5 Tutorials for Making your own Waldorf style Dolls

Dolls handmade in the Waldorf tradition can be a tremendous delight to children with their ability to carry any emotion or dream of the child.

Made with love and quality materials from nature, they can also be a sensory delight.  Instead of wool stuffing, my friend Susan stuffed hers with millet and lavender.

Surprisingly, these dolls are not extremely difficult to make!

Here are some wonderful tutorials and patterns.

Echoes of a Dream
Tiny Twist Creative
Crafty Sheep
Toureasy47201
Make Baby Stuff

Lina doll from Crafty Sheep

Boy doll from Echoes of a Dream

Artful Handwriting Helps

Some kids really struggle with handwriting. 

Teachers, parents, and home educators might not have special education staff, occupational therapists, or other resources to assist with children who are frustrated with writing.

Here are a few tips from waldorf certified teacher, Sally Haughey:

Know what handwriting skills are developmentally appropriate - Don't push writing too early!

Use a letter writing zoo helper - visualize lower case letters as chickens, giraffes, and monkeys

Using special writing tools - triangle pencils with special magic fairy dust add sparkle to the joys of writing

Yummy school supplies!

Here are some links to some great products

A Little Garden Flower - Waldorf curriculum, art supplies and more!


Waldorf and Earthschooling Channel - Blog with free waldorf-inspired crafts and lessons with great tutorials as well as e-books for purchase and free Waldorf 101 lessons.

Christopherus (Waldorf-Inspired) Homeschool Resources - Free guides and resources and e-books for sale.

For Small Hands and Montessori Services - Wonderful resource for "preparing your child's environment" at home or in a classroom setting in the Montessori tradition. The sister sites include tons of child sized tools for woodworking, helping clean around the house, the garden, sewing, music, art and so much more.

Michael Olaf - Full spectrum of Montessori materials for the classroom.

Discount School Supply - Economical supplies for arts and crafts and active play (balls, parachutes, etc.)

Felt Pasta

Inspired by all that Fabulous Felt Food, I've been channeling my inner "Waldorf wanna-be" homeschooling mom to create magical creations of nature.

So I have been trying to replace our pile of plastic play food with felt versions.

Okay, those real Waldorf moms like this one and this one would probably raise her own sheep, shear them, spin and felt her own wool and then hand-dye it with vibrant vegetable dyes from her organic garden.

But that's not me, except in my day dreams. So I've got craft store felt to use.

So, voila! Here are our healthy tri-color farfalle and fettuccine pastas, dutifully stored in glass storage jars (gotta keep the play kitchen pantry organized as well as our own!), and lovingly prepared by our 3 year old.

It was so much fun (and easy) to make. And now the kids want to make more things! So stay tuned for more...I've been dreaming of felt sushi :)

BTW, I didn't realize Haba has a version of this farfalle as well like this sold by Petit Baby.

Here's the

Fabulous Felt Food

I must confess. I love felt food!

These Twinkle Cakes started it all when I first saw them a year or so ago. Aren't they just scrumptious???!!!

There are so many delicious source of inspiration from Etsy moms who sell patterns for felt food items like these from Gulf Coast Cottage. Even McCall's has gotten into the act.

No worries....there are even healthy items like these Biofina toys from Haba and on sale at Kidsurplus--one of my favorite online stores for great deals on high quality toys.

The kids got these Biofina items in their Christmas sock this past year and really love them!! The petit fours are especially wonderful for playing with our many tea sets.

The ice cream cones are fabulous for playing store because the "scoops" can reverse to alternate flavors if you flip them upside-down.

If this isn't great motivation and inspiration to get rid of plastic toy food I don't know what is!