Preschool & Kindergarten

Each day in our nature -based preschool and kindergarten program follows a gentle rhythm which provides the children with a sense of security. Rain or shine, the children play outdoors: digging in the sandbox or garden, climbing, and enjoying games or sledding in the yard. Respect for the earth and our fellow human beings is foundational to Waldorf education.

The preschool and kindergarten day begins with circle time, during which the children sing and recite verses. Finger plays and rhymes inspire a love of language and develop children’s fine and gross motor skills. Creative free play follows and offers an opportunity for children to exercise healthy fantasy. Playthings used in our nature-based preschool and kindergarten program are created from natural, simple materials such as wood, colorful silks, shells, and smooth stones.

Throughout the morning, children and teachers engage in purposeful work such as kneading bread, chopping vegetables for soup, and cleaning up. Practical work provides children with meaningful actions to imitate, and it is through imitation that a child learns. Mid-morning, children and teachers prepare a wholesome, organic snack such as whole-grain bread, vegetable soup, or oatmeal, which they eat at a table set with candles and cloth napkins. Waldorf preschool and kindergarten teachers are mindful of the fact that everything they do will be imitated and they strive to be models for the children.

Every day of the week in our preschool and kindergarten program includes an artistic activity such as watercolor painting, modeling with colored beeswax, drawing with crayons, or Eurythmy. Eurythmy is a movement art in which the child’s whole body is engaged, and speech and songs are expressed through creative movement. Watercolor painting is done with a wet-on-wet technique. Sweet-smelling beeswax becomes pliable as a child’s hands warm it. As the year progresses, older children participate in longer-term projects such as finger-knitting a belt, constructing a wooden boat, and sewing a doll. Process is emphasized over product.

The preschool and kindergarten morning draws to a close with the teacher telling a story or fairy tale. This is a time for listening and quiet reflection. Stories are told from memory, and special attention is paid to the words chosen and pronunciation, to engage the children’s imaginations fully.

A Waldorf education is like no other. Unlike other pre-k schools, our students are not confined to desks in classrooms and children who participate in our nature-based preschool and kindergarten program will enjoy many benefits to their physical, mental, and emotional development. Schedule a visit today to learn more about our preschool program and kindergarten program and why it would be a wonderful fit for your family.

Our families travel from across Connecticut including Newtown, Bethel, and Danbury, CT, as well as Westchester County, New York to enroll in our preschool and kindergarten programs. To learn more about the programs our independent day school offers, we welcome you to inquire with our admissions office today.

Families who require a later pick-up time may sign up for Extended Care.