Spring term resources

We three Kings

We three Kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light

Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light

Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav'n replies

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light



Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,--
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.


Story of Babouska



Long ago, an old woman named Babushka lived in a tiny cottage far from the city. One snowy evening, just as she was preparing her meal, Babushka heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find three men standing before her. From their rich clothing and fine features, Babushka guessed that they were men of learning who had traveled from far away in the East. They were shivering in the cold, and little slivers of ice hung from their beards. In their arms they each carried packages, and these were dusted with snow.

"Oh my," Babushka said, "you must be freezing out there. Please come in and warm yourselves by my fire."

The three wise men bowed in thanks and followed the woman into her cottage. "Forgive us," one of the men said, "but we have been walking for a long, long time. Tonight our journey ends, for we are going to the place where the King of Kings will be born this very night. We are bringing Him gifts, and we wish only to stop for a while to warm ourselves."

"Of course," Babushka said, "but you must eat something. I have prepared a nice hot soup. Please join me." She set a table for the four of them, filling bowls with steaming soup, placing crusty bread in the center.

They sat down at the table to eat, and the men told Babushka of the joyous birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, about to occur. "We are waiting for the brightest star to rise," they said, "for we will follow its path. The star will guide us to the place where the King of Kings is to be born this very night."

"How I wish I could join you and bring a gift myself," Babushka sighed.

"Come with us, then," the men said heartily. "The King of Kings will welcome you, but we must be on our way soon. Will you come?"

Babushka looked around and frowned. "I cannot leave just now," she said. "I must clean the house and prepare myself, but I will come as soon as I am ready."

With that she bade the men farewell and watched from the cottage door as they set off, following the starlight's path. She waved until she could no longer see them.

Inside, Babushka washed the dishes, swept the floor, dusted and tidied the cottage. She bathed and dressed in her finest clothes, and then, looking around, she began to gather gifts to take to the newborn king. Babushka was a poor, hardworking woman who owned little, but she managed to gather several small toys, some sweets and tiny candles to take with her.

She walked to the door, tightly wrapped her coat and scarf around her to keep out the cold, and set off.

Babushka looked up at the sky, searching for the star that would lead her to the birthplace of the King of Kings. "Oh my," she said, for no matter where she looked, she could not find the star. She had washed and scrubbed and readied herself for a long time, and as she worked, the stars had moved across the sky.

Babushka tried one road. She walked for a while, but eventually she realized she must have taken the wrong turn. She tried a different road, and then another, and another, always searching the sky for the star the wise men had followed.

People say Babushka never did find the right road, and that she is wandering still. And every year, at Christmastime, the children run downstairs to search for the gifts Babushka has left for them as she travels the world, searching for the King of Kings. In every house where a small child lives, the people say, Babushka leaves a gift in honor of each and every child and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born on Christmas Day.

A gift of Light

A gift of light
I thankfully hold
And pass to my neighbor
Its shining gold
That everyone may
Feel its glow,
Receiving and giving
May love and grow.
When all our brothers
Have lit their light 
No more shall continue
The darkness of night:
But joyful all men
The message shall hear:
"The Christ draws near!"

Winds through the olive trees,
Softly did blow
Round litle Bethlehem,
Long, long ago.
Sheep on the hillside lay
whiter than snow,
Shepherds were watching them
Long, long ago.
Then from the happy skies
Angels bent low,
Singing thier songs of joy
Long, long ago.
For in a manger bed
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem
Long, long ago.

Over stars is Mary wandering;
In her mantle's flowing folds,
Radiant threads of starlight woven
For her little child she holds.
Throngs of stars behold her passing,
All the sky is filled with light
With her hands she weaves and gathers
Blessings for the Christmas night.

The Christmas tree, against the night
Beyond the window bars,
Stood bright with flames of candlelight
Before a sky of stars.
I stood and stared, till suddenly
It seemed to me that I
Saw stars alight upon the tree
And candles in the sky!
                          -Isabel Wyatt 
     
Why do the bells of Christmas ring?
Why do the little children sing?
Once a lovely shining star
Seen by shepherds from afar
Gently moved until its light
Made a manger's cradle bright.
There a little baby lay
Pillowed soft upon the hay
And its mother sang and smiled
This is Christ, the holy child.
Therefore bells of Christmas ring
Therefore little children sing.
                   -E. Field




Deep sleeps the Winter 


"Deep sleeps the winter!
Spring is far away...
Fair maids of February
Stand in the snow."


Little snowflakes


 See the little snowflakes
Falling from the sky,
On the hills and housetops,
Soft and thick they lie.
On the window ledges,
On the branches bare;
See how fast they gather,
Filling all the air!


This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree


This is my trunk, I’m a tall tall tree
In  winter snowflakes fall on me.
They glisten...they glisten!

Candlemas

 "Candle candle burning bright, Winter's halfway done tonight, With a-glowing we are knowing, Spring will come again."



"Jack Frost was in the garden, I saw him there at dawn, A’ dancing round the bushes, And prancing on the lawn. He wore a cloak of silver, A hat all shimmering white, A wand of glittering star-dust, And shoes of moonbeam light." --Based upon the poem by John P. Smeeton. 





