Our Waldorf early childhood program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners is something special.
Our classrooms don’t look like other preschool or kindergarten classrooms because they convey our unique appreciation of the child. Children and adults breathe a sigh of relief to be in an environment that is so intentionally made for children. Full of beauty, our teachers and activities nurture children’s unfolding capacities, including their social skills, physical mastery, imagination, and creativity. Children enjoy unhurried days filled with warmth, wonder, guided activities and their own initiative. This is a place where children lay a strong foundation for life.
Scientists know that children learn best through a slow approach and that the brain is built through movement, relationships and doing.
Preschool
Your preschool child looks at life with interest and curiosity, eager to explore and understand things. He/she thrives in an environment of warmth and predictability and learns through imitation and imagination. Play is the “heartbeat” of the preschooler.
Whether the activity is teacher-led or self-directed, there is an atmosphere of unhurried purpose and joy. Daily and weekly rhythms of practical and artistic activities promote social awareness while honing fine and gross motor skills. Joyful engagement with complex, rich language and stories also lay the foundations for later intellectual pursuits. In the tradition of the outdoor kindergarten, we spend much of our time outdoors, taking hikes and building connection to nature and the wider world, as well as stamina and resilience.
Your Preschooler will enjoy:
- Creative free play
- Circle and movement time
- Storytime & puppetry
- Outdoor work and play
- Hiking and gardening
- Painting and beeswax modeling
- Preparing healthy snacks
- Practicing their social skills
Schedule: 8:30 a.m.*-12:45 p.m.
Age Determinants:
To enter Preschool, children must be at least 3 years old and potty trained.
To enter our mixed age kindergarten, children must be 4 years old by June 1st. At our school, children often have 2 years of Kindergarten. We gauge whether a child is a better fit for Preschool or Kindergarten, based on criteria such as:
- Has your child participated in a Preschool class before, with at least 10 children?
- Can your child independently dress him or herself?
- Does your child cry when dropped off?
The Wildcat Canyon Community School Early Childhood Center is a licensed Preschool provider in the state of California (#073408218).
We continue to accept applications for the 2024-2025 Academic School Year into our Preschool and Kindergarten programs on a space-available basis only. Contact us today to inquire.
Parent-Child Class
Infants come into the world ready to connect with their parents and loved ones, while toddlers are rapidly developing their motor skills, exploring their world, trying to communicate with us, and learning how to interact with other people. On a deeper level, your infant or toddler is learning all about him- or herself, what the world is like, and his or her place in it.
The first three years of a child’s life are a precious time of unfolding development and bonding. Our teacher-led classes offer parents, grandparents, and caregivers the opportunity to explore the rewarding and challenging task of raising young children. We share and discuss infant and toddler development, learn to observe and appreciate what babies are doing, and gain new ideas and strategies from Waldorf education, RIE® and Pikler.
Parent-Child classes meet weekly in an inviting Waldorf early childhood classroom in sessions beginning Fall, Winter and Spring.
Our classes are RIE®-certified.
Classes held Fall, Winter, and Spring
*Due to covid-19 safety measures, we are not currently holding parent-child classes. We hope to restore them as soon as it is safe to do so. Please fill out our inquiry form, and we will contact you as soon as our Parent-Child classes become available.
Your infant or toddler will enjoy:
- Gross motor movement
- Exploratory play
- Interacting with other children
- Circle time
- Organic snack (toddler class)
Parents will enjoy:
- Getting to know other families with infants and toddlers
- Having a chance to relax and observe their child
- Learning how to support your child’s development
- Exploring topics such as:
- Sleep
- Crying
- Discipline
- Natural movement development
- Setting up your child’s environment
- The Child’s consciousness
- Development of the senses
- Attachment & Attunement
- Warmth
- Imitation
- Daily life with the young child
- Movement and brain development
Requirements:
Infants should be at least 4 months old or approved by their pediatrician to attend classes outside the home.
Toddlers should be over 1 year of age and walking as their primary means of movement.
Kindergarten
Your kindergartener is eager to be a part of the whole and eager to please. They are interested in helping with chores at home and school, love to play with others, and now have the capacity to plan their play. Their imagination can be boundless and one stick or piece of cloth can become many things throughout the day. An indoor-outdoor classroom helps the brain develop through activity and movement which for the Kindergartener defines healthy learning.
Our mixed-age, Kindergarten offers your child a play-based, pre-academic curriculum that lays the foundations for successful academic learning in the grades. Activities are joyful and purposeful. Songs and nursery rhymes cultivate intimacy with language, building literacy skills. Listening to stories, watching puppet shows and engaging in dramatic play strengthen the power of memory and imagination. Counting games and rhythmic activities build a solid foundation for arithmetic and number skills. Work activities develop coordination and the ability to concentrate. Outdoor activities, including play and hiking, encourage healthy physical development and an appreciation of nature and seasonal changes.
Your Kindergartener will enjoy:
- Creative free play
- Circle and movement time
- Storytime & puppetry
- Outdoor work and play
- Hiking and gardening
- Handwork & visual arts
- Preparing healthy snacks
- Eurythmy
- Consolidating their social skills
Schedule:
The Kindergarten program runs from 8:15 am – 1:00 pm. Aftercare is available until 5:30 for an additional fee.
Age Determinants:
To enter Kindergarten, children must be 4 years old by June 1st. At WCCS, children often have 2 years of Kindergarten. We gauge whether a child is a better fit for Preschool or Kindergarten, based on criteria such as:
- Has your child participated in a Preschool class before with at least 10 children?
- Can you child independently dress him or herself?
- Do they cry when dropped off?
To move on from Kindergarten to 1st grade children must be 6 by June 1st.
We continue to accept applications for the 2024-2025 Academic School Year into our Preschool and Kindergarten programs on a space-available basis only. Contact us today to inquire.
