CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Imagination and Play
Preschool, TK, and Kindergarten
A child-centered and play-based preschool (ages 3-4) and kindergarten (ages 5-6) program that emphasizes imagination, foundational skills, and connection with the natural world.
Engaged Learning
Elementary School (Grades 1-4)
A creative, interdisciplinary, and hands-on approach to learning fosters curious and engaged learners across ages and grade levels.
Critical Thinking & Creativity
Middle School (Grades 5-8)
Experiential and project-based, our middle school program promotes critical thinking and creativity in the classroom and a sense of belonging among students.
The Waldorf Curriculum
Waldorf schools offer a developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous approach to education. They integrate the arts in all academic disciplines for children from preschool through twelve grade to enhance and enrich learning. Waldorf education aims to inspire life-long learning in all students and to enable them to fully develop their unique capacities.
In the grades, each day starts with a two-hour main lesson period. Main lesson subjects are taught in blocks of three to four weeks, enabling the students to focus intensively on one subject at a time. Other specialty subjects, such as art, crafts, eurythmy, foreign languages, gardening, music and physical education are taught year-round.
Music, dance and theater, writing, literature, legends and myths are not simply subjects to be read about and tested. They are experienced. Through these experiences, Waldorf students cultivate their intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual capacities to be individuals certain of their paths and to be of service to the world.
Students create their own main lesson books from material the teacher presents in class. As the students move up in the grades, reference books, classic literature and group discussion increasingly supplement the class teacher's oral presentations.
Preschool & Kindergarten
Our welcoming mixed-age preschool and kindergarten programs are imaginative, social and, nature-based, fostering creative and engaged students who love coming to school.
Foundational Skills
Through a multidisciplinary, multilayered approach to math and language, starting at the earliest ages, children at Marin Waldorf School build essential skills during preschool and kindergarten. Learn more about how we teach math from preschool to 8th grade.
Connection With Nature
Time outdoors teaches children about the Earth’s natural rhythms and cycles, allows them to experience natural phenomena before studying them in a classroom, and fortifies the child’s relationship with and respect for the natural world.
Play-Based Learning
In Waldorf early childhood education, play is at the center of the day’s activities—and for good reason. For young children, play isn’t just enjoyable, it is essential to their growth, naturally stimulating a child’s neural pathways, and encouraging healthy cognitive and brain development.
A Thoughtful Approach to Tech
Starting in early childhood, we prioritize building academic, social, and emotional capacities in our students, slowly and intentionally introducing media and technology so that it can be used as a resource and a tool.
Preschool
Our preschool is designed with the young child in mind, with cozy classrooms that feel like home and a gentle rhythm that creates a sense of order and security for preschoolers. At this age, children learn best through play, and our teachers encourage the children's explorations into the world with stories, songs, beautiful handmade toys, and seasonal craft projects. Through this play-based learning time, our teachers encourage social development, problem-solving skills and language development.
Preschoolers spend a large part of their day outdoors, rain or shine, in our beautiful preschool play yard and redwood grove. This inspires curiosity in the natural world, reduces anxiety helps improve cognition. Then, they gather to share a fresh organic snack, prepared in the classroom every morning. Most mornings, children will help to prepare and contribute to their own snack, helping to develop fine motor skills and patience. Our low-tech approach to school and home life encourages imagination and wonder.
We offer a 3-day (Monday - Wednesday) and a 5-day preschool program and extended care until either 3:00 or 5:20pm.
What does a preschool day at Marin Waldorf look like?
8:30am - Welcome, doors open
8:30 - 9:00 - Artistic activity, story time, imaginative play
9:00 - 10:20 - Tidy up / circle time
10:20 - 10:45 - Morning snack (provided by school)
10:45 - 12:10 - Outside playtime
12:10 - 12:45 - Lunch
12:45 - Dismissal, aftercare begins
1:15 - 2:20 Quiet time / nap
2:20 - 3:00 - Outdoor playtime, snack
3:00 - Early aftercare pickup
3:00 - Late aftercare begins
5:20 - Late aftercare pickup
Sample snack schedule
All snacks are made daily in the classroom by teachers using high quality, organic ingredients. Fresh organic apples and oranges are served daily at snack time.
