Stories For Children by We Nurture Collective

It was autumn in the Good Forest where Grandmother Oak stands proud and strong as she has for many, many years. One beautiful autumn day, sunbeams were streaming through Grandmother's branches and the leaves on the branches looked like she was wearing a majestic cloak in vibrant colors of yellow, red, and brown. She looked grand! As her branches gently swayed in the breeze, a few leaves from her cloak danced down to the forest floor covering the earthen floor with a soft blanket of golden colors. Grandmother Oak called all her forest friends and said. “Let’s have a feast and invite everyone in the forest”.

 One windy autumn morning the wind fairies called BearBear out to play. Today was a good day to fly his kite. The wind fairies blew strong and lifted his kite high in the air. BearBear watched as his kite went sailing over the treetops. Oh, no, now his kite was lost. BearBear goes on a journey to find his kite. Ages 3 - 7 About the Author, Christy Klincewicz “This is my 20th year as a Waldorf Early Childhood Educator. My early experiences of exploring the wonder and beauty of the natural world and the reverent moments created by lighted candles on the Christmas tree and ringing a bell to invite the angels in, have shaped me to take up my work with young children. The imaginations impressed upon my soul from the taste of cold, clear mountain streams and peeping into the magical worlds hidden beneath their mossy banks have given me a rich pictorial language. I love creating stories where the world is good, kind friends help those in need and love weaves a mantle of safety and warmth. Often these stories arise when the children say, “Tell us a story.” Then I, too, listen as Mother of the Fairy Tales whispers in my ear.” To learn more about Christy’s work and to purchase her book “Fleetfoot Fox Catches a Cold”, visit www.rockinghorsestories.com Stay connected! Sign up for the Journal and beginning next month you’ll receive monthly seasonal children’s stories that you can download plus the latest news from We Nurture. Click here to sign up for Free! Follow us on Instagram @we_nurture

One bright September morning Eloise, the Fairy Queen, called all the fairies to the Emerald Glade to announce the Farewell Festival which was set to take place in two days. All the fairies were given a task except for the youngest fairy, Fiona, who had been asleep. When she woke up and remembered that it was the day Queen Eloise would be assigning tasks for the festival. As fast as her wings could take her, she flew to Queen Eloise so she could receive a task.    Recommended for ages 3-7   About the Author: Christy Klincewicz “This is my 20th year as a Waldorf Early Childhood Educator. My early experiences of exploring the wonder and beauty of the natural world and the reverent moments created by lighted candles on the Christmas tree and ringing a bell to invite the angels in, have shaped me to take up my work with young children. The imaginations impressed upon my soul from the taste of cold, clear mountain streams and peeping into the magical worlds hidden beneath their mossy banks have given me a rich pictorial language. I love creating stories where the world is good, kind friends help those in need and love weaves a mantle of safety and warmth. Often these stories arise when the children say, “Tell us a story.” Then I, too, listen as Mother of the Fairy Tales whispers in my ear.” To learn more about Christy’s work and to purchase her book “Fleetfoot Fox Catches a Cold”, visit www.rockinghorsestories.com   Stay connected! Sign up for the Journal and beginning next month you’ll receive monthly seasonal children’s stories that you can download plus the latest news from We Nurture. Click here to sign up for Free! Follow us on Instagram @we_nurture

There was once a little boy who longed for a friend. One summer day as he skipped through the meadow he noticed Dandelion's wishing crown. Blowing into the wishing crown he made a wish from his heart. Standing on her tippy toes, the littlest seed in the wishing crown caught his wish. Tucking it into her parachute, little seed sailed away to find the little boy a friend. About the Author: Christy Klincewicz “This is my 20th year as a Waldorf Early Childhood Educator. My early experiences of exploring the wonder and beauty of the natural world and the reverent moments created by lighted candles on the Christmas tree and ringing a bell to invite the angels in, have shaped me to take up my work with young children. The imaginations impressed upon my soul from the taste of cold, clear mountain streams and peeping into the magical worlds hidden beneath their mossy banks have given me a rich pictorial language. I love creating stories where the world is good, kind friends help those in need and love weaves a mantle of safety and warmth. Often these stories arise when the children say, “Tell us a story.” Then I, too, listen as Mother of the Fairy Tales whispers in my ear.” To learn more about Christy’s work and to purchase her book “Fleetfoot Fox Catches a Cold”, visit www.rockinghorsestories.com Follow along on Instagram @we_nurture

