Kindergarten & First Grade Readiness
“We have such a brief opportunity to pass on to our children our love for this Earth, and to tell our stories. These are the moments when the world is made whole. In my children's memories, the adventures we've had together in nature will always exist.”
—Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods
Our approach to education is like no other in Central Missouri. Our students are not confined to desks in classrooms and children who participate in our nature-based kindergarten program will enjoy many benefits to their physical, mental, and emotional development. Schedule a visit today to learn more about our kindergarten and why it would be a wonderful fit for your family.
These days, public school kindergarten determines eligibility based solely on age. This has not always been the case. Whether a child was ready for kindergarten in the past was based on physical and social/emotional factors as well as age. City Garden School takes the whole child into account to determine "readiness" for anything.
“The task of the kindergarten teacher is to adapt the practical activities of daily life so that they are suitable for the child’s imitation through play. In kindergarten, the most important thing is to give the children the opportunity to directly imitate life itself.”
– Rudolf Steiner, Founder of Waldorf Education
City Garden will consider children for our kindergarten program aged 5-6 by August of the year of enrollment. Much like tending plants, we want time to nourish the seeds and give the roots a strong foundation so the blooms may flourish.
City Garden School will accept incoming first graders who turn six years old by August of the year they enroll. One of our primary goals is to honor the development of each child. Teachers work from the understanding of child development and experience.
An introduction to first-grade readiness:
Determining a Child’s Readiness for First Grade
A call to later start dates for formal schooling in England:
School starting age: the evidence, University of Cambridge
The importance of play in early education and readiness for formal schooling:
Let the Kids Learn Through Play, The New York Times