Monday - Vegetable soup (parents send children to school with a vegetable to contribute)
Tuesday - Bread buns with honey butter
Wednesday - Oatmeal porridge with raisins
Thursday - Rice and beans
Friday - Baking day
Why is a warm homemade snack a part of every preschool day? For many reasons! Learn more about how sharing a snack creates connection and community.
Learn about our preschool application process here
Kindergarten
Guided by a team of dedicated and experienced early childhood teachers, our joyful two-year mixed-age kindergarten program is designed to ignite a child’s curiosity and imagination. Inviting and homelike classrooms and a beautiful outdoor play yard create a nurturing backdrop to structured activities and free play. In kindergarten, we are practicing academics implicitly, learning numbers and language through story-telling and daily activities. This lays the foundation for the academic program in the grades and prepares children for the explicit decoding of letters and numbers that happens in first grade.
Highlights of kindergarten activities include watercolor painting and handcrafts, gardening, cooking and baking, singing and puppet shows, healthy movement and physical activity, a fresh organic snack provided daily and weekly hikes in Lucas Valley (with parents encouraged to join whenever possible!).
Sample Kindergarten Day
Our kindergarten day has a natural rhythm, alternating between teacher-led activities and moments of free, imaginative play.
8:15 a.m. The day begins, doors open
8:20-8:40 a.m. Movement or outdoor activities
8:40–9:00 a.m. Artistic activity (watercolor, bee’s wax modeling)
9:00–10 a.m. Inside play
10:00–10:30 a.m. Circle time
10:30–11 a.m. Morning snack
11:00–12:15 p.m. Outside play
12:15–12:30 p.m. Story time, puppet play, costume play
12:30–1 p.m. Lunch
1pm Dismissal, aftercare begins
Hours and Aftercare
Our kindergarten program runs from 8:15am to 1pm, 5 days a week. We also offer extended care every day after school until either 3pm or 5:20pm.
About Our Early Childhood Aftercare Program
Our aftercare program builds on the daily rhythm of the regular school day with quiet time, play, snacks, and group activities. We work to build a nurturing space for children to grow, learn, and build relationships with each other.
Learn about our kindergarten application process here
elementary school
At Marin Waldorf School, a child's education in academic subjects includes hands-on learning through music, painting, sculpture, movement and woodworking. Grades 1-4 is a time for children to understand the relationship between themselves and the world around them. Providing space and encouragement through this developmental stage enables the child to become stable, balanced and self-sufficient.
1st Grade
In 1st grade, students build foundational skills in numeracy, math, writing, and literacy while also learning to be good citizens of their classroom and school community.
Language Arts & Literacy: Fairy tales and children’s stories from around the world; listening, auditory memory, and comprehension skills; reciting verses and poetry; learning to identify and write letters and construct simple sentences with proper punctuation and cases.
Math: The four processes (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), simple number programs, Arabic and Roman numerals, skip counting, and pattern recognition. Read more about our multisensory approach to math here.
World languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Watercolor, form drawing, knitting, bee’s wax modeling, recorder, choir, theater and performance, pentatonic flutes
Movement: Collaborative games
2nd Grade
Confident at school and comfortable with their classmates, 2nd graders are eager learners, ready to build on the skills and capacities they developed in 1st grade.
Language Arts & Literacy: Fables, legends, and stories of heroic individuals from around the world; recall, sequencing, and memorization skills; identifying complex consonant and vowel teams, identify parts of speech; writing more complex sentences and compositions.
Math: Mental math and the times tables; the four processes (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division); multi-digit multiplication and long division.
World languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Watercolor, form drawing, crochet, choir, theater and performance, pentatonic flute, bee’s wax modeling
Movement: Collaborative games
3rd Grade
The study of practical arts like farming, gardening, shelter-building, and cooking are the heart of the 3rd grade curriculum.
Language Arts & Literacy: Compositions, self-editing, complex complex phonemes, sight words; Native American tales and Old Testament stories; spelling and vocabulary
Math: Telling time; measurements, weight, and volume; money; double-digit multiplication and word problems
World languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Watercolor, form drawing, embroidery, bee’s wax modeling, recorder, singing in rounds and canons, choir, theater and performance
Movement: Collaborative games
Outdoor education: 3rd grade farm trip to Three Springs Farm
4th Grade
By 4th grade, our students are capable and enthusiastic learners, ready to dive into more complex math, science, language arts, and history.
