This June 21 we celebrate the Summer Solstice — also known as Litha or Midsummer Night — as the longest day of the year. In the northern hemisphere, we often unofficially honor this time as the start of summer when kids finish school and vacation begins.
On a deeper level, the Solstice is a fire festival, which our ancestors have celebrated for centuries, honoring our connection to the burning warmth and life-giving rays of the sun.
Photo: Copyright Alan McKenzie and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Here are five ideas for celebrating the Summer Solstice with your kids:
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Build a Bonfire
This is the traditional activity in cultures around the world. In Greece, men leap over flames; Norwegians often stay up all night with the fire; and Bulgarians perform a barefoot dance on smoldering embers. You can choose a much safer ritual around a backyard fire pit or campfire. Sing songs, have a drum circle, roast marshmallows or dance around with silk scarves.
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Solar Oranges
This is often seen as a Christmas craft, as people like to hang dried orange slices on their holiday tree; however, I like the orange slice as a symbol of the sun. Follow these steps from Red Ted Art and hang the dried orange slices in a sunny a window. They will make your house smell yummy.
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Embark on a Journey
Often people traveled to celebrate the Solstice at a significant site like England’s Stonehenge. Plan ahead and choose your own site for spiritual or personal reasons — perhaps a sanctuary in nature, a local geologic marvel or even just a place that has some meaning for the family. A little research might elicit some surprises as it did when I discovered the existence of America’s Stonehenge in nearby New Hampshire. We took a journey there when Sofie was two years old to hike and ponder the stone maze that is possibly the oldest man-made construction in the U.S. (over 4,000 years old).
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Time Capsule Tradition
This is a great idea suggested by Diane Baker in the book Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions. Her family marks the Summer Solstice as a time to reflect on each child’s growth over the year. Choose some of your favorite artwork and school projects to save in the capsule (a large envelope or box will do) along with a letter to yourself about what you’ve learned or accomplished this past year. “Bury” it in the time capsule until next summer when you can review what you saved and make new contributions.
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Piñata Party
While a piñata can make any party fun, it’s quite a festive activity for the outdoor days of early summer. You can purchase one or make your own sun-shaped piñata. Fill the piñata with dried fruit, flower petals, stickers, mini bottles of bubbles, real coins and dark chocolate ones. Stand back and watch the kids swing away!
This post is shared at Natural Family Friday.
