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Every autumn, Grandma made her apple crisp for Michaelmas festival and every year they declared it was the very best in the land. But when they asked Grandma what she put in it, she sweetly shook her head and said with a smile, “It’s my little secret!”

What if playgrounds were natural landscapes where children explore their outdoor surroundings and create their own play structures? What if children’s crafts were inspired by nature and made from natural materials? Can you imagine a world where the forest is a child’s classroom? What if a child’s curiosity was fueled by the world around them, unhindered by media and marketing? What would it look like? I am lucky. I don’t have to wonder! My children attend a Waldorf sch

A teacher resting her hands on a child’s shoulders With an average of ten toddlers from the ages of 18 months to 3 years in an indoor space, there are times during the children’s free play when they need additional quiet rest times, that supplement the traditional afternoon nap. These “rest times” generally do not involve sleep, but allow children who have been hurt, anxious, overtired or overwhelmed to settle back into their bodies and gather themselves. These framed rest t

Sleep is a challenge for many young families. Indeed, much of our nation is sleep deprived. Yet, sleep is not an issue unto itself and cannot be separated from the other aspects of our daily lives. Nutrition, warmth, daily rhythms, physical activity and the quality of our sensory impressions (playing outdoors, watching TV, playing video games, etc.) all help form our sleep life.

“Leaning into the intervals” at the start of the school year creates a strong foundation for the whole day and the year to run more smoothly. It helps me to ensure each child successfully adjusts to being in my care, allowing me to focus carefully on why some children’s experiences are more difficult and offer the support they need to feel secure and loved.

Transitioning into new rhythms, such as the school year, can feel a little tricky or unsettling. It’s not uncommon for our children to demonstrate their unease by acting out in different ways, depending upon their age and temperament. With the extra patience and attention they need on top of trying to establish new routines or schedules, we may begin to feel harried and stressed. For a bit of relief, let’s take some direction from this quote by Kim John Payne: “Relationships

What makes a story endure? Why do certain fairy tales, myths, and folktales survive centuries while countless forms of entertainment fade almost as quickly as they appear? In The Kingdom of Childhood, Rudolf Steiner suggests that the finest stories are those that grow along with us: “Things small and great are contained in the story, for indeed things small and great are repeatedly coming up again and again in life and working upon each other.” A young child receives the stor

Parents of nine-year-olds often wonder, "What is happening to my child?" Children at this age may suddenly become very critical and argumentative, or very moody and withdrawn. Nightmares, irrational fears, headaches, and stomachaches often arise. Some children feel as if no one at school likes them, and others become suddenly self-conscious about being rich, poor, or otherwise "different." Parents may be accused of being unfair or of not understanding, as the child rushes off

As parents, teachers, caregivers, and guides, we spend so much of our energy trying to understand the children in our lives. We study child development, learn new strategies, and strive to meet each child where they are. Yet one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding children is often overlooked: understanding ourselves. Biography Work is the practice of looking back at our own life journey with curiosity, compassion, and wonder. Through reflection, storytelling

Have you ever wanted to do something special for a festival and then thought, “No, I could never get all of the parents to keep their voices down/sit still/wear appropriate clothing/sing the same song”? See how Susan Siverio helps the parents at Spindlewood Waldorf Kindergarten and LifeWays Center, to prepare for their Advent Spiral in early December. She sets the scene, shares the adult symolism of the event, and asks that parents allow their children to have their own exp

So, I was a little dismayed when I returned to work 15 years later and found that despite an overwhelming proliferation of screen devices the discussion about TV didn’t seem to be happening anymore. It was 2008 and all the children in my care seemed to be TV and cell phone and iPad literate and some of the children were talking about TV shows and characters that I found, well frankly, a little shocking.

In early childhood, Valentine’s Day offers a quiet opportunity to turn our attention toward something essential: love as lived experience. Before hearts become decorations and cards are exchanged, love is first known by young children through relationship, through warmth, rhythm, presence, and care. In LifeWays-inspired homes and programs, Valentine’s Day can be approached not as a single event, but as a gentle seasonal gesture that honors connection within the family or comm

Singing games are one of those simple childhood experiences that carry extraordinary depth. A circle of children, a shared melody, a few gestures or steps and suddenly something ancient and nourishing comes alive. Long before screens and schedules, children learned about the world, one another, and themselves through song and movement. At their heart, singing games invite children into connection. When children sing together, they breathe together, listen together, and move t

By late February, we find ourselves standing at a quiet threshold. Winter is still very much present and the cold air, bare branches, and long nights remind us of that, and yet something subtle has begun to shift. The light lingers a little longer in the afternoon. The sun feels warmer on our faces. Beneath the frozen ground, life is stirring. For young children, this time of year is not about anticipation or explanation. It is about experience. They feel the change not in w

How can parents deepen their own intimate connection with nature, and pass this, heart to heart, to their children? In doing research for my book With Stars in Their Eye: Brain Science and Your Child’s Journey Toward the Self, I discovered a mountain of studies that shows the foundation of all childhood brain development is what I call “The Love Connection.” The sacred love between parent and child is crucial in many ways, as we know. A more subtle, yet profoundly necessary

Rudolf Steiner urged teachers to take into sleep the meditation of their students’ highest selves in order to connect with their spiritual companions for guidance. I have practiced this both with children in my care and with my own children, and it often serves as an antidote to my stress in difficult times. It is relieving to lay down the intellectual struggle before the “feet” of a higher being and invite them into partnership with me. And, it’s incredible how effective it

This is a story of a year of discovery with the first graders at The Marin Waldorf School, where we were nestled under a huge bay laurel tree among an oak grove in an acre wood on campus. There is no way to put into words the sheer magic of this time together. The best I can do is to offer a story of our year creating forest time and crafting in the Bay Tree Café with the first grade children. It’s called the Bay Tree Café because it is a circle of stumps where the children g

By Savannah Freier of Outside Kids The Role of Warmth in a Child’s Development As the winter months deepen, bringing some of the coldest days of the year, the importance of warmth is ever-present on our minds, and perhaps surprisingly, on our hearts as well. In Lifeways education, we believe warmth extends beyond physical comfort to play a central role in supporting the development of the whole child. Warmth fosters growth on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels, laying

I used to rebuild December every year. Now I just return to it. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s anchored. The rhythm we’ve created, has turned into our traditions. Tradition is the opposite of overwhelm. When everyone knows the flow, the magic makes itself. That’s the secret. Ritual removes stress. Repetition creates ease. Ease creates the kind of memories they carry into adulthood. The things my kids can predict, name, and look forward to without needing a calenda

How do we celebrate seasonal holidays and avoid the mine-field of commercial culture that so easily invades our family life? Let the Holiday Happen at Home! Especially during the holiday crush, you’ll do best to keep all your normal life- rhythms steady: meal times, play times, house-keeping, book snuggles, nap and bedtimes. As we know, sharing food together, playing in a healthy way and sound sleep are the foundations of well-being. During the holiday rush, let’s create meal