The Little Daffodil - Movement for Spring
a lovely springtime movement adventure to play with little ones
It’s feeling like spring already here in California, with sunshine and temperatures hovering around 70 in the brilliant afternoons. Bulbs planted in my garden months ago are rising tall and teasing with their swelling buds, and as we sing Spring Is Coming, my granddaughter points out “pansies, lilies, daffodillies”.
My very favorite story for springtime is The Little Daffodil. I’ve gathered together a bunch of resources here for anyone who’d like to learn it for your home or classroom.
Back in the day when I was teaching in early childhood programs, as soon as the spring sun began to feel a bit warm we put away our winter stories and warmed up our movement adventures too. We’d revisit the seeds and bulbs we planted in the fall, and our circle time songs reflected the upcoming season of rebirth. With my own little ones, the melodies of spring songs are recalled as we take walks around the neighborhood, noticing ladybugs, honeybees, and daffodils everywhere with their nodding yellow heads. Our “once upon a time” storytelling to each other has gradually grown to include songs, characters, and scenes from the movement adventure story, The Little Daffodil.
Special thanks to early childhood educator Julie Fellom for sharing the story and songs with me.
The words and gestures match, which helps the children to connect their senses, and build their own inner activity of imagination along with the growing relationship in imitating the trusted adult.
If you have a little one (or many) in your life, The Little Daffodil story and songs are fun to learn and do day by day. Try a song or two, a gesture, or even play out the full story. It is a delight.
This is a circle story done with full body movement and spoken word.
The words and gestures match, which helps the children to connect their senses, and to build their own inner activity of imagination along with the growing relationship in imitating the trusted adult.
With a group, the children begin and end each little scene in the archetype of the circle. They become the different characters who move around and gently surround the little daffodil bulb in the center of the circle. Her roots and her shoots grow a little more with each verse. In this way the children find a rhythm, moving in and out, inwards towards the center, and then gently away as the story progresses to its lovely conclusion with the bulb now a daffodil standing in full bloom.
If you are one-on-one with a little one, create your own circle by joining hands together and circling around. A pine cone or other prop might stand in for the little bulb so the child can imitate you with the other gestures and characterizations.
The story progresses through the elements and kingdoms of nature.
Helpful to my own orientation (besides the ubiquitous little pocket post-its or notebook while I’m learning the text), is the orderly progression through the four elements and kingdoms of nature; from the earth (soil, ants, worms), to the water element (rain fairies), fire (sun fairies), and air (wind fairies).
The kingdoms of mineral (earth), plants, animals and humans are variously represented, as are archetypes of the seasons with King Winter and Lady Spring. The balance of these progressions helps me, as the storyteller and guide, keep the tale on track amidst the expected surprises arising from the fun of the play with the children. The little ones experience in their movement the natural transformations of the plant from seed to flower, along with the forces of nature that help and hinder.
In practice, the adult speaks, moves, and sings all the roles. The children will begin chiming in as they become familiar with the story and the songs. Colored scarves work well as soil to cover the daffodil bulb, and they can also be worn for the various roles; the fairies, the ants, the worms, and the gnomes of the stones. See the video tutorial for more notes, exact choreography, and tunes.
The Little Daffodil - story, text, and script
1. King Winter Be Gone!
(All sit or stand in a circle.)
[King Winter}
“Knock knock! Who’s there?” King Winter cried.
[Lady Spring]
“It is I, Lady Spring, let me come inside.
It’s time for rain and snow to go, no longer here abide.”
(All take hands, walk in spiral and sing)
“King Winter be gone now, your rule goes away. The ice is a-breaking, the flowers are waking, soon cometh the spring. King Winter be gone now, your rule goes away. The birds one and all now, with dutiful call now, bring tidings of spring.”
2. Sleeping Bulb and the Ants and Worms
[Teacher/Little Daffodil]
“In the heart of a seed, so deep, so deep, a wee little daffodil bulb lay fast asleep.
Then it heard a strange sound new sound,
“spring is coming, spring is coming, spring is coming…”
The little ants were whispering.
“What’s that you say?”
“Spring is coming, spring is coming, spring is coming…”
The little bulb asked its friend, the Lowly Worm,
[song]
“Oh you lowly worm, you lowly, is it true what the ants have told me?
Is it true that Spring is coming, is it coming, verily?”
“The Lowly Worms answer,
[song]
“Yesterday upon my journey I could feel the earth was warmer,
Warmer than it’s felt for days now. Growing up won’t do you harm.”
[All]
And the little bulb, feeling so encouraged, sent out her little root and her little shoot, and fell back fast sleep.
3. Thirsty Bulb and the Rain Fairies
“Oh, thirsty, thirsty, now I am, please rain fairies come and bring some sweet rain to drink!”
So the little rain fairies got up on their tippy toes and they began to dance.
[Rain Fairies]
“Oh, the rain it rains every day it rains its rainy course.
And when it’s had enough of that why then it stops. Of course!”
[All]
And the little bulb, feeling so encouraged, sent out her little root and her little shoot a bit further.
4. Cold Bulb and the Sun Fairies
[Little Daffodil]
“Oh, shivering, shivering, now I am. Please sun fairies, spread out your golden rays to make me warm!”
So the sun fairies spread their golden wings so wide, and they began to dance.
[Sun Fairies]
“Oh, the sun it shines every day, it shines its shiny course.
And when it’s had enough of that why then it stops. Of course!
[All]
And the little bulb, feeling so encouraged, sent out her little root and her little shoot a bit further.
5. Hot Bulb and the Wind Fairies
[Little Daffodil]
“Oh, hot, hot, hot, now I am. Please wind fairies come and bring your cooling breezes!”
So the wind fairies spread their wings, and they began to blow…
[Wind Fairies]
“The little winds whisper, they whisper as they pass.
They tell their tiny secrets to the flowers and the grass.
The little winds whisper, they whisper all about.
The little winds whisper, but the Big Winds SHOUT!
[All]
And the little bulb, feeling so encouraged, sent out her little root and her little shoot a bit further.
6. Stuck Bulb and the Gnomes of the Stones
[Little Daffodil]
“Oh me, oh my, a big heavy stone is in my way,
Please, gnomes of the stones, please help me make my way!”
So the gnomes of the stones put on their heavy boots. They picked up their heavy sacks, heaved them onto their backs, and with heavy heavy feet, they begin to march.
[Gnomes]
“We are Gnomes, of the Stones, we will work, with the earth, for the seed, to give birth.”
[All]
And, with their big strong hands, they reached in and 1 – 2 - 3 they heaved that stone away!
[All]
And the little bulb, feeling so encouraged, sent out her little root and her little shoot a bit further, as far as she could… and then…”
7. Blooming Bulb and Happy Children
“And then… the little bulb sprang up from the ground, a beautiful daffodil.
The children were so happy, they took hands in a ring, and they began to sing…
[walk together in a circle around the Little Daffodil]
[song]
“Spring is coming spring is coming, birdies build their nests.
Weave together straw and feather, each one doing his best.”
[Little Daffodil is gathered into the circle, and all bow.]
The End.
Questions? Feel free to ask in the comments and I’ll answer.
Spring is coming!
The Little Daffodil, adapted from Julie Fellom by Valerie Baadh Garrett
Lovely! Thanks for sharing this, Valerie!