11 March, 2010
Rudolf Steiner School
Kings Langley

Langley Hill, Kings Langley Hertfordshire WD4 9HG United Kingdom

Tel:      44 (0)1923 262 505 Fax:     44 (0)1923 270 958
E-mail:  info@rsskl.org

Cherry Tree Parent and Child Group (0-3 years)
  
If you are caring for a child from 0-3 years, do drop in to one of our sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning. You do not need to book or give  advanced notice. We are always happy to welcome new people. 

The sessions run from 10.00 to 12.15 in the Friarswood building in the school grounds. Follow signs to the kindergarten and ask! We have  up to about ten families at any one time. The atmosphere is relaxed and the children soon get to know the pattern of the morning and feel safe in it. In the course of the morning, adults have plenty of time to talk while the children play. At the same time we foster a connection to nature and the cycle of the year, through play in our beautiful garden, songs, stories and other activities.  All the materials and playthings are of natural materials, as far as possible. 

The cost of each session is £6.00. After one or two “taster” sessions when you can pay on the day, we ask you to sign up to a regular session. This helps friendships and  communities  to grow within  the groups and will  also be beneficial  to your child
as it provides a weekly rhythm.
 

In addition to the weekly sessions, there is a termly parents’ afternoon on a weekend. The group leader, Oona Alexander, has a background in Steiner education and has been running groups for parents and children for several years. She is a trained and experienced teacher, as well as a story teller, gardner and parent of a young child.

 
The Pattern of the Morning
We start  with free play in our welcoming room  there is  a pretend  “house area” with
wooden cooker and washing machine, baskets of crafted wooden toys, some lovely 
horses to ride/rock on and a very fluffy sheep called “Woolly”.  New children are usually
quick to feel at home in the inviting play space. During this time there is  usually a craft
activity which is seasonally inspired. Or there might be an activity such as baking,
planting, going for a walk, collecting wood or picking elderflowers or apples.

We  then  clear  up  with  the  tidy  away  song  and  have  a  “ringtime”  with songs and
rhymes  accompanied by  gestures which  engage  the toddlers. Then we wash hands,
go to the table and say a blessing. There follows a cooked snack, usually savoury rice
with warm herb tea.  We sometimes  also have  seasonal  produce  from  our  garden.
After this there is garden time when the children may play in the sandpit or playhouse. 
And  finally,  in  the  summerhouse,  there  is  a  short  story  which  portrays  seasonal
events 
as a gentle puppet show.

This rhythm provides children and adults alike with a peaceful and nourishing morning.
As one parent said, “I feel as if I’ve had therapy!”
 
Nature and the Cycle of the Year
The activities of the morning are inspired by nature and the cycle of the year. We might 
start  the school  year by grinding  wheat and  baking bread and end it by making bark
boats to sail off into the summer. We also change the colours and other features of the 
room to reflect the changing seasons: there is a nature table with, for example in spring, 
snowdrops,  woven  nests and  handmade  ”bulb babies”,  which can strengthen the
experience of the natural year. Experiencing rhythm is reassuring for children, and can
be nourishing for adults too.
 
 
Parents’ afternoons
These events are held on an afternoon at the the weekend during term time. They offer
participants the chance to hear more about early years parenting issues from a Steiner 
perspective. Previous topics have included “How do we speak with children?” and “The 
Senses”.

There is always space for questions and discussion. These are usually lively events in
which differing views are aired and we don’t  expect parents to conform to any one
parenting style.
 
 
Small babies may come to these events, but otherwise it’s a space for the parents
to go deeper into topics which it’s not possible to discuss with the children there.
 
We recognise that parents are the most important people in a child’s life are our
parent child groups aim to support both parent and child equally.
  

 

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