Parent & Child Program

Nourishing Relationships

 

2026-2027 SESSION SERIES BEGIN FRIDAY 9/11/26

Spaces are limited to keep the setting intimate. All families with children ages 18 to 24 months are welcome to participate. Enroll today to discover the warmth, simplicity, and soul-nourishing quality of Davis Waldorf School’s Parent & Child program.

Smiling parents with their toddlers

When we focus on deepening our relationship with our child, we can cultivate our unique art of parenting.

Kerry Ingram, Mothering Arts

Preschool classroom with toys, rainbow arches, and bountiful natural sunlight.

Parent & Child Program

The first three years in a child’s life are an amazing time of growth that fill parents and caregivers with awe and wonder.

Parent & Child classes are held in a warm and welcoming environment that is carefully arranged for creative play in our Buttercup Preschool room. This program offers the very young child freedom to explore within loving boundaries, and teaches parents/caregivers about Waldorf education’s many benefits.

Classes are led by an experienced Early Childhood educator and echo the rhythms of the Waldorf preschool. Additionally, classes offer caregivers a place to connect about child development and parenting techniques.

We welcome caregivers of all kinds—parents, grandparents, nannies—to join our sessions!

single green oak leaf
Young child with bright orange shirt playing in sand

Toddler Cohort (18 to 24 months)

At a time where our lives and society are moving at breakneck speed, Davis Waldorf School’s Parent & Child sessions provide a respite from this overwhelm by slowing down and providing time for you to deeply observe your child in play.

The toddler cohort echoes the rhythm of a preschool day. Children have the opportunity to work on gross motor development through exploring, imitating, and playing in a creative environment that is daring, yet safe for these young adventurers. The children’s imaginations are encouraged through indoor play, song, stories, and games. Their fine motor and social skills are exercised with the learning of simple finger games, making seasonal crafts, and enjoy a communal snack together around the table.

This program is not only for the children:  while observing and supporting your child, caregivers learn new strategies around conflict resolution and boundary setting, all while forming community with families in similar life-phases with like-minded values and interest in Waldorf education.

Mary Nichols

Parent & Child Teacher: Mary Nichols

Mary Nichols began her Davis Waldorf School experience in 1995 as a parent, when she and her husband (now married 44 years) moved to Davis.  All three of their children graduated from Davis Waldorf School and, now, three of their grandchildren currently attend.  
 
Mary taught for 12 of her 20 years as a preschool teacher at Davis Waldorf School. For the past three years, Mary has been the faculty mentor for our preschool teachers and the lead educator for the Parent & Child Program.
 
Mary says, “It is a joy and an honor to work with parents and young children during these tender, beautiful and crucial years.

Parent & Child Program Core Beliefs

  • Young children learn through imitation.
  • Rhythm in the home and school life helps the child feel secure and builds an inner self discipline.
  • Children need the protection of the senses in the early years and deserve to be surrounded by goodness and beauty.
  • Children’s play is their work and is an important part of their healthy development.
  • Play connected to the seasons of the year as much as possible is wholesome for the young child and engenders a love of our Earth.
  • Our children are our greatest teachers.

Tours are closed for the summer and will resume in October 2025.

If you would like to schedule a private campus visit, please email enrollment@daviswaldorf.org