Singing Cedars places our highest value on honoring the physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs of each child. We seek to actively engage parents in the education and development of their children in respectful partnership with our teachers. Singing Cedars requires that parents restrict the influence of media via television, internet, movies and other electronics in order to nurture the natural curiosity, protect appropriate child development and stimulate creative play of the children.
TV rots the senses in the head!
It kills the imagination dead!
It clogs and clutters up the mind!
It makes a child dull and blind!
He can no longer understand
Fantasy, or fairyland!
His brain becomes as soft as cheese!
His powers of thinking rust and freeze!
― An excerpt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl,1964
Play:
We believe that the work of the young child is to play! Children in the first seven years need to spend most of their time moving their bodies and exploring their environment for healthy muscular, brain, organ and soul development. Singing Cedars provides a rich world where children feel secure enough to investigate the many possibilities for creative free play.
Imitation:
Children before the age of seven, learn through imitation. They imitate everything they see, good or bad. The teachers at Singing Cedars therefore are always actively involved in practical, artistic or creative activity, which is worthy of the young child's imitation.
"If a tiny child has been able in his play to give up his whole living being to the world around him, he will be able, in the serious tasks of later life, to devote himself with confidence and power to the service of the world." ― Rudolf Steiner
Rhythm:
Having a dependable sequence for the day and for the week, at home as well as at school, offers a child a sense of security and steady rhythm that is vital to healthy functioning. The evenly paced rhythms of the day meet the children’s need for repetition and a balance of quiet and lively activities.
Our daily activities include:
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"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ― Albert Einstein |
| To become fully engaged in such activities is the child's best preparation for life and for future learning. | |
Links:
- Forest Kindergarten: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_kindergarten
- An interview with Helle Heckman founder of Nokken Kindergarten in Denmark: http://ow.ly/aAvoo)
- Waldorf Early Chidhood Association of North America: http://www.waldorfearlychildhood.org/
- AWSNA: http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/
- Waldorf Library: http://www.waldorflibrary.org/
Always remember, never forget... childhood never comes back!