Early Childhood

Children must be 3 years old by September 1, and be fully toilet trained.  

The school day goes from 8:30 am to 12 pm and includes time for creative play, practical and domestic tasks, a circle time with seasonal verses, songs and games, nature walks, snack time, artistic activities, and story time.  

Children who stay until 3 pm have an afternoon program that includes a nutritious lunch (prepared at school) followed by a quiet rest time and outdoor play. 

Maine Coast Waldorf School is dedicated to nurturing each child’s capacity for imaginative play and self-discovery. Encounters with media separate children from authentic experiences of the world and can undermine these goals. 

The school warmly welcomes and invites parents to take an active part in the life of the school. Through involvement in the school, parents find friendship and fun, gain insight into their children’s lives, and bring new ideas that help the school to grow and change.

Parents may participate in many ways: by serving on the Board and/or committees, being active on the Parent Association, by working with the class teachers as Class Coordinators, and on a less formal basis, by volunteering to assist with class activities, festival celebrations, work days and fundraisers. 

In a Waldorf Early Childhood classroom, children move their bodies through free-play, circle activities, singing songs, reciting nursery rhymes, verses and poems.  They are provided a rich sensory diet of outdoor exploration in the elements and indoor activities such as bread kneading and art.  Aural and repetitive storytelling allows children to create internal images fostering a connection to the story and its sequence.  The repetition of story and rhyme introduces phonological awareness, an emerging literacy skill.  All of these activities build a strong foundation for learning by increasing synaptic and neural connections.  By the time children reach first grade, they are eager and excited to begin formal instruction.  In our Waldorf school, academics unfold in a developmentally appropriate manner, creating  life-long learners.   

Children must be 7 years old or turning 7 in their first grade year. Meaning, children must turn 6 years old no later than May 31 in order to be considered for first grade.    

Please visit this page for our Early Childhood tuition and details on our financial assistance options.