Waldorf at The Roaring Fork

The early childhood and kindergarten program at the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork is committed to providing a safe, beautiful, and nurturing environment where children can live in their world of wonder and imitation. The school offers a mixed-age preschool and kindergarten for children from three to six years old as well as parent/toddler classes.

Because the child is performing important physical and brain development work, we choose not to rush them with academic drills or abstract experiences. Instead, the children’s days are filled with both structured and unstructured activities that exercise powers of imagination.

Research on development of human cognition confirms the benefits for young children from: tactile play, social interaction, nature experiences, listening to stories and songs and working with their hands. These experiences open gateways in the neural pathways that are the building blocks to future learning.

A wide variety of rhythmic experiences support the full development of the mind. This understanding guides our early childhood and kindergarten curriculum. Learning through practical experience is a concept long advocated by progressive educators.

Early childhood and kindergarten students learn building, baking, sweeping, gardening, painting and modeling through imitation of caring teachers. Outdoor play provides opportunities to develop physical strength, agility, grace and social skills. Every effort has been made to provide an environment where teachers and children can explore their environment, let their natural curiosity develop and begin the lifelong process of learning to engage the world. A sense of awe and reverence combined with healthy physical and cognitive growth provide the foundation for transitioning into the grade school.