In Art lessons we practice a specific way of painting with liquid paint on wet paper, exploring how the colours takes form on the page. This is known as wet-on-wet painting. Our work with the younger ages contributes to the development of the senses that nourish the developing child. Through painting in an abstract way, the unique quality of each colour is experienced more fully. The children experience the polarities of the primary colours and how to mix them to create the secondary colours. The children are guided in their painting through ‘colour stories’, in which the colours are personified. Children learn how to look at and discuss the paintings, learning vocabulary to describe and analyse the different qualities and moods in the paintings, celebrating the work of their peers. The older ages become more accomplished at wet-on-wet painting and are ready to work with form in their paintings.

In Art lessons the children will also explore and develop their drawing, through a guided approach by the tutor. They learn to build an image through a combination of using simple shapes, through which the larger form can be realised. Beeswax crayons are used to create softly layered depths of colour.

In addition to drawing, the children also experience working in other mediums such as chalks, inks and printmaking.

Handwork sessions give each child the opportunity to transform simple materials into something beautiful, decorative and usable through the skill and artistry of their hands. It is an artistic experience that enables each child to explore the sense of colour, texture, pattern, and shape, and to bring their individuality to what they are making. Nerve-sense connections, hand muscle strength, hand-eye coordination and fine motor dexterity are all greatly supported through handwork activities. Alongside this, handwork sessions encourage a great sense of social cohesion in the children. Space is given in each session for children to show how their work is progressing, and through this they are able to support and encourage each other with positive observations.

Children begin with learning to knit, and this skill is developed throughout each year group. First, wooden dowel is transformed into their own knitting needles and then the children help to wash and card wool fleece to be used in their projects. A simple knitted square is sewn up to become a treasured chicken or cockerel. Further opportunities to add to their animal families come later. Following on from this, the children knit a case for their recorder, using a combination of knit and purl stitch. The Older Group are introduced to a crochet project, before going on to make a knitted doll, complete with sewn clothes.

Hand sewing is practised through making objects in celebration of the seasons or festivals. Different embroidery stitches can be brought in to embellish the items they have made. A cross-stitch project for the very oldest children in the group provides a challenge of concentration and perseverance, as well as calling on the children to create their initial design, be that a cushion, pin cushion, pencil case or purse.

Weaving is experienced and practised through the creation of a woven pencil case. Wet felting projects are offered as part of seasonal and festival celebrations.

There are many opportunities for craft to be woven into the content of the Main Topic and Additional Subject sessions. Some examples of activities include:

• Card/paper craft and construction
• Modelling in beeswax, clay and constructed materials
• Puppet making
• Lantern making
• Papier mache
• Nature crafts

These handwork and crafting activities all combine the three areas of cognition, emotion and will – the ‘Head, Heart and Hands’ in Lantern Home Education’s Waldorf-inspired approach. New skills and techniques are at first unfamiliar and require concentrated thought to navigate and coordinate the hands and materials together. Will forces are utilised and strengthened through working with a creative process from the beginning to end, gaining satisfaction and a deep sense of achievement as they see their work progressing. The emotional senses are awakened as the imaginative and creative process is informed by the child’s inner feeling life.

Music permeates many of the sessions, especially in the younger years. Up until about age 8 the child’s consciousness can be described as being in a kind of ‘dreamtime’ or paradise. In music we reflect and nurture this by working primarily with the mood of the fifth or pentatonic scale. In the Music sessions children sing seasonal songs together, play traditional singing/circle games and hear stories that begin to awaken in them a feeling for pitch and rhythm. Recorder playing is also introduced and practised.

In the older ages the children begin to sing in parts, first with simple ostinatos, then rounds and finally in two- or even three-part harmony. Some children may even begin to compose their own little tunes on the recorder. Recorder playing is continued to be practiced and developed, and children who play other instruments are encouraged to bring them in and share for specific festival occasions.

Taking part in music together is such a joyful way of building community, where each voice sings out to create a beautiful whole, far greater than the sum of its parts. We regularly sing all together at our Lantern Home Education groups and invite parents to join us in celebrating festivals and the work of the children on a regular basis.

Many of the games played with the children are chosen to help develop and increase the children’s spatial awareness and physical coordination. Bean bag exercises are used to develop spatial awareness also. They help to encourage a directional sense, an understanding of left and right, as well as rhythm and working together as a cohesive group. Children participate in circle games, which are taught in order to help the children form a strong social group. Through the games and movement exercises the aim for each child is that they can join in with the sessions joyfully and to the best of their ability. Coordination is strengthened through the use of simple equipment such as hoops, balance beams and bouncy balls. Their sense of balance and rhythm is developed through skipping especially. Gross motor skills are strengthened through skipping, sequence games, and actions in some of the circle and chase games etc.