early childhood class children playing together

Early Childhood

Joyful rhythms of story, song, purposeful work, free play, and experience in nature guide each day. 

In our sun-lit classrooms, the Faerie Wood, stream, meadow, and our playgrounds, children grow and unfold as unique human beings, held by the beauty and goodness of the world and the loving care of their teachers.

Overview

A rich and nourishing environment where young children grow and thrive

River Valley’s Early Childhood program old spend their days in warm, light-filled rooms that are designed to nourish the senses as well as outdoors in all weather exploring the woods, meadows, and stream on our seven acre campus.

A gentle rhythm moves them through the day, through opportunities for free play both inside and outside and into purposeful activities including bread-baking, watercolor painting, seasonal crafts, puppet stories, and circle activities. Natural materials invite the natural unfolding of the imagination; hands-on work fosters coordination, confidence, and gratitude; and rich storytelling nurtures language development, empathy, and the gradual unfolding of the imagination.

Rooted in wholesome, predictable routines and a deep respect for childhood, these first school years kindle curiosity, social grace, and a joyful love of learning that will carry your child forward.

group of early childhood students sitting at a table
Infant to 3 years old — 9 to 11am

Garden Gate

A day in our younger early childhood classes includes plenty of time to explore and play both within the classroom and outdoors.

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two early childhood girl students laughing together

Garden Gate is a warm and welcoming community for parents/caregivers, and their young children. 

A day in Garden Gate includes indoor free play, circle activities, a shared snack, and time exploring outdoors. 

Here, you’ll connect with others in a supportive space that honors the early years of childhood and offers gentle guidance on Waldorf-inspired parenting. 

Through shared activities and quiet moments, Garden Gate nurtures a sense of belonging and offers a peaceful start to your child’s learning journey.

garden gate students
2 years, 7 months to 4 years old*

Rosebud Class, Transitional Early Childhood Program

The Rosebud program is intended to support children and their families in the transition to a drop-off school experience.

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Children will spend the first several weeks attending the program along with a parent or trusted caregiver.

During this time the children learn the nourishing rhythms that will carry them through the rest of the year and into the rest of their time in the Early Childhood program. Parents and caregivers actively participate in adult activities such as crafts and handwork while attending the class, being available as an anchor for their child while remaining mindful and intentional in holding space for their child’s independent growth in the class.

The daily rhythm includes indoor free play, preparation and partaking in snack, circle games and songs, seasonal crafts, outdoor exploration, puppet shows, and story time.

* Special consideration may be made for children turning 2 years, 7 months by the transition date. Children must be under 4 years old as of 9/1 to join the program 3 and 5 days a week, half and full days available.

boy early childhood student holding a rock
2 years, 7 months to 4 years old

Hidden Hollow and Goldenrod Classes

A day in our younger early childhood classes includes plenty of time to explore and play both within the classroom and outdoors.

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goldenrod early childhood class children laying down in a circle with teachers

Children will participate in free play inside and outdoors, circle time, puppet stories, and a daily activity such as bread baking, painting or seasonal crafts. There is also time for practical work, care for our environment, and gathering time for finger games, songs and stories.

The Hidden Hollow and Goldenrod Early Childhood classes provide a warm, play-based foundation that supports the healthy development of the whole child: socially, emotionally, and physically. Through imaginative play, purposeful work, and rich sensory experiences like bread baking, watercolor painting, and seasonal crafts, children develop the focus, creativity, and resilience that form the groundwork for future academic learning. 

Daily rhythms include storytelling, songs, and circle time, which foster language development, memory, and a love of learning. Outdoor exploration and practical activities nurture problem-solving, coordination, and care for the environment. In this nurturing setting, children build the confidence, curiosity, and foundational skills they’ll carry with them throughout their early childhood experience and into the grades.

goldenrod class
4 to 6 years old — 5 days a week, half and full days available

Morning Glory and Sundrop Classes

In our older early childhood classes, the children are active participants in all aspects of the day, which includes exploring nature and the outdoors, preparing and serving snack, baking bread, finger knitting, watercolor painting, laundry and cleaning time.

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group of sundrop early childhood students with teacher outside for a group photo

A great emphasis is placed on establishing a harmonious, cooperative classroom culture where children develop care and respect for themselves, others and their physical environment.

Children’s readiness for academic learning is prepared through nurturing imagination, social development, and a strong sense of rhythm, all essential for later cognitive growth and classroom readiness. 

A love of language and story as the basis for reading and writing is consciously cultivated through the use of story, poetry, rhyme and song.

