Different Early Education Philosophies

Developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, the Waldorf philosophy believes in educating the whole child — the heart and the hands, as well as the head.

In a Waldorf school, preschoolers and kindergartners learn mainly through imitation and imagination — with activities like storytelling, puppetry, creative play, singing, eurythmy (movement), games and finger plays, painting, drawing and beeswax modeling, baking and cooking, nature walks, foreign languages, and circle time for festival and seasonal celebrations — in the belief that developing a sense of wonder in young children will instill in them an eagerness for the academics that come later in their education.

Parents considering a Waldorf education for their children should be prepared to fully embrace the teachings at home as well. As the focus on the natural environment is emphasized and media is heavily discouraged, Waldorf parents are usually asked to eliminate TV and computer use from their children's lives as much as possible, and will never see plastic toys in the preschool.