In the Winter Garden


In our Winter garden, seeds lie warm below,
flowers are waiting, waiting, waiting
for the Spring to show

SNOWDROP SONG and STORY

Snowdrop Snowdrop little drops of snow

What do you do when the cold wind blows

I hang my little head and say

cold wind cold wind go away

Snowdrop snowdrop dressed in green and white

What do you do when the sun shines bright?

I raise my little head and say

Ding-a-ling Ding-a-ling here comes Spring!


The Snow Drop 

By Hans Christian Andersen (Adapted)


The snow lay deep, for it was winter time. The winter winds blew cold, but there was one house where all was snug and warm. And in the house lay a little flower - in its bulb it lay, under the earth and the snow.

One day the rain fell and it trickled through the ice and snow down into the ground. And presently a sunbeam, pointed and slender, pierced down through the earth, and tapped on the bulb.

"Come in," said the flower.

"I can't do that," said the sunbeam - "I'm not strong enough to lift the latch. I shall be stronger when springtime comes."

"When will it be spring?" asked the flower of every little sunbeam that rapped on its door. But for a long time it was winter. The ground was still covered with snow, and every night there was ice in the water. The flower grew quite tired of waiting.

"How long it is!" it said. "I feel quite cramped. I must stretch myself and rise up a little. I must lift the latch, and look out, and say 'good morning' to the spring."

So the flower pushed and pushed. The walls were softened by the rain and warmed by the little sunbeams, so the flower shot up from under the snow, with a pale green bud on its stalk and some long narrow leaves on either side. It was biting cold.

"You are a little too early," said the wind and the weather - but every sunbeam sang, "Welcome," and the flower raised its head from the snow and unfolded itself - pure and white, and decked with green stripes.

It was weather to freeze it to pieces - such a delicate little flower, but it was stronger than any one knew. It stood in its white dress in the white snow, bowing its head when the snowflakes fell, and raising it again to smile at the sunbeams, and every day it grew sweeter.

"Oh!" shouted the children, as they ran into the garden, "see the snowdrop! There it stands so pretty, so beautiful - the first, the only one!"



PANCAKE DAY!


Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake, 
Pop it in the pan;
Fry the pancake, 
Toss the pancake, 
Catch it if you can.


Winter to Spring transitional poem (could be used as part of a circle time story, with props): "There came a knock at the outer door; 'Who’s there?' King Winter cried; “Open your palace gates,” said Spring. “For you can reign no more as King, No longer here abide; This message from the sun I bring, “The trees are green, the birds do sing; The hills with joy are echoing: So pray, Sir—step outside!”

Spring  Circle for little children 


A collection of verses and songs for ring time; this one we can start to share with children from after  February half term holidays, so, from March to May, roughly!


 Spring is  coming, spring is coming: 
birdies build yournest!

Weave together  straw and feather, 
doing each your best!

Spring is  coming, spring is coming: 
flowers are coming too,

Pansies, lilies,  daffodillies,
All are coming  through!

Spring is  coming, spring is coming,
All around is  fair!

Shimmer, quiver  on the river
Joy is everywhere!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Wake up, wake up, all you little children, 
Sunlight, sky bright,
Spring is coming now

Gusty 
March winds  blowing
Daffodils a  blowing,
Birds sing, bells  ring,
There’s blossom on the  bough.
~~~

Piper, piper , play your happy music!
Singing, singing, we will follow on.
Dancing through the  daytime
Lead us to the May  time
Ding-dong-Spring song,  Winter ‘s past and gone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

In and out the dusty bluebells,
In and 
  out the dusty bluebells,
Who will be my partner?
Tippy-tappy 
  tippy-tappy
On my shoulder..............
Tippy-tappy tippy-tappy
On my 
  shoulder..............
Tippy-tappy tippy-tappy
On my 
  shoulder..............
You will be my 
  partner.

 
 Or: Pit-a-pat on your shoulder…different 
  version!
 

Sleepy 
  Bunnies

See the little bunnies  sleeping ‘till is nearly noon…
Shall we wake them  with a merry tune?
Oh so sweet- Are they  ill? 
Wake up  soon!

Hop little bunnies, hop,  hop, hop, 
Hop little bunnies hop,hop, hop
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finger rhyme

Ten little fairies stand up straight
Ten little fairies  make a gate
Ten little fairies bow to the King
Ten little fairies  make a ring
Ten little fairies  dance and play
Ten little fairies fly  away ( hide away)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daffodilly down came to town
With her yellow bonnet  and her green gown!

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Crocus, 
crocus , open  up - Catch a Sunbeam in your cup! 

~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The silver raindrops  patter upon the earth today
Tip tap, their knock is gentle and this is what they say
“Awake now little  flowers and open wide your door,
Put on your rainbow dresses as Spring is here once more!


The Fairy Ring

Let us dance and let us sing, 
Dancing in a merry ring, 
We’ll be fairies on the green 
Sporting round the fairy queen.

Like the seasons of the year 
Round we circle in a sphere. 
I’ll be summer, you be spring, 
Dancing in a fairy ring.

Spring and summer glide away, 
Autumn comes with tresses gay. 
Winter hand in hand with spring 
Dancing in a fairy ring.

Faster, faster, round we go, 
While our cheeks with roses glow, 
Free as birds upon the wing 
Dancing in a fairy ring!

~Anonymous