KINDERGARTEN


Ages 3 to 6 years

Kindergarten

We are family

The Oak provides a warm, simple and natural environment where childhood is honoured and children are given the gift of time. Watched over by caring teachers, the physical, emotional, social and spiritual nature of each child is carefully nurtured.

Mother nature is art, mathematics, science, music; she is intricate and complex, made with divine wisdom, and she is real and alive! What could better inspire the play and early-learning of a young child? With infinite possibilities, a rich natural environment allows for play that is creative and always unique.

Simple toys such as dolls, puzzles, wooden blocks, books, gardening tools, a “mud kitchen”, and props for fort-building are there to gently inspire play, without bombarding the senses or overriding the subtle world of imagination.

Art materials are always available to the children, enabling spontaneous creativity.

Unstructured play gives children the chance to freely explore their outside and inside worlds, creating and recreating. They experiment, invent, solve problems and transform their surroundings – learning self-motivation and initiative, and unfolding imagination and cognitive skills. Unstructured play helps to develop important social skills too; children learn to communicate their ideas, listen to others, make compromises, contribute and share.

The day is balanced by free-play, routines, and group activities.

Every morning the kindergarten children do a creative activity such as beeswax modelling, painting, drawing, sewing, beading, weaving, paper crafts, gardening or preparing food.

Here fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination and spatial awareness are at work – foundation skills necessary for the development of handwriting.

In a natural way, these activities involve maths too – counting, measurement, patterning, estimation, categorisation, weight, balance, shapes, and much more is being explored through experiential learning, without the need for any formal instruction at this age.

Children from various countries attend The Oak, however, English is the language of learning and teaching. English is practised throughout the day during all activities. Morning circle-time is especially full of language learning; we sing together, listen to a story or puppet show, sometimes act in a play, play games and have group discussions.

Running, climbing, jumping, swinging, moving freely and exploring your body in space helps to build a strong and healthy body, the foundation for all learning and well-being. At the Oak, we have a big garden in which to do all of this! The short hike to/from school every day, also gives us a daily dose of healthy exercise. 

 Our kindergarten daily routine usually goes like this:

  • A walk through the jungle to school
  • Arrival; time for water, fruit and snacks; free play
  • Morning circle (story-time, singing, drama)
  • Creative activity (modelling, painting, weaving etc.)
  • Outdoor free play
  • Lunch time (a full organic meal)
  • Nap time for those who are tired, or free play (often indoor play)
  • Snack time (e.g. pancakes, fruit, sandwiches)
  • Hometime - goodbye song and sometimes a short game; walk back through the jungle to meet the parents

 In Waldorf education, we recognise that what children experience through all of their senses, deeply affects their body and soul development, with effects reaching far into the future. For this reason, it is important to us to surround children with sensory impressions that are wholesome and life-giving. Come join us in the jungle!