Beltane has always been one of my favorite Sabbats. I grew up in the country and the trees in the woods would be full of flowers, the forest floor covered in violets, and everything green and warm. The faeries, the joy, did I mention the WARMTH? I just love it. But when you have a toddler, it can be hard to think of ways to celebrate, especially if you don't have a Maypole readily available. Beltane is full of some very adult themes, so it can be a struggle to share the day with kids. Last year, my daughter was about 18 months old on Beltane. To celebrate, we got dressed up and went to the park and garden, walking around the beauitful flowers. If I remember right, she had a fit because I wouldn't let her follow a duck into the pond, which is very on brand for toddlers. Afterwards we got a strawberry cupcake. It was a lovely, quiet day. But this year, since she's a bit more aware, I want to incorporate some more festive activities. First I'll start with the books we're reading to prepare for Beltane.
Books
I haven't been able to find a lot of books that fit Beltane perfectly, but there are a few that fit certain elements of the day. One of my favorites is Backyard Fairies. This book is so cute and magical. I would have loved it as a child. I think it really captures the spirit of Fae folk and their nighttime celebrations. It even ends with the young girl getting the gift of a flower crown (perfect for beltane!) and includes some lovely pagan imagery.
The Flowers Are Calling is a great book for spring in general. We love the flower pictures, the discussion of what animals pollinate, and the encouraging message of looking closely at nature. Flowers are so prominent during Beltane that it seems appropriate to add flower books to the list!
The Earth Gives More is actually perfect for any time of year and would also be great for earth day. But at Beltane the earth is so alive and busy, it seems a good time to bring this book out and really think about all the gifts earth gives. It also has a message about protecting and caring for the earth, which is always appropriate!
The Fairies of Honeysuckle Hollow is a beautiful story of a girl who discovers a fairy in the woods and is rewarded for her kindness in helping her. It has a sweet message, beautiful pictures, and captures the magic of fairies.
Little Fairy's Meadow Party is one I haven't actually read but would love to add to our collection. We have Little Fairy Can't Sleep, which is perfect for Midsummer, but this one, about a fairy preparing for a party, seems like a great addition to our seasonal/Beltane library.
Activities
If you're lucky enough to be around a maypole celebration, and your toddler would enjoy it, go for it! I am not, though, and with my luck my daughter would knock the whole pole down so maybe one day. Instead, we will have fun with ribbons in our own way.
I plan to make something similar to this for my daughter. But if you'd rather buy one, you can find them on etsy or on amazon here.
I also plan to pick dandelions and violets with Beans, and bring out her flowre crowns and fairy wings (of which she has many).
In our part of the world, this Beltane falls on a saturday and the weather looks perfect. So I hope to have a specail tea outside, maybe with some lemonade and special treats that she can help me make. If you have a huge supply of violets, you could try make candied violets, but make sure you know for certain what flowers you have. I've always wanted to try this, but am always afraid I'll pick some deadly flower that just LOOKS like violets, ya know?
Instead I think we'll try scones or some kind of honey cakes. My daughter LOVES honey and will eat it straight out of the pot if I let her!
We will also be leaving some offerings for our good neighbors as well. Hopefully we can plant some more flowers in our garden, too.
You may notice I'm pretty much focusing on fairies, flowers, and early summer festivities in this list. I think those are the Beltane elements toddlers will be able to understand best. You can go more in depth and explain the mythology if you'd like, but for now I like to ease my daughter into things. I hope that she will always have a sense of joy and magic surrounding Beltane, and every other sabbat, and that we can have a lovely time together.
Did I miss anything? What will you be doing for Beltane this year? And do you have any other book suggestions?
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