m a dingle dangle scarecrow, Sally go ‘round the sun, Lou, lou, skip to my Lou

Our play is done

it’s time to say‘goodbye’

until another day

We now must go to our sweet homes

Goodbye, goodbye, it’s time to go home 

Goodbye ………  We’ll see you here next week. 

The cooking (today it’s carrot buckwheat biscuits) are collected to eat on the way home

  Birthday Blessing

The stars were shining

when for her birth

A little child, came down to earth

Angels do help her, both day and night

To fill her heart, with love and light

(… special candles) we do prepare

To shine upon, her birthday fair