As I welcome autumn, I’m thinking about the rhythms of life through seasons and cycles, and how this is mirrored in early learning and development.
In Waldorf early education, establishing a rhythm to each day is an essential grounding for the child. In the article, Waldorf Education: The Importance of Rhythm in Early Childhood author and Waldorf nursery teacher, Mari Yamaguchi, likens rhythm in the day to breathing in and breathing out. Yamaguchi shares:
“At its most basic, the rhythm in our nursery class begins with free play, an open time of breathing out when the children can play and find other meaningful ways (like helping teachers in food preparation) to enter into the day at school. After free play, we transition towards the breathing in of circle time. Because circle requires each child to find the attention needed to engage in our group activity, we transition towards it gradually — first we gather our focus to tidy up the room, then we quiet down together to have a short “sip of water” at the table. We are then each as ready as he or she can be for the deep in breath of circle time. And on the day goes, back and forth in this way, with some breaths shorter and some longer as needed. We are like a river, each of the children finding their way in the water as it bends naturally back and forth through anticipated twists and turns. Each child meets the rhythm in their own way.”
In my thesis research, the concept of rhythm emerged among two of my participants. References to rhthym were made in the context of maintaining continuity of order and flow in the child’s daily activities. Rhythm is also mentioned as contributing to the child’s sense of security and safety, “Strong rhythms and predictability provide a sense of safety that allows caregivers and children to settle into their early care environments [and] relationships with a sense of safety” (Sarah, p. 41). Another participant, Carol, shared a similar sentiment about rhythms in the day, “Predictable consistent rhythms (routines) help the children feel secure and frees them from being vigilant and anxious about what comes next” (p.41).
In addition to rhythm providing a sense of safety and security as the participants shared, I also find it interesting to investigate the child’s relationship with time through the lens of daily rhythm. Rhythm is meant to imply an ease and flexible pace to the course of the day rather than rigid scheduling. Rhythm allows for a more dynamic use of time while engaged in activities, and particularly during transitions between daily activities. As a metaphor, rigid scheduling could be described as a choreographed march, whereas daily rhythm can be likened to a dance with familiar steps as well as gentle spaces for transition.
Aligning to rhythm is a more enjoyable and deeply innate experience as it compliments the rhythm of our own bodily ebbs and flows (such as our in breath and out breath as referenced above). Rhythm is also present in how we experience our natural environment through the transition of seasons. Carol explored the connection to nature through rhythm as another way of providing a sense of grounding stability for children. “Engagement with nature also brings a sense of belonging on the planet and supports the child’s own rhythms as he/she experiences the rhythms of nature” (Carol, p. 41).
I believe it’s important to consider the child’s relationship to time, space, and movement in how the child experiences the course of their day, and how this daily forward motion of time and space impacts their learning. I’d like to consider how the child’s experience of time and space might factor into their development. For example, suppose a child is in a flow state, but the caregiver says it’s time to sit down for a snack, is that child’s learning now disrupted? For context, flow state, according to positive psychology, and coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it” (Csikszentmihalyi, 2008). Studies indicate that enhanced learning can occur in flow states (Schmidt, 2010). Considered from an opposing perspective, without conformity to structure, does this generate uncertainty and anxiety in the child? I would argue that rhythm provides the answers to these questions as rhythm allows for structure and flexibility to exist simultaneously.
As rhythm is honored in the child’s daily activities, it stands to reason that rhythm will support the child’s internal sense of emotional and mental regulation as there is grounded security in knowing what the day holds and a balance between being (ex. being a present listener during story time, tuning into the body and emotions when experiencing a new feeling, more heart activating) and doing (ex. task oriented, seeking to achieve a goal/outcome, more mental activating).
Ways to support rhythm throughout the day:
- Establish consistent routines such as morning play, sit down snack time, outdoor play, lunch, restful nap hour (or longer if needed), afternoon wake up and indoor play followed by outdoor play.
- Implement gentle transitions, such as singing a song during clean up time, moving with intention and ease as items are put away. In preparing to go outside, establish a sense of order and routine in the transition by taking time to put on shoes, a hat, a jacket if needed, etc. When sitting down for meals, have a designated space for snack and lunch time, allow each child to settle in and then open the meal time with a song or a few words of thanks for the food (note: this is not as a religious opening with prayer, simply an acknowledgment of the good food that we can enjoy together and a thanks to nature for providing it).
- Be aware of a child’s engagement in an activity, if for example, the child is deeply engaged and focused – perhaps in a flow state, allow the child space and time to engage in this way without interruption and being rushed along. Rhythm allows for flexibility. A practical consideration is to have a teacher/caregiver who can be flexible to accommodate as these moments arise.
- Understand each child’s unique temperament. Some children are more inclined to being (emotionally engaged) and some children and more inclined to doing (mentally engaged). Supporting children to navigate a balance by finding and embracing a rhythm between engaging their emotional and mental capacities supports the child’s healthy, holistic development.
- As educators of young children, understand your own relationship to time and transition. Change is constant, movement of energy is always occurring. How you choose to engage is up to you and sets the tone for the day, and for the children. Choosing to find stillness in moments throughout the day, choosing to ground yourself in a relaxed state of peace will bring a sense of natural ease allowing you to flow with the rhythm of the day.
Photo credit: Sophia Jaggi, learningtocreate.education
Learning to Create. 