The night outside might have been the longest of the year but the mood inside the Explorers Preschool classroom at Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program on Friday December 21st was joyful and bright. They celebrated the Winter Solstice with a family dinner and a community call for the light to return.
Earlier in the day the preschoolers baked sun bread from a recipe in the book ‘Sun Bread’ by Elisa Kleven. In this story, a baker bakes bread to bring warmth and light back to her town which has been made lonely and quiet by the gray chill of winter. The bread had the same effect on the classroom where families enjoyed playing games, sharing food, conversation and laughter together. Warmth and light abounded. Then everyone headed outside to a specially constructed light spot (pictured) to sing, march and play instruments. Preschool teachers Kent and Laila strung up twinkle lights to punctuate the darkness and hung banners depicting the moon and the sun. The air was misty and the lights of the passing cars cast beautiful shadows across the celebration. The huge moon, hanging low in the sky filling the interspace between dark and light, winter and the promise of spring, the past and the future, wishing a happy solstice to all.
This evening was an excellent opportunity for children to learn about the science, stories and traditions behind the winter solstice and for families and teachers to celebrate and embrace the community of light created in the classroom each year.
