Waldorf kindergarten: concept and costs

Waldorf Kindergarten: Concept

Like the Waldorf school , the Waldorf kindergarten is an institution independent of state and church. The concept was developed in 1919 by Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education. Many kindergartens work closely with Waldorf schools to ensure a seamless transition. A common sponsor often acts in such cooperations. But there are also Waldorf kindergartens that work independently of Waldorf schools. The educators are relatively free in the implementation of the pedagogical concept, but there are still some basic principles that should be heeded in the Waldorf kindergarten:

• Learning through imitation:  Imitation is the central process of children’s learning in the first seven years of life. Accordingly, children first perceive their environment and the actions of adults in it and then process this information by imitating what they see, for example in play. Educators want to encourage this process by doing activities in a way that children can easily see through and understand.
• Free play: Children should live out their creativity in “free” play and experience it with all their senses. Materials from nature are used as toys, for example shells, stones and wood. These give the child’s imagination more freedom than modeled toys with special functions.
• Development at your own pace: Waldorf education attaches great importance to the personal and individual development of the children. They should be allowed to develop at their own pace.
• Celebrating the seasons: Going through the seasons and celebrating the corresponding festivals is an important part of the pedagogy in the Waldorf kindergarten.
• Holistic concept : The development in a natural environment is understood as a holistic concept. Every toy has its place, because the outer structure and order should give the children a sense of security and security.
• The commitment of the parents: The work of the parents is an important part of the organization of many Waldorf kindergartens. As a parent, you are asked to support the kindergarten, bear responsibility, but also have a say in various topics.

Waldorf kindergarten often associated with healthy eating

In the Waldorf kindergarten, meals are prepared from organic products whenever possible. The nutrition concept provides that the children enjoy different foods in order to offer the human organism different stimuli.

Costs for Waldorf kindergarten

Your child can usually attend a Waldorf kindergarten instead of a state kindergarten without any problems. Since Waldorf kindergartens are only partly financed by state subsidies, you have to reckon with somewhat higher contributions.