Mantles of Care
Approaching the individual as body, soul and spirit from a salutogenic health perspective –
the basis of Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf Education and all faculties of life.
Mantles of care revisit daily health and hygiene practices with the use of plants, natural materials and elements such as colour, texture, sound, tone, touch, rhythm, temperature. Together with wonder, reverence and uprightness of the adults providing care, the children’s etheric bodies are nourished and their forces of growth and learning more able to receive and partake in a day.
They are offered in harmony with bodily, daily, seasonal and spiritual rhythms to offer hygienic self-care that is age and developmentally appropriate for the human being so as to provide the child with health-giving forces of rhythm, warmth and harmony. Full and vital etheric forces provide the ground for the higher members of the human being to find their place in the bodily constitution.
The work supports healthy sensory development and the awareness of interactions, attention, self-regulation, and daily health and hygiene practices. As well as lesson content, these mantles may assist the digestion of food and social interactions. Students experience restoration, enabling them to settle into their school work more readily.
Mantles of Care in Early Childhood
To have a fresh set of eyes on the children, a visit is arranged to be present in the space to observe unobtrusively during a “class session”. Questions the Educator(s) are carrying regarding the children, space and interactions can be received prior to the observation.
Discussions occur following the session, at a suitable time, to be introduced to mantles of care suggestions that could be continued by the Educator and staff to integrate into their group. These are usually suggestions that will support the group as a whole whilst at the same time meeting the particular needs of some.
Mantles of Care with Children
At a point throughout the day, perhaps the initial arrival and free-play time, in a specified mantles of care space/tent, a mantle of care activity that has been determined in consultation with the Educator can be freely offered to interested children.
To begin with it could be a mantle of care activity that welcomes and warms children helping them to settle through the new transition back to or into their new class. Children’s rest after lunch could also be observed and further mantles of care introduced if needed to support a nourishing digestion time/ rest.
the Care Space
The Care Space within the home or classroom is an area that is set aside for regaining harmony. It is a place where mantles of care supports and equipment can reside so children can work towards developmentally appropriate self-regulation within your community of care culture. The children may come to the care space to care for themselves, their friends or their dolls. They can be further supported by the caregivers with offerings such as warm rose facecloths or footbaths and first aid.
The way that the space is created and respected by the adults supports the children to come towards it with reverence. Beauty and harmonising qualities are offered in a variety of truthful textures, weights, temperatures and other natural sensory experiences. It provides carefully chosen fabrics and additional warm clothes for children who may require it.
Suggestions can be offered on ways to bolster the etheric environment of “the classroom” and educators to be able to give life to the children. New ways of looking at children’s play, materials to be included for play, layout of the play space, the care space, children’s clothing can be discussed during this consultation.
Caring for the health of the caregiver.
Strengthening the wellbeing of the caregivers supports them in finding a place of uprightness and harmony to hold an environment that can nourish children.
Care & Renewal offerings to caregivers is often well received within the child’s Playgroup, Children’ Group or Kindergarten while the child is being cared for. Modelling care of ourselves and others.
Explore –
Lemon foot baths | Hand baths | Tinkle washing on hands or feet | Dry body brushing | Cool wash | Compress ..all come to a place of completeness with a herb tea and rest.
Mantles of Care Conversation hour
When the caregivers and their children have been a part of the mantles of care and care and renewal, it serves them well to have a conversation circle for questions that could support it being integrated at home in the child’s daily family life.
The conversations are held with the understanding of the incarnating child, and their growth and development from a threefold perspective.
WORKSHOPS
Independent workshops extend the content to better support transitions, preparing a family care basket, practical first aid, supporting sleep, the benefits of wrapping, and perceiving anew the clothes we provide for children.
Mantles of Care in The Classroom
mantles of Care supporting the curriculum
Mantles of Care supports the archetypes of development across primary school by complementing main lessons and many other aspects of the curriculum from craft to botany and personal development. Self-care is supported to equip the students for caring for themselves now and towards adulthood. A class culture of caring for self and others is promoted as care items are created and become part of the class care space. Sensory experiences through refined daily hygiene practices promotes attention, self regulation amd healthy relationships including consent.
Restoration received from the mantles may assist the digestion of food and social interactions, enabling greater readiness for learning.
CRAFTING A CLASS Care Space
The care space within the classroom is an area that is set aside for regaining harmony. In the Primary School the children can craft items to care for themselves as well as items to contribute to the needs of the class. Over time as the children learn about healing plants and teas, and create balms for wounds and “first aid”. They can be further supported by the caregivers with offerings such as warm rose facecloths or footbaths and first aid.
The way that the space is created and respected by the adults supports the children to come towards it with reverence. Beauty and harmonising qualities are offered in a variety of truthful textures, weights, temperatures and other natural sensory experiences. It provides carefully chosen fabrics and additional warm clothes for children who may require it.
Suggestions can be offered on ways to bolster the etheric environment of “the classroom” and educators to be able to give life to the children. New ways of looking at children’s play, materials to be included for play, layout of the play space, the care space, children’s clothing can be discussed during this consultation.
We contribute to observations and child studies with educators to individualise mantles of care for class groups and individual students as well as consider anthroposophic remedies, home-care, eurythmy and painting to support each child.
We also host a study and conversation for educators, classroom staff and health practitioners around the world to observe children through the lens of the foundations of pillars that will support a spirit-led life: Wonder, Positive Social Connections and Virtues. In 2025 the studies are a combination of the senses, life processes and virtues. Learn more →
Workshops
At the heart of each workshop are common principles:
Wonder and Reverence
Warmth and Enfolding
Rhythm and Adaptability
Colour and Beauty
Weekend workshops are held each term in Sydney, Hunter Valley and Northern NSW. We wish to support the ethos of care in schools and families and welcome enquires to visit communities. Learn more about workshops →
Refining mantles of care for your classroom
Educators can book a consultation time to discuss, plan, source materials, patterns and prepare individual programs that are inline with the curriculum and needs of particular students and the class as a whole.
Further reading: Spirit-led Community by Lisa Romero