Long ago, in a tiny house at the edge of the forest lived grandmother.  Grandmother loved to spend her days in the garden tending to the flowers.  She grew more than she needed so she could share with the birds and small animals that came to visit.  Grandmother had a tiny root cellar beneath her house where she stored her carrots and pumpkins in the winter and in the summer it was cool. in the summer. It was where she always went when there was a storm and she needed to be safe.   “This protection story was written for the children of Ukraine. It is in loving memory of my beautiful grandmother who passed away last winter, a first generation Czechoslovakian farmer with Ukrainian ancestry. Her name meant “one who comes from where the wild roses grow.”  And in gratitude to my Ukrainian friends whose light and beauty sustained me for 10 years when I was away from home. There is nothing more important than home and kin.  We recommend this story for ages 3 - 7About the AuthorDarla Barrows was born and raised on a small family owned dairy farm in the Driftless region of the Midwest.  She and her family recently moved back to the Driftless to be near her parents who have turned their 70 acres of farmland into prairie flower conservation. Darla holds a degree in ASL Interpretation and Transliteration from Saint Paul College and is a graduate of the Birth to Three Program at Sophia’s Hearth in Keene, New Hampshire. Darla first began teaching Parent and Child classes twenty years ago in ASL before becoming a Waldorf Parent and Child educator and running her own program in Canada for nearly a decade. Darla is a mother, a gardener, and works as the Online Programming Coordinator for Sophia’s Hearth.  To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture

Welcome to the We Nurture Stories for Children podcast. We utilize the power of storytelling to encourage language development, inspire moral growth, and enliven the imagination. We hope you enjoy the timeless activity of getting lost in a good tale.There was once a little bunny rabbit named Billy who lived in a burrow with his mommy, daddy and brothers and sisters. The burrow was very snug for the bunny family and as the baby brothers and sisters began to grow bigger, it became rather squashy.  Billy was the youngest and the smallest of the family and he found it most squashy of all. One day Billy had an idea that would keep him from being squashed all the time.We recommend this story for ages 3 - 7About the Author - Jill Tina Taplin Jill Taplin was born and brought up in the UK, graduated from university with a degree in philosophy and was busy until her early 30s as a gardener, house builder and mother.  Then she joined a group of parents founding a Steiner Waldorf school in the north east of Scotland, near a spiritual community.  Soon she found herself working in the kindergarten and discovered that was where she really wanted to be.  She worked as a kindergarten teacher in Scotland and Devon until 2008 when family reasons brought her to a new part of the UK with no Waldorf school nearby.  Since then she has expanded her interest in working with adults - students, teachers and parents – through working as a kindergarten mentor, workshop leader, adult education tutor and writer. She has completed an MA in Education (Steiner Philosophy) and now has commitments to support Steiner Waldorf early childhood training mainly in several countries around the world.  In addition to magazine and newsletter articles, she is co-author of Understanding the Steiner Waldorf Approach, published by David Fulton.To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture

It’s Springtime and Ruby Robin tries to wake up her friends Gracie Squirrel, Harley Hedgehog and Rusty Chipmunk to tell them that Lady Spring has arrived but they all want to keep sleeping. Then Ruby Robin has an idea.   Ages 2 - 4   Author - Mary Natale Mary has been a teacher of young children for many years. She studied at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto, and upon graduating with her Ontario Teacher's Certificate and Diploma in Child Studies, she began working in a private setting, telling stories and engaging children in artistic activities. After teaching Kindergarten at the Toronto Catholic District School Board for ten years, to her delight, she discovered Waldorf education and has been working at the Toronto Waldorf School for the past sixteen years as an Assistant in the Nursery and Kindergarten programs.  “It was not until I began assisting in the Waldorf Early Childhood programs, where my soul was fed each day, that I began to write children's stories.” Mary lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and two spoiled dogs - Joey and Charlie. Follow along on Instagram @we_nurture

Welcome to the We Nurture Stories for Children podcastWe utilize the power of storytelling to encourage language development, inspire moral growth, and enliven the imagination. We hope you enjoy the timeless activity of getting lost in a good tale.Valentino and the Rainbow HeartsValentino, the Valentine fairy woke up sneezing and sick just five sleeps before Valentine’s day. There was still so much work to do to get ready for Valentine’s day. What would Valentino do? We recommend this story for ages 3 to 7About the Author - Mary NataleMary has been a teacher of young children for many years. She studied at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto, and upon graduating with her Ontario Teacher's Certificate and Diploma in Child Studies, she began working in a private setting, telling stories and engaging children in artistic activities. After teaching Kindergarten at the Toronto Catholic District School Board for ten years, to her delight, she discovered Waldorf education and has been working at the Toronto Waldorf School for the past sixteen years as an Assistant in the Nursery and Kindergarten programs.  “It was not until I began assisting in the Waldorf Early Childhood programs, where my soul was fed each day, that I began to write children's stories.” Mary lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and two spoiled dogs - Joey and Charlie.To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture

