A play-based program protecting the magic of childhood.
Both locations offer the same nurturing Waldorf approach. Choose the environment that feels right for your family.
A home-like setting in the heart of Saratoga Springs. Children explore our gardens, walk to local parks, and experience the seasons.
Inside: cooking together, watercolor painting, seasonal crafts, songs and puppet shows. Calm, beautiful, nurturing.
Nestled on Spa State Park land with forested trails, open spaces for climbing and building, and a restored farmhouse for indoor activities.
Deep immersion in nature for families seeking something different from the typical preschool experience.
Storytelling, songs, rhymes and movement are a part of every morning circle. Rich language and imagery lead children from hearty play to a quiet place in their own imaginations. Music connects the flow of the morning—from play to clean-up, circle time to rest time, snack to play once more. The circling year and change of seasons are noticed and celebrated for the wonder they bring to the young child—both outdoors and in classroom crafts. Honey-scented beeswax to model, warm wool to felt and stitch, wood to sand and polish, brilliant water-colors to paint with—all provide a young child with nurturing sensory experiences and growing dexterity.
Play is essential. Young children play to learn about the world, about themselves, and about each other.
Your child builds self-confidence and a love of learning through joyful, unhurried play.
The days and weeks follow a gentle, predictable rhythm. Tuesday might be painting day. Thursday is rainbow soup for lunch! Friday is cooking day.
Your child is seen, supported, and guided as an individual.
Young children learn by doing - through movement, exploration, and hands-on experience.
Learning feels meaningful and alive, helping children connect knowledge to the world around them.
For a young child, school should be like home. Safety, emotional warmth, encouragement and a sense of belonging are the hallmarks of an Early Childhood program that cares for your child the way that you would. The Waldorf Early Childhood programs offer a sensory-rich, home-like setting with an 8:1 student to teacher ratio. Teachers cultivate a nurturing environment that fosters play, exploration, social harmony and self-care skills. A strong partnership between teachers and parents eases the transition from home to school, allowing each child to flourish.
Your child isn't sitting at a desk with a worksheet. Instead, they're chopping vegetables, raking leaves, and churning butter - doing real tasks that build real confidence and coordination. Through play and purposeful activities, children discover they can do meaningful things. Your child develops the confidence that comes from genuine contribution and real engagement.
Each day follows a gentle, predictable rhythm that gives children emotional security. A typical morning includes free play, circle time with songs and movement, a focused activity (painting, cooking, handwork), outdoor exploration, storytime, and snack.
The rhythm repeats weekly - Tuesday might be painting day, Friday is cooking day - so children always know what to expect. Gentle transitions and a calm pace create space for deep engagement rather than rushed activity.
These two educational approaches began with a similar goal: to design a curriculum that was developmentally appropriate to the child and that addressed the child's need to learn in a tactile as well as an intellectual way. The philosophies are otherwise very different.
Many families find Waldorf's warmth and community focus particularly appealing for young children.
We practice "connection before correction" - building warm relationships that become the foundation for guidance. With our 8:1 ratio, we can address challenges individually.
No. We're secular and welcome families of all backgrounds. We celebrate seasonal festivals that connect children to nature, but these are cultural, not religious.
In today's world children and young adults are faced with so many outlining stressors. I did not want school to be one of those for my children. I wanted them to enjoy going to school. I wanted it to be a safe place for them to learn, and grow— where music, movement, and the arts were integral, and smiles, laughter, and happiness succeeded standards and testing. Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs does this and more.
The best way to understand what makes Waldorf Early Childhood special is to experience it yourself. Schedule a tour to see our classrooms, meet our teachers, and feel the warmth of our community.
Contact Admissions
Email: admissions@waldorfsaratoga.org
Phone: (518) 587-0549
