Tooth Fairy Pillow

In Waldorf education, early childhood is a strongly protected time, and children do not begin academic work until they have had many years of play. This gives them an important foundation both for learning and life; see Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children by Angela Hanscom.

Parents and teachers then observe the children for physical signs that their body is ready to move into a new phase. One of the most well known is the change of teeth. Rudolf Steiner believed that a child's energy should FIRST be put fully into building a healthy body, and that the loss of the first deciduous tooth was a sign that that early stage was wrapping up. There are other signs of First Grade Readiness as well, and I've compiled them here:

Signs of First Grade Readiness (PDF)

So a fun early sewing project could be to make a Tooth Fairy Pillow! My daughters each did one when they were in Kindergarten. Here are a few:

They did this with their teacher, Ms. Suzanne. It's a combination of felt and special "Tooth Fairy" fabric. Suzanne had a whole collection of TF prints. It looks to me like she pinned it for them with right sides facing, and the child then did running stitch around it most of the way, turned it right side out, and stuffed it. Lastly, the teacher would help by sewing up the final opening.

This is really sweet, and would be a wonderful activity to do with your child when the Change of Teeth is near!

This post contains affiliate links to materials I truly use for homeschooling. Qualifying purchases provide me with revenue. Thank you for your support!