Preparing for Mabon, Alban Elfred, Autumnal Equinox

As some of you might remember, I'm a home-schooling mom of two boys - who are currently 9 & 6 years old. While many public schools get day's off on holidays, we see it as a day to learn that much more! LOL. When teaching my children about Druidry as well as general paganism, the holidays are an optimal teaching tool. Holidays are something children can associate with - it's a special day, like their Birthday or Samhain or Yule. I try to make each Sabbat special in it's own way, with special dinners and modified family rituals (as I don't belong to a coven nor do I routinely practice my faith with my children). I thought I'd include for all of you readers some of the coloring pages, worksheets, kid e-zines and such that my children love to do on each High Holy Day.

Tomorrow is the first full day of Autumn. Today we do all the things they loved to do this summer (excluding swimming as it's already cool here). They ride their bikes, go fishing, and we go on a picnic. Tomorrow we celebrate fall by going to an orchard and picking apples. We will do some autumn crafts to decorate our home, and we'll make candles - which we'll use in our Holy Day rituals as well as in the event of severe weather.

It's my opinion that children have a much greater understanding of the world around us than we do...why? Simply because they don't have the skepticism and scientific contradictions to get in the way. They see the world in a much simpler manner. One of my favorite activities is to just lay on the grass with my boys and listen to them explain how they think nature works - more often than not it makes total sense! Plus it's easier for them to find the connection to Deity within themselves rather than us trying to give them directions to try to find it. 

Generally our family ritual is a blessing for the home, with each child helping - we make a batch of blessed water and add a bit of sparkles to it, then I put the water in spray bottles that have been blessed as well. As I walk through the house with my smudge stick, the boys spray the air as we banish negativity and prepare the home for the coming season. (These Positivity Spray Bottles are also fantastic for nightmares, just spray the room to help banish the negativity and fear!).

Our Blessings:

Bless our home, from this special day

Make the negativity, stress and anger go away.

We call upon our ancestors, the Lord & Lady too

To watch us, guide us, and protect us in all we do.

Brightest Blessings on this [name the Holy Day]

As we will, so mote it be!

Worksheets & Resources:

 http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/fall/
My favorite kid's Pagan Ezine - http://www.pookapages.com/
Why do leaves change color in the fall? - http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html
Corn fun & lessons - http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson324.shtml

Brightest Blessings & Happy Autumn!


Shannon (also known online as Kickbuttmama and LynxSeer) is a homeschooling mom of 2. She has been a Druid for over 15 years and a Priestess for the last 5. She works part time as a personal trainer for those with medical considerations and spends her free time counseling new homeschoolers as well as those seeking their own spiritual paths. She can be found here on Blog spot at her homeschooling pages - Kickbutt's Crazy Lapbooks or at her pagan web pages Kickbuttmamas Celtic Book of Shadows