Hello, my friend! And welcome to Ages & Stages.
Here in this guide, you’ll learn about each grade K-8 and see how the specific
Waldorf-inspired main lesson block topics help to meet the child right where they are
developmentally. These are general recommendations and guidelines painted in broad
brushstrokes. You know your child best. Customize as you see fit!
Ages & Stages offers you support to go alongside whatever curriculum you use and can
also guide you as you craft your own curriculum.
As with everything we do at Art of Homeschooling, this guide will help you build a
homeschool life you love that’s simple, inspiring, and doable.
The Ages & Stages of the Waldorf Curriculum
One of the special characteristics of Waldorf education is that it’s a developmental
approach. The curriculum is based on three phases of child development with distinct
learning content and strategies recommended for each phase according to how
children learn.
Rudolf Steiner, the founder of the first Waldorf School, described these phases as
seven-year cycles which are defined by how the child experiences the world.
● From ages 0-7, children learn primarily through their will, their doing, actively
exploring the world around them through imitation and story
● From ages 7-14, they learn primarily through feeling, heart-centered connections
with others, and engaging their imaginations
● And then from 14-21+, children (and adults) learn through their thinking, exploring
abstract concepts, and developing their place in society
The work of other educators like Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget shows very similar
stages of child development.
This developmental approach can help parents and teachers see the child through the
lens of the child’s developing consciousness and then bring the child what he or she
needs to learn and grow at each stage. The child has a sleeping consciousness that
gradually awakens. Ages & Stages can help you look at your children and bring each of
them what they need.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Do you have a toddler, preschooler, or kindergartener?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Up until the age of about six or seven, children learn best through imitation and action.
Formal lessons are not started until first grade, generally the year in which a child turns
seven. The idea is that young children need their life force energy in early childhood for
the development of their organs ~ including their brain.
But that’s not to say learning isn't happening at this stage!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Our kindy children are watching us, exploring their world, and learning through play
with imaginative imitation. This is a time for singing songs, telling stories, marking the
rhythm of the day with poems and songs, and playfully engaging in everyday tasks
around the home.
No formal lessons yet, but we can share lots of fairy tales and stories and bring
activities that help develop spatial awareness, pre-literacy and pre-math skills.
We can set up the home environment in such a way as to encourage children to play-act
what they picture happening in the stories they hear and what they observe happening
in the world around them. This can include simple props for pretend play, open-ended
dress-up clothes, squares of colorful fabric or play silks, and plenty of space to play and
move as much as possible.
Kindergarten can be play-based and nature-based with everyday homemaking tasks
serving as the foundation of our days with our children.
"I am ready to learn!" says the Grade One child.
Grade One in Waldorf-inspired homeschooling is an extension of kindergarten, with the
child just beginning to move from the dreamy world of early childhood into more
organized learning.At this stage, children shift from learning through the will (doing) in
kindergarten to learning through feelings and the imagination.
Because children in Grade One sense a oneness with the world, we introduce new
concepts through an experience of the whole and then lead into details from there. We
call this method “teaching from the whole to the parts.”
Here are some touchpoints of a holistic first grade curriculum:
● Lots of lively and playful learning with bean bags, clapping, marching, and singing
● Introducing the alphabet through story, usually fairy tales and folktales
● Learning to write by copying words, titles, captions for illustrations, and building up
to simple sentences
● Learning to read by writing first and creating main lesson books
● Introducing all four mathematical processes: addition, subtraction, multiplication,
and division
● Experiencing the awe and wonder of the natural world through stories and nature
study
● Beginning handwork such as knitting, sewing, and felting
It's such a rich year of learning!
Your second grader is a being of extremes!Joyful one minute and distraught the next.
Adorable one moment and a complete rascal the next!
The aim of a Waldorf-inspired Grade Two year is to bring balance to the duality of the
7-turning-8 year oldby presenting strong images that speak to the feeling realm.
Fables and animal legends point out human foibles in a light and delightful way. And
stories of saints, heroes, and those striving to do good in the world plant a tiny seed in
the imagination of the second grader to be the best they can be.
Second graders are very active and still learn best via activity such as clapping,
stomping, movement, and bean bag games. Be sure to get lots of movement in!
