McGregor Waldorf School

Kindergarten

Young children, from birth to about 7 years of age need a protective and nurturing environment to support them in their most vulnerable developmental phase. At the same time the children need healthy stimulation and an engaging environment as it is also the time when most ‘learning’ takes place. All later learning is based upon what the children experienced in their earliest years.
The kindergarten offers an environment where the children are surrounded by wholesome activities common to all cultures, such as gardening, sweeping, cleaning, baking, washing clothes and mending.
The rhythm of the day which is the same every day, relaxes the children and invites them to explore, play and enter into many new experiences.
Healthy movement and imaginative play are encouraged in the inside and outside play areas where the children are surrounded by natural materials.

Within this gentle rhythm and exuberant play, the children are invited into a more structured circle time. During this time expanding and contracting gestures are alternated using songs, verses, dances and movement. The life, creatures and activities of nature, provide the content which changes with the seasons.

The use of art feeds the children’s souls while craft activities such as sewing, weaving, cutting and pasting and woodwork, develop fine motor skills. The work is always purposeful and often a preparation towards the end of term Festival.

The end of the morning comes to a close with storytelling. The telling of a story encourages imagination while the magic of it, feeds the soul and brings comforting wisdom. The repetition and use of drama and puppet shows help to develop memory and deep penetration of the images.
The end of term Festival is a celebration using singing, dancing, stories, music, play and food

English is the medium of instruction although it is important that the children hear their mother tongue. A repertoire of songs and verses from various cultures is used during circle time while the stories are told in English and Afrikaans and when possible, in Xhosa.

There is a mixed group of children but they are addressed according to their needs when it comes to activities, circle time and story time.

The pre-school children (who turn 6 in the course of the year) are specifically observed and guided towards physical, emotional and mental readiness. In the fourth term they are assessed for school readiness and a report is written and discussed with the parent/guardian and grade 1 teacher.

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McGregor Waldorf School

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