Mathematical thinking and problem-solving begin organically through daily activities such as baking, building, counting games, and rhythmic movement, where children experience patterns, sequencing, and practical number sense in a joyful, meaningful way.

early childhood students with teacher
Sample Day Schedule

A Day In the Life of an Early Childhood Student

  • 8:15-8:30 Arrival hugs & drop off
  • 8:30–9:30 Outdoor free play in the Faerie Wood
  • 9:30-10:00 Watercolor painting
  • 10:00-10:30 Snack: apples, rice cakes, and sun butter
  • 10:30-11:00 Morning Circle: singing, movement, circle games
  • 11:00-12:00 Indoor free play, projects, purposeful work
  • 12:00-12:15 Storytime/Puppet show
  • 12:15-12:45 Lunch: brought from home
  • 12:45-2:00 Rest
  • 2:00-3:00 Outdoor free play on the front playground
  • 3:00-3:30 Cleaning and dismissal
early childhood students

Highlights of Early Childhood

  • Independent and Collaborative Free Play

    At the heart of our Early Childhood program is our understanding that self-initiated play is critical to the healthy development of all young children and vital to the maturation of executive function and socialization.

    Ample play time, both inside and outside, is part of each morning. Open-ended toys made from natural materials encourage children to create unlimited imaginative universes with their friends, which requires negotiation, patience, leadership, collaboration and self-regulation.

    early childhood boy students playing with blocks

  • Time In Nature

    River Valley’s seven acres provide abundant space for exploration and discovery. Climbing on rocks, sledding down the snowy hill, digging in the sandboxes, uncovering the world hidden beneath a flat stone, and sloshing through the front playground’s stream in spring all encourage in our children a life-long appreciation for the natural world, while supporting the development of their fine and gross motor skills.

    early childhood class out in nature wearing raincoats

  • Story Time & Puppetry

    Story time and puppetry play important roles in the River Valley early childhood classrooms. When children hear engaging stories on a regular basis, they become better listeners, their attention span, memory and ability to sequence improve, their vocabulary expands and they begin to understand characterization, setting, and the art of telling a good story. 

    Most importantly, we believe that listening to stories and watching puppet shows supports the unfolding of a child’s imagination, which forms the foundation for much of the work children do in our grade school and beyond. The ability to “think in pictures” is the bedrock of a successful, lifetime reader and creative problem solver. This absolutely essential capacity unfolds gradually through the early childhood years, when supported with intention through joyful experiences brought with love and care.

    group of early childhood students smiling sitting on the floor

  • Life Skills

    The children are active participants in all aspects of the day: measuring flour and kneading dough for bread, preparing vegetables for soup, setting the table and serving classmates at snack time, mending and maintaining beloved classroom playthings all carried out with as much independence as possible on the part of the children. These activities build confidence and gratitude, foster an attitude of respect for their environment and develop in children an understanding of their responsibility to their community.

    early childhood boy student preparing food with teacher

  • Artistic Activities

    Children explore color with wondrous liquid water colors, model with warm, sweet-smelling beeswax, learn to finger-knit, felt with wet wool, and create beautiful seasonal crafts using items from nature, wool felt, silk, and wood. The ability to create objects that are both beautiful and functional is a lifelong gift and provides an opportunity to improve fine motor skills while developing focus and attention, critical thinking and problem solving abilities.

  • Sensory Development

    Waldorf Education is based on child development. As a result, a child’s age is the primary factor in determining which class they belong in. The curriculum is designed to meet the children where they are during each particular age and stage of their development, regardless of where they are in their academic skills.

    Our Early Childhood classes are mixed age groups, with Garden Gate for the youngest children and their parents (0-3 year olds), Tulip Poplar and Sundrop Early Childhood classes for our 3-4 year olds, and Goldenrod and Morning Glory Early Childhood Classes for our 4-6 year olds. Children move into first grade when they are 6-7 years old, and then move through the grades with the same group of children and often the same teacher for several years.

    young girl student outside in nature

  • Sensory Development, cont.

    Waldorf education takes a deep look at sensory development through a lens that is somewhat different than other schools. We recognize that a child’s relationship to their body and the senses of touch, balance, movement, and life forms the foundation for all learning they will encounter in grade school and beyond.

    • Touch – Where does my body end and the world begin? Can I feel my whole body?
    • Balance – Can I stand upright? Stand on one leg? Walk a balance beam? Can I move up, down, right, left, forward and backward with ease?
    • Movement – Can I feel where I am in space? Am I in control of the movements of my body? Can I move freely? Are my fine and gross motor coordination skillful?
    • Life – Can I feel when I am hungry? Can I feel if I am tired or energized? Can I feel if I am sick?
    3 girls in early childhood class kneeling and playing
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Start the Enrollment Process

Send a brief form, and our enrollment specialists will call you by the next business day to learn about your child, share how Waldorf nurtures whole-child growth, and answer every question you have.

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5 early childhood students outside in winter jackets