The air element attunes us to the mind. This includes developing concentration, problem-solving skills, age appropriate academic explorations, and clear communication methods. Wildheart Kindergarteners learn how to solve challenges in a fun way by collecting the most effective sticks for a fire, discovering primitive crafts, building shelters, and interacting in a community. Note that we can exclude academic activities for families practicing a Waldorf philosophy.

• Practice writing upper and lower case letters
  
• Practice counting and numbers
• Work on collecting and sorting
• Learn problem solving methods
• Practice leadership and teamwork through communication

we work with children who are entering school for the first time and some who are preparing to go into first grade. Each child learns at their own pace and will be offered developmentally appropriate skills and tools to prepare them for what is to come. Outdoor experiences inherently promote more advanced problem-solving skills, less stress, and enhanced creativity, according to the articles in “Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural, and Evolutionary Investigations,” edited by Peter Kahn and Stephen Kellert. 

The fire element attunes us to our passions and curiosities. Wildheart’s curriculum is tailored toward children’s natural interests and passions. We encourage curiosity during our nature outings and develop curriculum based on the children’s findings and interests. Nature and open-ended prompts stimulate the children’s imagination.

• • Go on nature discovery expeditions
  • Practice curiosity tools such as how to ask questions
  • Be immersed in emergent curriculum that is mirroring their current interests and passions
  • Children will perform experiments to test theories. (For example, Will this sink or float?)
  • Children will co-create a culture of curiosity

we allot children plenty of opportunity for expansive play to unfold. Learning and playing in nature are intertwined at Wildheart Kindergarten to create a joyous entree into their world.

Children are immersed in the earth element by planning, cultivating and harvesting the complete cycle of a garden. From putting down mulch and planting seeds to nurturing and harvesting the crop, children engage with their food, even as they observe the garden’s eventual decay. Our farm location provides children with a perfect hands-on opportunity to embody stewardship. Children enact farm chores such as feeding and caring for the animals.

• Engage in practical skills
  
• Practice handwork (dry felting, wet felting, sewing)
• Bake and cook 
• Garden, harvest, preserve food, and deydrate food
  
• Wildcraft plants and build shelters
  
• Engage in primitive skills
  
• Learn stewardship

Stewardship and care for the earth is a very high priority at Wildheart. Children become mindful of waste and trash and observe their impact on the world around them. Cultivating this visceral connection to the natural world is key for this cultivation.

Water invites us to feel our emotions and regulate them throughout the day. The flow of our day mirrors the natural rhythm of the breath. We balance the in-breath of togetherness and focus with the out-breath of free play, solitude, and rest. In honor of the water element, we bring an element of depth to everything we do. We form deep bonds with each other and with the earth. We also offer children the opportunity to self-reflect as they grow.

• • Be immersed in nature where emotional regulation occurs naturally
  • Learn tools for emotional regulation 
  • Practice Resiliency (social and in the outdoors)
  • Sing songs and play instruments
  • Form deep bonds with each other and the earth
  • Practice conflict resolution
  • Learn how to advocate for themselves and other

water can be a place of the unknown. In our program, children grow their capacity to face the unknown with acceptance and resilience. We celebrate our emotional capacity to enjoy music with natural instruments we create on the farm, handmade instruments from our teachers, and novel instruments from around the world.

The element of ether attunes us to the intangible underlying fabric of reality that connects all people, plants, animals, minerals, and beyond. We commit to a high degree of presence with the children. Through celebrating the turn of the seasons, we attune ourselves to nature’s harmony. In our program we celebrate community festivals bring all families together to honor the seasons and the richness they bring.

• Do sit spots in nature to cultivate stillness
• Practice mindfulness through breath, friendly wishes, and other methods
• Create seasonal festivals that bring all families together
• Experience an exceptional level of presence from teachers

Artistic activities follow the cycle of the seasons, with circle time and storytelling reflecting the same. Restful time is not a nap time, but a quiet in-breath to find calm while listening to a story. Art lessons will range in mediums and will be bound into a handmade book of artwork by each child.