Many of the same concepts and activities apply at this age as they did at the iinfant to 2 year age group. Gardening, nature walks, play, natural vs artificial objects, art, music, dancing, games, and singing.

In addition children are now old enough to really benefit from participation in festivals and democratic council a.k.a. KidPower

We also begin teaching compassionate communication (NVC), yoga, mindfulness training and service-learning.

Academic Learning

At this age, we believe that parents and children should still have a choice in whether their children learn academic subjects.  We offer an integrated approach using Montessori and Waldorf concepts and values. 

Both Waldorf and Montessori provide mixed-age environments for this age group.  The benefits of multi-age environments are fully explained here. Briefly though, most of us agree that children learning socialization skills is an important part of school, so let’s consider how useful a socialization experience of being with only people of our same age is when nowhere else in our life will we be in that environment.

You will find a brief look at these methods on this page, and will find a wealth of information on the Internet.

What Is Montessori?  


Montessori is a highly child-centered, collaborative, hands-on, approach to academic and life learning that allows children to follow their interests at their own pace regardless of what other children are doing.  The Montessori approach provides varied structured activities employing materials that children use in very specific ways. The materials have levels of difficulty that the child progresses through sequentially.  The materials develop sensory, mathematical, scientific, geographic, linguistic, and practical life skills.  Children learn how to focus, self-regulate, and explore knowledge in a methodical manner.  The teacher becomes the observer and introduces new materials and skills into the classroom as the children are ready.

What Is Waldorf?


Waldorf places emphasis on creating a homelike environment with an emphasis on all natural materials and beauty, real work for a real purpose, and imagination and play. Waldorf teachers model meaningful, purposeful work in the classroom by engaging in activities such as cooking, cleaning, baking, sewing or knitting. Outdoors, teachers may be found raking, gardening, filling birdfeeders or shoveling snow. Out of imitation, children engage in, and help with all these activities. The children are learning real life skills, as they become confident and capable helpers. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, emphasized the importance of the imagination in childhood, and Waldorf educators believe that imaginative play is the key to creative thinking later in life. In a Waldorf early childhood classroom, ample time is allowed each day for unstructured, imaginative play without a lot of adult interference. This is when an observe might see children becoming cats and mice; witness tea parties in the play kitchen; boys and girls building large structures out of Waldorf wooden playstands draped with large silks; building with stumps and natural tree blocks; and other children donning capes and crowns to become princesses and princes. Free play is the heart of the Waldorf kindergarten.