A tale about a little girl who wished for a little friend to carry in her pocket. She finds a little gnome living under a mushroom and takes him home with her. The little gnome turns out to be quite cheeky and discourages her from helping with chores at home until the fairies come with their twinkling light which tickle her fingers and soon her hands helping. We recommend this story for ages 3 - 7 About the Author - Connie Manson “Throughout childhood I loved performing! It was to me a vehicle to connect with others in a joyful, meaningful way. Not long after completing a theatre arts degree, I was asked by a fellow graduate to help perform puppet stories for school children. We knelt in a large black box, holding the puppets above our heads, so we never had the opportunity to see the children's faces, but I was struck by how silent they were throughout the entire show. Later after beginning the journey as a teacher in a classroom, whenever a puppet troupe traveled to our school, it was unforgettable to see how strongly the children connected with the puppets!  The journey continued after beginning my Waldorf teacher training, where I discovered a treasure trove of nurturing stories, and a puppet storytelling style adored by children.  Starlite Puppets was born, and thus began the journey of sharing music and puppetry worldwide.”  Discover more about Connie and her work at  starlitepuppets.blogspot.com To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-children Follow along on Instagram @we_nurture

A delightful tale about Honey Bear who invites his friends over for a meal. Honey Bear decides to make them soup using his secret soup recipe.We recommend this story for ages 3 - 6About the Author - Christy KlincewiczThis is my 20th year as a Waldorf Early Childhood Educator.  My early experiences of exploring the wonder and beauty of the natural world and the reverent moments created by lighted candles on the Christmas tree and ringing a bell to invite the angels in, have shaped me to take up my work with young children.The imaginations impressed upon my soul from the taste of cold, clear mountain streams and peeping into the magical worlds hidden beneath their mossy banks have given me a rich pictorial language.  I love creating stories where the world is good, kind friends help those in need and love weaves a mantle of safety and warmth.  Often these stories arise when the children say, “Tell us a story.”Then I, too, listen as Mother of the Fairy Tales whispers in my ear.To learn more about Christy’s work and to purchase her book “Fleetfoot Fox Catches a Cold”, visit  www.rockinghorsestories.comTo discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture

Little Wind Fairy love Bluebird’s song and she wants to sing a song of her own but she doesn’t have one. Bluebird tells her that perhaps she lost it while flying about, so she goes in search of her song.We recommend this story for ages 3 - 6About the Author - Christy KlincewiczThis is my 20th year as a Waldorf Early Childhood Educator.  My early experiences of exploring the wonder and beauty of the natural world and the reverent moments created by lighted candles on the Christmas tree and ringing a bell to invite the angels in, have shaped me to take up my work with young children.The imaginations impressed upon my soul from the taste of cold, clear mountain streams and peeping into the magical worlds hidden beneath their mossy banks have given me a rich pictorial language.  I love creating stories where the world is good, kind friends help those in need and love weaves a mantle of safety and warmth.  Often these stories arise when the children say, “Tell us a story.”Then I, too, listen as Mother of the Fairy Tales whispers in my ear.To learn more about Christy’s work and to purchase her book “Fleetfoot Fox Catches a Cold”, visit  www.rockinghorsestories.comTo discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture

Pit-a-Pat, a little pumpkin Gnome and his spider friend It-a-Bit love to play together everyday in the pumpkin patch or at It-a-Bit’s house. In the Autumn, Mother Pumpkin needed Pit-a-Pat’s help to prepare the pumpkins for Halloween. Pit-a-Pat decided to play with It-a-Bit and then he caught the sniffles. Oh, dear, how would he ever finish preparing the pumpkins?We recommend this story for ages 3-7About the Author - Christy KlincewiczThis is my 20th year as a Waldorf Early Childhood Educator.  My early experiences of exploring the wonder and beauty of the natural world and the reverent moments created by lighted candles on the Christmas tree and ringing a bell to invite the angels in, have shaped me to take up my work with young children.The imaginations impressed upon my soul from the taste of cold, clear mountain streams and peeping into the magical worlds hidden beneath their mossy banks have given me a rich pictorial language.  I love creating stories where the world is good, kind friends help those in need and love weaves a mantle of safety and warmth.  Often these stories arise when the children say, “Tell us a story.” Then I, too, listen as Mother of the Fairy Tales whispers in my ear.To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture

A sweet story about a little girl who lived in a cozy cottage with her grandmother. One afternoon, she went to her grandmother and asked what she could do because she was tired of her toys and puzzles and books. Well, her grandmother sent her on a journey to find a little red house with no doors and no windows and a star inside.We recommend this story for ages 3 - 7About the Author - Connie Manson“Throughout childhood I loved performing! It was to me a vehicle to connect with others in a joyful, meaningful way. Not long after completing a theatre arts degree, I was asked by a fellow graduate to help perform puppet stories for school children. We knelt in a large black box, holding the puppets above our heads, so we never had the opportunity to see the children's faces, but I was struck by how silent they were throughout the entire show. Later after beginning the journey as a teacher in a classroom, whenever a puppet troupe traveled to our school, it was unforgettable to see how strongly the children connected with the puppets! The journey continued after beginning my Waldorf teacher training, where I discovered a treasure trove of nurturing stories, and a puppet storytelling style adored by children.  Starlite Puppets was born, and thus began the journey of sharing music and puppetry worldwide.” Discover more about Connie and her work at starlitepuppets.blogspot.comTo discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-childrenFollow along on Instagram @we_nurture