EARLY CHILDHOOD OVERVIEW

Open to all that surrounds them, young children live in a world of wonder and delight.

By nourishing the mind and senses through imaginative play and gently guided activities, the Calgary Waldorf School Early Childhood Program fosters the development of the whole child and provides a solid foundation for future academic study.

A focus on play rather than strict academic study in early childhood provides the child with time to develop creative and social skills.

Our Junior Kindergarten (formerly Preschool) and Kindergarten rooms are filled with simple, natural materials which invite imaginative discovery. Each day the teacher greets the children, welcoming them into a warm, magical world. Children’s creativity is stimulated as they transform wool and silk cloths, wood pieces and sand, and shells and rocks into costumes, toys and settings for play and adventure.

The Kinderwing is busy with activity but unhurried as children follow the rhythm of the day. Watercolor painting, beeswax modeling, crafts and baking develop children’s artistic and fine motor skills, while fairy tales, puppet plays and songs nourish their language development, self expression and feeling life. Seasonal festivals and outdoor exploration cultivate a connection to the natural world and lay the groundwork for future scientific studies. The child’s days are filled with both structured and unstructured activities that exercise their fresh and dynamic powers of imagination.

Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten are environments of love, warmth, and harmony, allowing a gentle transition between the security of home and the coming elementary school years.

Joyful Beginnings | Parent and Tot | Jr. Kindergarten | Kindergarten