Waikato Waldorf School

developing the whole child ...

Kindergartens

Our kindergartens are registered 'early childhood centres' for children aged 3 to 6 years. The kindergarten session operates daily, 8.45 a.m. - 12.45 p.m. at Miro House and 9.00 a.m. to 1.00p.m. at Olive House.

The kindergartens provide a nurturing environment based on an understanding of the young child's special developmental needs. The Kindergarteners recreate the atmosphere of a warm and loving home and the mixed-age groups function like a large family.

Three particular strategies are employed on a daily basis; they are:

• physical activities such as baking, tidying and cleaning, handcrafts and painting, where the children copy the purposeful movements of the kindergarteners,
• rhythmic movement games, often derived from the traditional games of early childhood but transformed to carry particular content, and
• the provision of a movement stimulating, tactile, and imaginative play environment.

The children remain in the Kindergarten when they turn five years old even though they are registered on the primary school roll. Non-academic elements of learning are fostered and the children enter Class 1 (year 2) as a group at the beginning of the year in which they turn 7.