Early Childhood

The Early Childhood classes provide a caring, home-like environment with plenty to do. Activities may include household tasks, cooking, baking, sewing, games, simple crafts, beeswax modeling, painting, drawing, singing, play acting, creating puppet shows, and creative play. Spacious classrooms allow for movement.

The play materials are natural and simple, designed to foster open-ended play. A length of silk might become a king’s cape, a tent for travelers, or a tablecloth for tea. A block of wood might become a boat, a loaf of bread, or a pirates's chest.

Rhythm is an important aspect of the young child’s daily experience. Every day follows the same child-centered rhythm, but has its own specific task and snack. The predictable unfolding of the day brings security to the young child; the small differences help them understand the days of the week. A yearly rhythm of festivals and holidays provides meaningful ways to come together as a community to mark the year's turning and the passage of time.

Reading, math, science, and language arts are addressed through the children's work and play activities. Seasonal stories, folk tales from around the world, and neighborhood walks model cooperation, communication, and respect. Composting, recycling, and gardening encourage caring stewardship for earth's resources.

Fairy and folk tales provide strong archetypes for the child’s imagination and introduce rich language, elements of suspense, and successful resolution, reminding the child that all is good in their world.

Setting the table, measuring flour for a bread recipe, counting up cups of water for friends, and learning how to evenly share a plate of crackers are concrete uses of math. Blocks lend themselves to early physics experiments, while songs, singing games, and water play are other hands on experiences that extend math and physics through joyful learning.

The Early Childhood programs of Waldorf School of New Orleans are accredited nationally and internationally by Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN) and International Association of Steiner/Waldorf Early Childhood Education (IASWECE).