Welcome! This is the fourth part of a ten-part Video and Blog Post Series, aligned with the songs on “Songs for Tree“. You can find an overview of this series and all of the other posts to date here. Let’s explore together the power of song to connect children with the land!
Music Video & Lyrics
Here is the lyrics video! It features my dear friend, Joy the Robin.
Introduction
The days are cooling and getting shorter, and we have started to see snow here in Williams Treaties Territory. “Lullaby for Tree” is a song for this quieting time, one to sing the trees to sleep for the long, cold months ahead. It is also one to support children in reflecting on memories from the year past and all they hold in their heart from their time spent playing among the trees. Read on to find out more about how you might use this song to support children in connecting with nature at this time of year!
INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING
When we support children in spending time outdoors, the play and learning is rich and vast. Every day presents a new opportunity for questioning and exploring, for curiosity and wonder to grow. One of the wonderful things about this time of year, when the land is quiet and resting, is that it can encourage us to enter a reflective state, taking time to rest alongside the trees and reflect upon experiences from the past months. This is supportive to children in so many ways. Taking the time to be reflective can support:
❄️ Making meaning from experiences
❄️ Sharing the experiences with others
❄️ Building excitement for what we might anticipate in the year ahead
❄️ Growing appreciation for nature’s role in our lives
❄️ Nurture a relationship with nature
Singing “Lullaby for Tree” can support this process. This song has the following lyrics:
“When you sleep, I hope you dream of the birds, the nests and squirrels.
When you sleep, Tree, so sweet, I hope you dream of me.”
Whether you watch the video, listen to the song, or sing the tune, “Lullaby for Tree” can support children in reflecting upon the year past, and what memories the tree might hold from time they spent together. After connecting with the song, there are possibilities to continue to support a reflective process with children. Here are a few:
❄️ Holding a sharing circle to share memories of the year past
❄️ Drawing a picture of what the tree might dream of this winter
❄️ Looking through pictures from the past year and creating a scrapbook or journal of highlights of time spent with a special tree
I’m curious to learn if you have more ideas? You can put those in the comments below, if you like!
WINTER SOLSTICE & GATHERING COMMUNITY
For me and my community, this song has also become a part of an annual Winter Solstice celebration. This is perhaps my most favourite gathering of the year! This event brings us outside in the evening to connect with each other and to celebrate and appreciate our connection to the land on the darkest of days. I sing “Lullaby for Tree” as my offering to support us in turning towards the trees and sharing our love and gratitude for them.
The past three years, I have collaborated with our library and with Hayley Williamson, a member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, to host an event that brings the community together to celebrate this special night. If you’re interested in learning more about this wonderful event and how we celebrate the Winter Solstice, you can read an earlier blog post about that here.
Final Thoughts & Support
This is a special time of year, and this song has become a touchstone of land connection for me, my family and my community. If “Lullaby for Tree” might be supportive to you, I hope you will bring it into your season. I would love to hear about it, and hope you will share with a note or in the comments below!
To further support this work, please consider doing any or all of the following:
To support you in connecting with this work, consider doing any or all of the following:
1- Join my email list. I send an email monthly with the latest offering, so this ensures it goes straight your inbox!
2- Follow my YouTube page. This will bring the videos to you the second they are posted!
3- Support my Patreon Account. I am offering this work through YouTube and this blog as I wish to make this work accessible to everyone. Should you have interest in supporting the growth, development and depth of this work, you can do so through my Patreon account.
Alright, friends! Thank you for being here and taking the time to take in this work. I hope it sparks some fun and wonder in your days.
Warmly,
Tiiu
Land Heart Song 