Buddies ~ preparing for advent

***In September 2011 6 families got together and started Buddies Home School. Each week we meet in each other's home and follow a simple rhythm: movement and music, craft/ baking, snack time, free play and story time. Each part of the session is led by a different family. We are sharing this week's session with you here...***

We didn't do much singing this morning, this was partly due to our 'song person' not being able to make it and party due to Roisin's wonderful nespresso machine ;-)

So after our welcome song we quickly moved onto the craft organised by Zoe.

  

We warmed half sheets of bees wax with hair dryers

then carefully rolled them into candles. Four for each family, one to mark each Sunday in advent.

 The children made advent rings, and candle holders and stars to hold their candles, out of air drying clay.

 The activity worked beautifully and the kitchen and our hands all smelt so deliciously of beeswax.
After snack and free play we gathered the Buddies together again for our story.

Flo told and she and I acted out the story of St Nicholas when he was a young boy.

 How he used to leave gifts for children and would hide to watch the joy on their faces...

 We went on to tell of another story about him as an older man and how he would gift enough money to a poor merchants family each year to allow him to keep his family together. It was lovely and the kids enjoyed it, and I always love learning the stories behind traditions that we follow and celebrate.

We ended with a very loudly accompanied Goodbye song :-)