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Play is the heart of the Waldorf Kindergarten
program. Children develop their social skills, and their capacity for creative thinking and problem-solving through imaginative
free play. Simple, natural materials such as
pieces of wood, seashells, beeswax and handcrafted toys, encourage
children to form their own games and stories.
Balancing free play with structured activities,
the children engage in watercolor painting, handwork, seasonal
crafts and movement; following the change of seasons, they
are led on nature walks weekly to Volunteer Park.
Hearing stories told aloud and watching
puppet plays cultivates the imagination and strengthens the child's
ability to listen and to concentrate. Songs and nursery rhymes
inspire a love of language and music. Preparing snacks together,
baking bread and cleaning up afterwards encourage cooperation
and a sense of responsibility. Skills
for academic work are also being developed with daily activities such as beeswax modeling, finger knitting, participation in story circle time, and nature walks.
All these activities enrich the early childhood experience in daily, weekly and seasonal rhythms that create a bridge from home to school. Bright Water School offers two full sized kindergartens for children ages 4-6.
You may download our Kindergarten Handbook in PDF format.
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