Kindergarten
Spring River School has created a Kindergarten class for homeschooling families that honors this last phase of Early Childhood and a Waldorf-inspired Early Childhood Curriculum.
At this age, some parents view their changing 5-6-year-old “wanting more” or “needing more,” and believe that need may be met by rigorous academics. At Spring River, we offer an experience for your child that is designed to “offer more “ by developing gross and fine motor skills, fostering imagination through play and story, honing social skills and empathy for others, and encouraging a deep connection to nature and the local outdoors.
Our curriculum is based on the slow turning of the seasons and the rhythm of our year follows those changes of the year, with complimentary stories, songs, and artwork. During the day your child will also have plenty of creative, open-ended play time that allows for experiences that provide a strong and natural foundation in literacy, numeracy, and creative thinking. Our schedule includes daily trips through the beautiful forest and to the sandy beaches nearby, with lots of time for the children to play, observe, and be immersed in nature.
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Activities
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Circle time that includes song, rhymes, finger-play, and movement
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Finger knitting
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Beeswax modeling
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Watercolor painting (wet on wet)
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Stories designed specifically for this age
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Nature Hikes & Immersion: Hours and hours of Forest and Beach time!
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Seasonal Celebrations and Festivals
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Introduction to a foreign language through songs and stories
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Philosophy
This program will follow these ten Essentials of a Waldorf-inspired Homeschool Kindergarten, based on Lavender Blue’s Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum and Susan Howard’s “Essentials of a Waldorf Kindergarten.”
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Free, imaginative play
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Creative artistic experience
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Love and warmth
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Gratitude, Reverence, and Wonder
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Joy, Humor, and Happiness
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Movement
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Nature-Immersion/Care for the Environment
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Meaningful adult activity as an example for the students’ imitation
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Relationship-Based
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Emphasis on Rhythm
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Our Kindergarten Program serves children ages 5-6. Please note that we only accept kindergartners who have obtained or will obtain the age of five by September 1st.