Early Childhood Development
4 months — 6 years
Baby Care — Play Group — Nursery School
Michael Mount Waldorf School provides young children with an artistic, safe, nurturing, and alternative start to learning. We allow the child sufficient time to develop their own innate intelligence, laying vital foundations for the rest of their lives.
Young children primarily use their senses to discover the world around them. Touching, tasting, seeing, smelling, hearing, and perceiving are the most impactful forms of learning. Through rich, active, and age-appropriate experiences in our natural environments, children gradually develop healthy fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, general balance, as well as language, oral and social skills.
Our Early Childhood classes consist of safe outdoor spaces in a beautiful garden, as well as comforting indoor spaces filled with natural objects and playthings.
Toys are made from natural materials and are as unfinished as possible, so that the children are left to ‘finish’ them with their own imagination. Playthings include simple dolls and wooden objects, as well as beautifully coloured cloths for dressing up and ‘building houses’.
Everything that surrounds the young child, both visible and invisible, has an impact on them, and they learn much through imitation. Subsequently, love, rhythm, and emotional warmth nourish the child’s very being, and are the basis for their healthy development. The early childhood teacher strives to be worthy of imitation and is sincere in gesture, speech, and general being. They endeavour to protect and nurture the unfolding of each child through loving interest, care, acceptance, and respect. Days, months, and seasons are rooted in harmonious rhythm and intention.
Baby Care
A home away from home
We offer care Monday - Friday from 07:30 until 17:30
This care is offered throughout the year with a 3 week break over December
4 months — 2 years
Babies do not distinguish between themselves and their surroundings. Michael Mount provides a safe haven where babies are slowly and gently introduced to the world.
A baby-led structure
We understand that no two babies are the same, and we foster a trusting relationship through gentle, loving, individual attention. Each baby’s needs are respected in terms of eating, sleep time, reaching milestones, and general development.
Movement and environment
At this age, movement is vital – climbing, crawling, standing and walking are activities that build a sturdy frame. These activities are encouraged through a wholesome, safe environment for your baby to explore. Our space provides the opportunity to spend time both in- and outdoors, while napping babies are accommodated in a quiet room furnished with wooden cribs.
Play Group
Learning is caught rather than taught
Monday - Friday we begin at 08:00 and end at 14:10
On Wednesdays we end at 12:20
Early care is available from 07:15 and aftercare runs until 18:00
2 years — 4 years
The children are welcomed with warmth, simplicity, and a well-rounded experience that encourages them to access their most important learning tool at this age: their imagination.
Free Play
Imaginative free play is considered one of the most important means of stimulating physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development in young children. A lot of time is spent outdoors – allowing children to engage in self-directed games that get them moving.
Activities in a meaningful context
Children are gradually introduced to various carefully structured activities such as storytelling, puppetry, singing, painting, drawing, beeswax modelling, baking, nature walks, circle time and eating meals together. At this age, children require individual attention when learning how to perform various tasks, and the teachers strive to lay a strong foundation for Nursery School.
Nursery School
The world is good
Two classes of mixed ages, creating a family feel
Monday - Friday we begin at 08:00 and end at 14h:10
Wednesdays we end at 12:20
Early care is available from 07:15 and aftercare runs until 18:00
4 years — 6 years
Children are encouraged to develop skills in curiosity, communication, and self-confidence, appropriately preparing them for the classroom later on. Each child is invited to live fully in their imagination.
Preserving childhood
Introducing abstract, academic work too early in a child’s life can be detrimental to their natural development. This is why the Waldorf Nursery School curriculum primarily offers a deeply nurturing, playful environment where creativity, care, and friendships are encouraged in a non-academic setting.
Growth through experience
Children enhance their skills, discover the world around them, and grow in confidence through various activities. Amongst others, these include storytelling, painting and drawing, beeswax modelling, gardening, baking, sewing and circle time. The children slowly become more responsible for themselves and take care of one another and their classroom. When the children move up to Class One, they are well prepared for formal learning.