Kindergarten Environment

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A Waldorf kindergarten classroom is created in a beautiful, loving way. Soft, warm colors create a dreamy effect. Warm natural materials such as wood, wool and cotton are used for flooring, furniture and decoration. Because young children are in such a dreamy state as they fully incarnate into their physical bodies, this provides a comforting, warm environment in which to play, as do soft drapes of airy silk and gauzy cotton over windows and hanging from ceilings. Using wooden playstands, children use smaller silk and cotton cloths in soft shades to create homes or other structures during free play time. Children are drawn to creating homes during this early childhood phase as the home represents the body, again reflecting this time of incarnating into their bodies.

The warm colors and textures of the natural materials in the classroom promote warmth to their sense of touch. Rudolf Steiner, who initiated the Waldorf education movement, felt that providing warmth was one of the most important things for healthy early childhood development because "warmth supports life." The classroom has an overall home-like atmosphere with areas to play "kitchen" or tea time, or put babies to bed, or construct a home or boat or train, or tend to plants, or the myriad activities that go on in a home.