Creekside Kinderclass Preschool and Early Childhood Programs develop the growing child’s senses, imagination, and awareness of self and others in a nurturing, rhythmic, and homelike environment. Our Waldorf-inspired programs are designed to provide a gradual transition from the life of the home to the structure of an elementary school. It is based upon the simple yet profound concepts of imitation, repetition, and creative play.
Creekside Kinderclass Preschool serves children from 3 to 5 years old.
We will begin accepting applications on February 1, 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Creekside Kinderclass Preschool serves children from 3 to 5 years old.
We will begin accepting applications on February 1, 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Take a tour of our preschool by clicking the link below.
Early Childhood Education
The name Kinderclass is borrowed from the German word Kindergarten, which literally translates to “children’s garden.” A garden for children is the image we choose to carry on behalf of the young child: a place where childhood is considered a valid and honorable experience—not a time to be rushed toward adulthood.
In the Preschool, a child will gradually become accustomed to working within a group, listening to stories, interacting with a teacher, and following a daily routine, while at the same time being aided in his or her development as an individual through the encouragement of creative play, practical life skills, and artistic opportunities. The teacher deeply understands the young child and the need for movement, as well as the child’s devotion to learning about the world through imitating everything he or she experiences.
For more about Waldorf early childhood education, we invite you to read an article called "The Essentials of Waldorf Early Childhood," which you can download here.
In the Preschool, a child will gradually become accustomed to working within a group, listening to stories, interacting with a teacher, and following a daily routine, while at the same time being aided in his or her development as an individual through the encouragement of creative play, practical life skills, and artistic opportunities. The teacher deeply understands the young child and the need for movement, as well as the child’s devotion to learning about the world through imitating everything he or she experiences.
For more about Waldorf early childhood education, we invite you to read an article called "The Essentials of Waldorf Early Childhood," which you can download here.
Core Activities of Our Program
Here are some of the core activities of a Waldorf Preschool and the significance of each in relationship to lifelong learning:
Festivals
We mark the rhythms of the year through the changing seasons and the coming and going of festivals.
Birthdays
We consider your child’s birthday to be a most intimate personal festival.
Circle Time
The class is brought together to sing songs and recite verses with the teacher.
Craft and Artistic Activity
Wet-on-wet watercolor painting, beeswax modeling, crayon drawing—and various forms of handwork such as finger knitting, simple sewing, and woodworking—are done as group activities or at the individual initiative of a child.
Creative Play Time
The children have a long period of time each day during which they are encouraged to imagine and play with a wide variety of natural materials and playthings, following their own initiative.
Life Arts
Part of the daily experience of class is tending to the domestic life (cleaning, gardening, cooking, repairing) and self care (toileting, hair brushing, hand washing).
Music
Singing is woven throughout the day and is often used for transitioning from one activity to another. During the school year, we will learn many verses and blessings.
Outdoor Play
The nurturing of a child’s senses through outdoor experiences and activities is cherished in the early years.
Snack Time
At snack time, children eat together family-style with their teachers. An emphasis on gratitude for the food and on table manners sets the stage for lifelong social skills.
Story Time
Children hear a special story each day, told directly by the teacher.
Rhythms
Children are carried along by the rhythms of the world they live in, from the rhythm of breathing in their bodies, to the daily rhythms of sleeping and waking.
Festivals
We mark the rhythms of the year through the changing seasons and the coming and going of festivals.
Birthdays
We consider your child’s birthday to be a most intimate personal festival.
Circle Time
The class is brought together to sing songs and recite verses with the teacher.
Craft and Artistic Activity
Wet-on-wet watercolor painting, beeswax modeling, crayon drawing—and various forms of handwork such as finger knitting, simple sewing, and woodworking—are done as group activities or at the individual initiative of a child.
Creative Play Time
The children have a long period of time each day during which they are encouraged to imagine and play with a wide variety of natural materials and playthings, following their own initiative.
Life Arts
Part of the daily experience of class is tending to the domestic life (cleaning, gardening, cooking, repairing) and self care (toileting, hair brushing, hand washing).
Music
Singing is woven throughout the day and is often used for transitioning from one activity to another. During the school year, we will learn many verses and blessings.
Outdoor Play
The nurturing of a child’s senses through outdoor experiences and activities is cherished in the early years.
Snack Time
At snack time, children eat together family-style with their teachers. An emphasis on gratitude for the food and on table manners sets the stage for lifelong social skills.
Story Time
Children hear a special story each day, told directly by the teacher.
Rhythms
Children are carried along by the rhythms of the world they live in, from the rhythm of breathing in their bodies, to the daily rhythms of sleeping and waking.