Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

A new Parent & Toddler program will begin in January 2002...

It is impossible for a child to find their way into human society if they do not have the opportunity, from the earliest age, of growing into it through play and imitation. from: Children at Play: Preparation for Life, by Heidi Britz-Crecelius

The River Song pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs offer 3¹/₂ to 6-year-olds a nurturing, gentle transition from home life to school life.

Taught by Waldorf instructors specifically trained in early childhood education, the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs protect the young child's sense of wonder and imagination. The Waldorf kindergarten makes rich the soil in which the young child grows.

In a loving environment filled with natural materials, children are encouraged to explore, to play and to imagine. A wooden bowl of nuts and two seashells might become tea for two. A length of silk becomes a royal cape or fairy wings. Daily activities provide a comforting rhythm, and may include bread-baking, knitting, watercolor painting and beeswax modeling. Songs and stories honor the natural world and the changing seasons.

As the child nears the end of the kindergarten year, the teacher introduces activities that allow the child to embrace the academic subjects introduced in grade one.