Language Arts & Literacy: Tenses, syntax, and comparative adjectives; handwriting, punctuation, and paragraphing; Norse mythology, independent compositions; research reports,
Math: Fractions (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing); working with mixed numbers
Social Studies: local geography and indigenous history
World languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Stringed instrument (violin, viola, cello), watercolor, form drawing, cross-stitch, recorder, singing in rounds and canons, choir, theater and performance,
Movement: Collaborative games
Outdoor education: Overnight field trip
a Meaningful Middle School
The approach to Waldorf liberal arts education is creative but rigorous. Entering into the upper grades with a foundation of strength and self-sufficiency, the child can now successfully enter into the next developmental stage where he can flourish. This is a time of awareness and self-discovery which lays the path for a lifelong love of learning.
5th Grade
Language Arts & Literacy: Greek myths; descriptive writing; self-editing and peer editing compositions; spelling and vocabulary; plot, character development, traits and roles and setting
Math: Decimals, ratios, four operations, place value, measurement, rounding, fractions, and word problems; freehand geometric drawing with straight edge and compass
Social Studies: Ancient civilizations, including India, Persia, Egypt, and Greece
Science: Botany
World Languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Strings, singing in parts, recorder, knitting (four needles), woodwork, watercolor, geometric drawing, drama and presentation
Movement: Track and field events, including javelin, discus, long jump, sprints; Pentathlon, an inter-school athletic event in the style of the Ancient Greek games.
6th Grade
Language Arts & Literacy: Developing a point of view or argument; compound and complex sentences, independent and subordinate clauses; self-editing, vocabulary, and spelling; character, plot, and themes in reading; summarizing and recall; book reports
Math: Beginning in sixth grade, a middle school math specialist complements the work of the class teacher. Business math and economics is the focus of 6th grade math.
Social Studies: The rise and fall of the Roman Empire; the Middle Ages; world geography
Science: Geology and mineralogy, astronomy, and physics (with lab)
World Languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Strings, singing in parts, recorder, knitting (four needles), woodwork, watercolor, geometric drawing, drama and presentation
Movement: Javelin, archery, unicycle
7th Grade
Language Arts & Literature: complex sentence structure, organization and development of paragraphs, transitions, and sequencing; plot summarization, character development, and theme analysis; note taking, preparing outlines, and paraphrasing; poetry, meter, and rhyme
Math: Pre-algebra and irrational numbers; Euclidean geometry (proof and calculation); The Pythagorean Theorem; the Golden Mean and the Fibonacci Sequence; the metric system
Social Studies: The European Renaissance, the Reformation, and world exploration
Science: Lab sciences in chemistry (combustion) and physics; expository writing for science
World Languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Chamber orchestra, choir/singing in parts, knitting (four needles), woodwork, watercolor, geometric drawing, speech and drama, perspective drawing
Movement: Track and field, team sports
8th Grade
Language Arts & Literature: Shakespeare and epic poetry; textual detail, hypothesizing, theme and character analysis, and literary style; outlining, note taking, writing a research paper (citing sources and making a bibliography), paraphrasing, summarizing, the essay, and newspaper and business writing; creative writing; oral presentation
Math: Algebra (linear and quadratic polynomial equations), Platonic solids, three-dimensional geometry (Pythagorean theorem, surface area, volume)
Social Studies: Revolutions, Civil Rights
Science: Lab sciences in organic chemistry, physics, aerodynamics, and mechanics; human physiology and anatomy
World Languages: Spanish and Mandarin
Arts, Crafts, and Music: Chamber orchestra, choir/singing in parts, knitting (four needles), woodwork, watercolor, geometric drawing, speech and drama
Movement: Track and field, team sports
Where do our graduates go?
Marin Waldorf School graduates attend both public and independent high schools in the Bay Area and beyond. Most go on to study at a four-year university. Below is a list of recent high school and college attendance.
