Summer Programs
summer hands-on fun
Summergarden is an opportunity for children entering grades 2 - 6 to explore arts, weaving, jewelry making, and more - all while making new friends! Children from all schools in the area are welcome!
“
The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility; these are the very nerve of education.
Rudolf Steiner
Davis Waldorf emphasizes:
Great Programs: Our Summergarden program features wholesome, age-appropriate activities in a natural setting. We strive to provide a mix of hands-on, teacher-led activities and supervised, child-directed play.
Healthy Food: Nutritious whole-food lunches and snacks are included in tuition. All meals are organic and local when possible.
Beautiful Location: Davis Waldorf School is located in North Davis. It sits on five acres amidst grassy playspaces, gardens, herbs, wildflowers, and plenty of shade trees.
Weekly Themes & Dates
| THEME | DATES | INSTRUCTOR |
|---|---|---|
| Dollmaking | 6/17-21 | Dahlia Haberman |
| Yoga & Nature Journals | 6/24-28 | Read Forrest |
Healing with Herbs | 7/1-5* | Dominique Dhainaut |
Knots & Braids | 7/8-12 | Shai Porath |
Jewelry | 7/15-19 | Shai Porath |
Basketball & Games | 7/22-26 | Jared Tiamzon |
Times & Pricing
MAIN SESSION, $300 per week
8:15 AM – 1 PM, Monday – Friday
AFTERCARE, $125 per week
1 PM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday
*Camp is closed 7/4 for the holiday. Weekly pricing is prorated for the reduced schedule. $240 for Main Session, $100 for Aftercare.
Weekly Themes
Dollmaking
When you make a doll it truly becomes yours. Students will learn or practice sewing skills and complete all the steps to bring a new friend home at the end of the week.
Meet your instructor! Dahlia Haberman, Dollmaking
Dahlia Habermanhas been the Handwork teacher at DWS since 2005. Before coming to the U.S. in 1985, she trained in Art Teaching and Handwork Education in Israel. In 2008 she completed her Handwork Subject Teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks. Mrs. Haberman currently serves as a core faculty member on the Waldorf Handwork Educators, an online teacher training program. Mrs. Haberman’s passion is passing the joy of making things of beauty on to children and adults. Mrs. Haberman is a mother to three adult children. Her youngest daughter Ella graduated from DWS in 2009. Mrs. Haberman loves to be in nature, spend time with family, and, of course, sew, knit, learn and teach crafts from different cultures.
Yoga & Nature Journals
Bring some zen to your summer with nature studies and yoga. Older students will learn yoga poses in the hatha tradition and gain a new appreciation for meditation. Younger students will enjoy animal yoga. Healthy bodily movement will be experienced by all. Sit spots and nature journaling will provide some grounding and gratitude for nature’s abundance.
Meet your instructor! Read Forrest, Yoga & Nature Journals
Healing with Herbs
Spend time in the garden learning about the world of herbs and how useful they are for healing. Students will put their newfound herb knowledge into practice through the making of healing teas, salves and balms using plants grown right on campus!
Meet your instructor! Dominique Dhainaut, Healing with Herbs
Dominique Dhainaut, along with her life partner Javier and their three children joined DWS in 2022. Growing up in the city in Chile she decided early on she wanted to be a farmer and went to school to ‘’become one’’. After Graduate School at UC Davis and becoming a mother over 8 years ago, she discovered the immense joy of spending time with children in nature and accompanying them in the exploration of our surroundings. Working with children she has witnessed the power of nature as healer and the rich sensorial enrichment it provides. She believes that involving children in the caring of our natural world is crucial for sustaining our life on this planet and one beautiful way to achieve this is by learning from the food we eat and the land that grows it.
Knots & Braids
Knots and braids are a thing to behold! Join us as we have fun creating crafts that involve weaving, twisting and tying. Students will acquire new skills and make beautiful and useful projects that will leave them with a newfound appreciation for knots.
Meet your instructor! Shai Porath, Knots & Braids (and Jewelry Making)
Shai Porath is a Handwork and Craft teacher who graduated from Steiner College in 2015. He acquired a BFA in Studio Art and Art Education from CSU Chico in 2019. Since 2010, Shai has been involved in education, and taught in a few schools including Grizzly Hill Elementary School, Yuba River Charter School and Yes Charter. He led Summer Camps in Oregon House since 2012 and taught in Davis Waldorf School Summer programs since 2015. Besides teaching, Shai is an artist, an art restorer and a fine builder. Shai loves to hike in nature with his wife, write, play classical music, and sculpt with clay.
Jewelry Making
Join for a week of Jewelry making. We will learn how to create bracelets, add beads, manipulate wire, and shape and decorate copper using traditional jewelry tools. Come use your creativity and imagination!
Meet your instructor! Shai Porath, Jewelry Making (and Knots & Braids)
Shai Porath is a Handwork and Craft teacher who graduated from Steiner College in 2015. He acquired a BFA in Studio Art and Art Education from CSU Chico in 2019. Since 2010, Shai has been involved in education, and taught in a few schools including Grizzly Hill Elementary School, Yuba River Charter School and Yes Charter. He led Summer Camps in Oregon House since 2012 and taught in Davis Waldorf School Summer programs since 2015. Besides teaching, Shai is an artist, an art restorer and a fine builder. Shai loves to hike in nature with his wife, write, play classical music, and sculpt with clay.
Basketball & Games
Join us for lots of movement, teamwork and especially FUN during our Basketball and Games week! Each day, we will play games that focus on teamwork and cooperation while learning new skills. Younger students will explore a variety of games and older students will strengthen basketball skills.
Meet your instructor! Jared Tiamzon, Basketball & Games
Jared Tiamzon is Davis Waldorf’s Basketball Coach and Teaching Aide. This year he has been a fixture in our 7th and 8th grade classrooms, supporting the classes and stepping in to help supervise or substitute in Games or other subject classes when needed. Teacher Jared holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development with a Minor in Education from UC Davis. He had the opportunity to be introduced to the Waldorf curriculum through an internship from UC Davis and continues to develop his understanding of it. He grew up in the incredibly diverse Oakland, heart of the East Bay, and speaks both Vietnamese and Spanish. Jared emphasizes student-centered and culturally-relevant strategies and teaching in his curricula. Additionally, his years growing up participating in and managing sports leads him to promote movement and multifaceted learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom. Outside of work, you can often find Jared running or cooking up a meal while enjoying time with family and friends.
