Early childhood
Children’s drawings. A window to the world of life forces
Children’s drawings tell the story of how children unconsciously move into their body. In drawing, the small child expresses a feeling of those forces which are active in forming the body in the first seven years. Rudolf Steiner calls these biological growth forces life or etheric forces. They build, form and penetrate the physical body and the drawings of the small child are an expression of these forces. [more]
Early childhood
Basic gestures of life
Whatever the family may look like, the important thing is to support the child’s self-determination and interpersonal abilities. [more]
Early childhood
Role model and imitation
A basic educational question is how children learn. School children learn in a different way from small children. The latter cannot be reached with words, admonitions and explanations. At this age the only learning that takes place is through the role model who acts on the child primarily through actions, but also through thoughts and feelings. [more]
Early childhood
The journey from kindergarten to school
Transitions are part of childhood. There is no other age at which they occur so frequently. The change from kindergarten to school is particularly incisive, also for the family. Almost one year before the actual move to school, a transition phase starts in kindergarten which is marked by numerous rituals, particular actions, but also a change in the status of the children and new challenges. [more]
Early childhood
A changing childhood or changing children?
Children change along with the society in which they grow up. This becomes very apparent when you compare the children of today with the children of previous generations. But what do these changes consist of? Elke Rüpke from the Waldorf preschool teacher training seminar in Stuttgart summarises the observations of teachers at various Waldorf Schools. [more]
Early childhood
What children wish for
Christmas is coming. Every year parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and godparents look for suitable presents. The toy industry is booming. Children are snowed under with toys and even if the pleasure is great at the beginning, many of them will soon lie abandoned – year after year – because only few toys are suitable for playing with. [more]
Early childhood
Royal children. The meaning of the final kindergarten year
The last kindergarten year is of special educational importance. [more]
Early childhood
Learning to grasp the body
When there is talk about education in early childhood it can make us wince inwardly because what is meant by that is early learning. People talks about “support” in a well-meaning way. [more]
Early childhood
Children have the right to refuse
Does life in a patchwork family entail new relationship and developmental experiences? Or does the new family constellation lead to a labyrinth of misunderstandings, frustration and deep hurt? Nadja Hölzer-Hasselberg regularly sees a lot of relationship misery in patchwork families in her work as a psychotherapist, arising from family members not being adequately prepared for the challenges that this entails. [more]
Early childhood
Children need role models
Werner Kuhfuss calls for the development of archetypes in kindergarten, the creation of a real theatre of life with mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, farmers, blacksmiths and artists. The author is not interested in entrenching stereotypes but primarily seeks to strengthen the masculine element in education. [more]
Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen e.V.