Waldorf programs strive to stimulate kids' bodies, spirits, and souls with a nurturing, homelike environment that engages all five senses.  Rudolf Steiner, who founded the first Waldorf school in Germany in 1919, believed that small children learn best by imitation and their physical surroundings.  Creative play is the most important means of learning in a Waldorf classroom, with a heavy dose of teamwork and togetherness. If your child attends a Waldorf school for many years, he will remain with the same teacher from preschool through eighth grade! The result is a deep, close relationship, one in which your child's needs are better understood from year to year.
 

In preschool, children learn concentration, interest, and a love of learning through cooking, dress-up, singing, art projects, storytime, and other activities. Waldorf classrooms are all natural: no televisions, computers, or even plastic toys.  The philosophy teaches that children benefit from the feel, sight, and smell of natural materials.
 

Waldorf programs are more group-oriented and have a stronger sense of rhythm and routine than Montessori programs.  Children with special needs  are welcome, although those with severe delays will do better in a program designed especially with their needs in mind.