Early Childhood

Our kindergarten students spend their days preparing for the academic learning that will start in 1st grade in a nurturing, home-like environment. Each day has a strong rhythm which is kept throughout the year. The dependable nature of the child’s day lays the foundation for feelings of safety, warmth, and readiness to engage with their surroundings.

Cooking soup and baking bread are group activities that build a sense of teamwork and collaboration within the class in a real way - the soup and bread are enjoyed together as a class, and are a tangible prize for the work the students contribute.

Our Eurythmist, Ruth Bucklin, spends time with the kindergartners in their circle time at the beginning of their day, engaging them in enchanting songs, stories, and movements. Likewise, Tia Raquel introduces students to the Spanish language in a non-academic, approachable atmosphere.

Beeswax is used to mold figures and shapes by the students, serving both as a tactile toy which leaves room for the child’s imagination, and also strengthens their hands to prepare for gripping pencils, knitting needles, and the other tools they will use in later years at Peace Valley.

Kindergarten students at Peace Valley spend much of their day outside or in outdoor classrooms, playing with the natural treasures they find, climbing on rocks and hills, and often walking to nearby Terry Day park for picnics and field trips. While children naturally start to awaken to the wonders of the changing seasons at this age, our kindergarten staff help their students to understand and appreciate these annual changes through seasonal songs and stories, and participating in seasonally-centered festivals.