High Schools Acceptances & Attendance
Archie Williams High School
The Branson School
Credo High School
The Bay School
Interlochen Arts Academy
Marin Academy
Marin School of the Arts
Marin Catholic High School
Redwood High School
Saint Ignatius
San Domenico School
San Francisco Waldorf High School
San Rafael High School
Sonoma Academy
Tamalpais High School
Terra Linda High School
Select Colleges & Universities Attended By Our Graduates
Amherst College
Bennington College
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
CU Boulder
Colorado State
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Elon University
Humboldt State University
Pfitzer College
New York University
Occidental College
San Diego State
Santa Clara University
Sonoma State
Temple University
UC Berkeley
UCLA
UC Davis
UC Santa Cruz
University of Oregon
University of Wyoming
University of Denver
University of Vermont
University of Miami
University of Nevada
University of Utah
University of Mississippi
Vanderbilt University
Villa Nova
Whitman College
Wellesley College
Willamette University
This video was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and reflects the safety protocols we used at that time.
Parent-Toddler Class
Breathe, Unplug, Connect
For young children, parent-toddler classes are a gentle, supportive way to start socializing with other children and exploring the world around them. For parents and caregivers, the classes are an opportunity to connect with other families, discuss parenting and Waldorf education, and learn more about their child by quietly observing them at play.
This spring, our Parent-Toddler class will meet on Friday mornings, from 9:30am to 11:00am. We will have 7 sessions, from Friday, April 18th, to Friday, May 30th. Register here.
Designed for families with children who are 18 months to 2 years 9 months old, these simple, sweet, and playful morning gatherings are held in our school's cozy parent-child classroom and beautiful outdoor spaces. Daniella Baker, Marin Waldorf School's early childhood program director, will be leading the parent-toddler classes.
While children play, adults share a cup of tea and engage in simple seasonal crafts. We discuss parenting, share our experiences caring for young children, and learn more about the Waldorf approach to early childhood, which emphasizes wonder, imaginative play, and connection with nature. Join our sweet group of families this winter!
Cost is $335 for the 7-week class. Note: Cancellations subject to a $100 cancellation fee, up to 1 week before class starts.
Ms. Daniella first fell in love with Waldorf education in 1994, when she went to work for a Waldorf school in Mill Valley, CA. She was enchanted by the beauty of the classroom and the thoughtful way this education was brought. She went on to work with the little ones during and after school, and later did her Waldorf training. She loves having the young children around and is captivated by how they meet the world around them. Being a parent of two teenagers that went through Waldorf education, she wants to support the parents of young children help them to value each minute of these special years.
Summer magic in the heart of marin!
June 16 - July 25
Join us for 6 weeks of fresh air, sunshine, and simple pleasures on our beautiful Lucas Valley campus. Picnics, water play, nature walks, daily crafting, and a welcoming community for children 3.5 to 6 years old.
Summer Camp at Marin Waldorf School is based on the tenets of Waldorf early childhood education, incorporating ample outdoor activities and free play with a gentle daily rhythm. Throughout the summer, we hike, craft, cook, sing, and play together. Our cozy and inviting early childhood classrooms are available to us—each equipped with a kitchen and children’s bathrooms—but we spend most of the day outdoors, enjoying the sunny days in the shade of our old oak trees, or hiking around our campus. We share a homemade organic snack each day.
Warm and cozy indoor spaces designed for young children and an expansive outdoor play yard with a swing, sandbox, and vegetable garden
Crafts, painting and drawing, and other teacher-led activities
An organic homemade organic snack is provided and shared among the campers daily (Parents send a hearty lunch and water bottle.)
$1250 per 2-week session
We welcome children ages 3.5 to 6 years old. *Please note: children must have previous experience in a preschool setting before attending camp.
Session 1: June 16 - June 27, 9am to 3pm daily
Session 2: June 30 - July 11, 9am to 3pm daily
Session 3: July 14 - July 25, 9am to 3pm daily
Sample Daily Schedule
The daily schedule at camp mirrors the rhythm of our early childhood classrooms, with a morning greeting and circle, structured crafts and activities, and plenty of time for play.
9 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Arrival and Playtime
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Activity 1
10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Snack and Play
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Activity 2 / Outdoor Play
12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch and Outside Play
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Quiet Time - Rest Time
2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Outdoor Activities and/or Water Play
2:55 p.m. – 3 p.m. Pickup
CANCELLATIONS
Cancellations subject to a $250 cancellation fee through May 2, 2025. Cancellations after this date will result in forfeiture of the entire fee.
