Early Childhood

Our Waldorf Early Childhood program tends to the roots of your child’s schooling journey by respecting the soft, natural unfolding of their humanity, while also gently planting seeds for the blossoming of learning ahead. We create a homelike environment for children so that they are able to move with connection, curiosity and wonder. 

Rhythm, warmth, nourishment, and engagement in joyful work and plenty of unstructured play are at the heart of every Waldorf Early Childhood program. These ideas are manifested through a preacademic, play-based curriculum that moves and changes with the cycle of the seasons. Our rhythmic curriculum reflects the inner movements and changes occurring within the developing child. Themes and activities are carefully chosen by the teacher to bring a sense of joy and reverence.

Dedicated Teachers

Your child will be guided through these early developmental years by a highly skilled, deeply devoted team of Waldorf Early Childhood teachers, whose teamwork, love, and dedication to each other and the children here is deeply felt by our families and school community.

Meet Our Faculty

Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching Principles

  • LIFE AS THE CURRICULUM

    Through gardening, seasonal
     celebrations, and observation of the
     natural world, our students cultivate a
    sense of reverence, wonder, and care for
     the environment.

  • FREE, IMAGINATIVE PLAY

    Puppet plays, vibrant stories, and imaginative play nurture a sense of joy and wonder in the classroom, allowing children to freely explore different aspects of themselves.

  • LEARNING THROUGH IMITATION

    Our teachers model kindness, empathy,
    and hard work,     serving as positive
    examples for young, developing minds. Children participate in daily communal tasks like cooking and cleaning.

Your child will follow a rhythmic schedule that inspires intrinsic learning in a peaceful and nurturing setting, giving them the chance to develop at their natural pace. Our intentional environment serves as a gentle bridge from home to school, welcoming your child at a slower pace and gradually increasing the time spent here as they grow. Kindergarten is included in our program as Waldorf educational philosophy holds that children are developmentally ready for more formal learning in 1st grade.

Our Four Early Childhood Programs

  • Parent & Child Classes

    Your journey at PWS can begin as early as your child is a few months old in our deeply nurturing and supportive Parent & Child classes.

    Meet our beloved Ms. Monica, learn more about this program and register here.

  • Nursery School

    Nursery for children ages 2-3 years old

    3 Half Days: Monday – Wednesday, 8:45am - 12:45pm

  • Preschool

    Preschool for children ages 3 – 4 ½ years old (Age 3 by September 1)

    Choose Half Day or Full Day, 8:30am – 1pm or 8:30am – 3pm

    5 Days: Monday - Friday

    3 Days: Monday - Wednesday

    2 Days: Thursday - Friday

  • Mixed-Age Kindergarten

    Kindergarten for children ages 4-6 years old (Age 4 by June 1)

    Choose Half Day or Full Day, 8:30am – 1pm or 8:30am – 3pm

    5 Days: Monday – Friday

Parent & Child classes are an opportunity to connect with other parents/caregivers of young children, discuss child development and parenting issues, and learn how to bring the magic of a Waldorf early childhood classroom into your own home. For children ages 0-3. Sessions consist of 8-10 once-per-week classes and are offered in the fall, winter and spring.

Parent & Child Classes

Nursery School (Ages 2-3)

Our Nursery program creates a gentle bridge from home to school for our youngest children. With a three-day, half-day cadence, students enjoy a slow pace to their day, where they spend time baking bread, making soup, playing outdoors, making art, and more. Serving children at least 2 years old by September 1.

Our preschool program offers children a simple daily rhythm as the teachers weave simple songs, movement games, and stories with indoor and outdoor free play. The simplicity of our beautiful classrooms allows teachers to guide children through the gentle rhythms of each day in a joyful and predictable manner. Our playful curriculum supports the development of hand-eye coordination, attention span, awareness of patterns and sequencing, and appreciation for the beauty of language. Serving children at least 3 years old by September 1.

Preschool (Ages 3-4 1/2)

Mixed-Age Kindergarten

Our approach nurtures your child’s literacy, numeracy, and imaginative thinking, while preserving their sense of wonder and excitement for learning

A mixed-age environment encourages social learning, where younger children are inspired to grow alongside their older peers, while the older children naturally become caring guides for the younger ones.

Artistic and domestic activities like watercolor painting, crafting, baking, and seasonal cooking engage and delight the senses. Our teachers, with a deep understanding of child development, create a peaceful, relaxed setting that fosters natural learning.

Through structured and unstructured activity both indoors and outside, your child will build a strong foundation as they strengthen hand-eye coordination, attention span, awareness of patterns, and appreciation for the beauty of language.

DAILY RHYTHM AT PWS

  • ARRIVAL | Indoor circle time, free play and daily activity like painting, baking, nature sharing, cooking, seasonal craft, and classroom chores. Tasks like baking bread, chopping veggies, and caring for the classroom support our students in building a sense of responsibility and connection.

  • MORNING SNACK | Children enjoy warm, nutritious homemade snacks like veggie soup, fresh bread, muffins or oatmeal.

  • OUTDOOR PLAY | Outdoor play, balance beams, and jumping rope are just some of the ways we support our students’ coordination and physical development, laying a strong foundation for future learning.

  • SEASONAL STORYTIME | Stories and fairy tales related to the seasons help connect children’s inner and outer experiences and the cycles of the natural world.

  • LUNCH | We sit together, eat lunch, tell stories, and laugh—just like you would eat a meal at home.

  • HALF-DAY PICK-UP OR REST TIME | Our half-day friends go home for the afternoon, while others enjoy rest time.

  • PURPOSEFUL WORK/OUTDOOR PLAY | Children spend lots of time outside each day, rain or shine. They may help in the garden, take walks and sing or play.

  • AFTERNOON SNACK | Snacks like apples, raisins, and almonds are served in the afternoon.

  • FULL-DAY PICK-UP | It’s time to end the day with some children going home and others off to our After Care.

  • Waldorf education is rooted in the spiritual and developmental philosophy of Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy, which emphasizes the profound inter-connectedness of human beings with both the natural world and the spiritual realm. Learn More

  • PWS is the most established Waldorf School in the Portland Metro Region, and the only Nursery through High School Program in the Pacific Northwest. Our strong roots allow for innovation in the classroom, while our steadfast commitment to Eurythmy underscores our dedication to Anthroposophy. Learn More

  • At Portland Waldorf School, we seek to create an inclusive community where our differences are both valued and acknowledged. Celebrating our shared humanity and striving to be our best selves is a priority. Learn More

  • Our entire school campus is a cell-phone free zone. Technology, like daily access to laptops and instructional presentations, is used only in the high school as a tool to help adolescence achieve their specific goals purposefully. Read more

  • Educational Support at Portland Waldorf School is thoughtfully interwoven into the curriculum, honoring each child’s unique developmental journey. From early childhood through sixth grade, our Educational Support Teacher and Administrator works closely with students using a holistic blend of integrative movement, artistic exercises, and academic guidance - methods that nurture both the will and the capacity to learn with purpose and joy.

    In middle school, students are supported by an Educational Support Teacher and curriculum geared toward the growing capacities of early adolescence, while high school students are supported by a robust Life Skills curriculum and program aimed at addressing the needs of the growing adolescent. Both programs build confidence, and help with making informed decisions, problem-solving, communicating effectively, and developing coping and self – management skills that will help them lead a healthy and productive life.

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