The Waldorf Difference

Kinderhaus is a Waldorf-inspired preschool and kindergarten.

We believe in the magic that’s created when children are allowed to play freely outside with their imaginations as guides.  At Kinderhaus we understand the beauty of mud-covered faces and the brilliance of digging in the dirt!

Children tap into their innate sense of wonder and desire to learn when they are given the opportunity to freely explore, discover, and play in nature. The learning that takes place serves their whole being: head, heart, and hands.

Our Program is different from others in the following ways:

• Natural Toys – The toys at Kinderhaus are made of natural materials (wood, metal, cotton, silk, wool, and glass) or come directly from nature (pine cones, seashells, stones, seeds, sticks, etc.)  Natural and unformed toys allow the children to use their imagination and creativity, inspiring play that comes from within the child.
• Weekly Walks – On Tuesdays and Thursdays we walk with the children to the river where we roll down the hill, play in the woods, climb trees, and throw sticks in the water.  These regular expeditions out into the world and into nature are a unique part of our program at Kinderhaus.
• Story Telling – Twice a week, our teachers offer a traditional Waldorf story to the children.  We re-tell these stories for three weeks, allowing the language and ideas to soak into the children’s minds and hearts more fully.  Our stories evolve, as the first week they are told orally, in the second week props and puppets are added, and finally in the third week’s telling the children themselves act out the story for each other.
• Homemade Food – Our teachers prepare the snacks from scratch each morning before school begins.  We use whole foods, primarily organic ingredients, and offer the children a wide variety of grains, proteins, fruits, and vegetables.  With love, we make and serve food that will grow healthy bodies.
• Song – Every transition at Kinderhaus is accompanied by song.  Singing helps the children know what to expect and even gives them ownership as they sing along.  While hanging up our backpacks, washing our hands, gathering for circle or story, quieting before snack, cleaning up, and saying goodbye, we sing along together as we transition through our day.
• Mindfulness – Throughout the day we create moments of mindfulness and reverance, whether it be sending warm wishes to families and friends, listening to chimes before the meal, breathing deeply before story, or passing along a gentle hand squeeze at the end of the day.