Early Childhood
We see your child like no one else
Young children learn best through imaginative play, hands-on activities, and practical tasks that convey purposeful contributions to their classroom community.
Seacoast Waldorf School’s early childhood programs center on creative play. Children learn skills that form the foundation for later academic success. A school day routine creates comfort for the child through a familiar rhythm. There is time for drawing and painting, beeswax modeling, storytelling, and puppetry along with communal meal preparation and consumption
Young children learn best through imaginative play, hands-on activities, and practical tasks that convey purposeful contributions to their classroom community.
Seacoast Waldorf School’s early childhood programs center on creative play and nurturing relationships. Children develop skills that form the foundation for later academic success while experiencing the comfort of a predictable daily rhythm.
Throughout the day, children enjoy drawing and painting, beeswax modeling, storytelling, and puppetry, along with communal meal preparation and shared snack time. Classrooms are thoughtfully prepared with natural materials that invite curiosity, creativity, and meaningful play.
Peapod Playgroup
We are pleased to offer our new Peapod Playgroup, a welcoming gathering for young children ages 0-3 and caregivers to experience the warmth of our early childhood community.
The playgroup meets Wednesdays from 9–11 am, beginning March 18 through June 3. Families are welcome to drop in for play, songs, and connection in a relaxed and nurturing environment.
Peapod Playgroup offers a gentle introduction to Waldorf early childhood education, providing time for free play with natural materials, seasonal songs and fingerplays, and opportunities for caregivers to connect with one another while children explore and play.
Lighthouse Parent-Child Class
Our youngest children can first experience Seacoast Waldorf School through the Lighthouse Parent-Child Class, designed for children ages 22 months to 3½ years attending with a parent or caregiver.
Offered in 5–8 week segments, the class meets one morning each week from 9–11 am. Families enjoy seasonal songs, circle time, simple crafts, and time for free play while caregivers build community and share in the rhythms of Waldorf early childhood education.
Nursery Classroom (Ages 18 Months – 3 Years)
We are excited to introduce our newest early childhood offering: a nurturing nursery classroom for children ages 18 months to 3 years.
Children attend four days per week, with an optional three-day schedule available for families seeking greater flexibility. The program offers a gentle introduction to group care in a warm, home-like environment guided by Waldorf early childhood principles.
Through imaginative play, songs, movement, and sensory-rich experiences, children develop early social skills, confidence, and independence. The daily rhythm includes creative free play, outdoor exploration, circle time with songs and fingerplays, and shared snack preparation.
Natural materials and a calm, consistent routine help create a space where young children feel safe, supported, and joyful in their first school experience.
Preschool: Nursery and Mixed Age Kindergarten
Children between 2.5 and 4 years of age can enroll in our nursery program. Our mixed-age kindergarten classes serve children ages 4–6.
Students may attend 4- or 5-day schedules, with options for morning programs (8:30 am – 12 pm) or full days (8:30 am – 3 pm). Our second-year kindergarten students attend full days.
Classrooms are filled with natural materials such as shells, crystals, silk cloths, wooden blocks, and cloth dolls, which children access during creative free play each day. Circle time includes singing, storytelling, fingerplays, and rhymes that nurture language development, coordination, and imagination.
Teachers tell fairy tales and nature stories from memory through puppet shows. Children build listening skills, memory, and comprehension. Seasonal festivals bring the school community together and spark wonder and gratitude.
Our youngest students prepare a wholesome snack daily together and enjoy the flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables made into soup, just-baked bread, and other local, nutritious treats.
“I am struck by the fact that the more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core, and the same is true of human beings. We do not wish for children precocious, making great strides in their early years like sprouts, providing soft and perishable timber; but better if they expand slowly at first, as if contending with difficulties, and so are solidified and perfected. Such trees continue to expand with nearly equal rapidity to an extreme age…” - Henry David Thoreau
Learn More About Early Childhood at Seacoast Waldorf School
We welcome families to learn more about our early childhood programs and experience the warmth of our classrooms. Visiting the school is the best way to see the joy, creativity, and rhythm of our early childhood community.
To learn more about enrollment, schedule a visit, or attend one of our playgroups, or submit an inquiry through our website.