Highlights of a holistic second grade homeschooling year might include:
● Lots of activities to stimulate the child's whole being, enliven the will, and spark
deep connections with the story and learning material
● The development of skills through playful learning & games
● Animal legends & fables; stories of saints & heroes
● Revisiting all 4 processes of math: addition, subtraction, multiplication, & division
● An introduction to place valuethrough story
● Practicing the times tables 1 through 12 with rhythm and movement
● Time, days of the week, and the calendar
● Continuing along the path of reading and writing development
● Plus a generous dose of all the lively arts!
Meet the second grader where they are, and don't blink, because they're growing so fast!
Third grade ~ often the year of the nine year change ~ is the year in which the child is
“emerging from his long, strong preoccupation with his mother, or caretaking parent”
(Gesell Institute of Human Development). She is much more independent!
Teaching and parenting through the nine year change can be intimidating. Perhaps you
can think back to your own childhood when you started to feel the limitlessness of the
universe and the weight of self-awareness. You may notice a touch of melancholy as
your child navigates this shift. Fears may arise as the child starts to leave the dreamy
state of young childhood, often resulting in more questions, self-doubt, and also wonder.
Learning practical skills and self-sufficiency gives children the confidence they need!
And the third grade year is rich in hands-on learning such as:
● Carpentry & building
● Cooking & baking
● Fibers & clothing
● Sewing & weaving
● Gardening & composting
Creation stories and stories of the people of the Old Testament build on these universal
themes, instilling a sense of wonder and appreciation for the universe, a connection to
the the source of life, and the courage to set out on one's own journey.
The third grader is preoccupied with learning how to fend for herself and curious about
the origins of things. She wants to learn how to cook, how to sew, how to build, how
things work. To be able to say, “I can knit a scarf to keep myself warm, grow food to
nourish myself, and build a lean-to to keep shelter from a storm.”
"This is my place in the world!" says the fourth grade child.
Grade Four is all about exploring and learning about the world. The ten-year-old young
person has left early childhood behind, and the changes that puberty brings are just on
the horizon. She is ready to take in the details of her surroundings and begin to organize
her thoughts about the world.
The fourth grade curriculum provides the child with many expressions of conflict and
confrontation, meeting both their curious and mischievous inclinations. The curriculum
helps children understand that as human beings, we have special gifts and we can
make choices about how we use those gifts.
Here are some highlights of a holistic fourth grade curriculum:
● Inspiring stories from Norse mythology or ancient stories which explore themes of
conflict and confrontation, mischievousness and strength
● Exploring gifts of the animal kingdom through zoology
● Organizing the world through fractions and mathematical patterns
● Discovering local geography and establishing a sense of place
The fourth grade child has begun to turn the corner. Having resolved and made peace
with this sense of separation from the world, he becomes full of energy and eager to
learn in some detail about his surroundings.
Oh, to see the world through the eyes of a ten year old!
My goodness! Grade Five!
The Grade Five child is growing in intellectual capacities, and appears to be at a
balancing point between the rapid physical growth of the early years and the often
turbulent intellectual growth of adolescence. The 10-turning-11 year old is emotionally
ready to make sincere attempts to compromise and apologize. Known as the "golden
age of childhood," the child at this age is physically capable and full of grace.
The fifth grade curriculum explores:
● The study of ancient cultures, both mythic and historic, from ancient India to
classical Greece
● Botany
● Geography expanding from local and state to country and continent
● Decimals and math patterns
● Free-hand geometric drawing
Fifth graders are also much more capable and poised to begin independent learning.
This is a great time to introduce challenges or projects where you create parameters
within which your child has some choice for completing an independent project.
This is the golden year of middle childhood! My advice? Don't skimp in your planning
and preparation for Grade Five. But also stay flexible. Be prepared to grab a piece of
scrap paper or sticky note, and reteach a confusing concept or give a preview of
something new and exciting if your child shows interest. Express wonder and
amazement along with your child. Model creativity and stay curious!
Grade Six is a year when teaching may change significantly in your homeschool. As
children approach adolescence, they take a firm, intentional step out into the world.
There is a greater orientation with gravity and cause and effect.
In the thinking realm, Steiner's ideas about cognitive development during Grade Six align
with those of Piaget, Vygotsky, and other psychologists. Twelve-year-olds are just on the
cusp of abstract thinking. And the themes of a Waldorf-inspired Grade Six help us
navigate these changes together with our children.
If you're embarking on Grade Six this year, know that the themes explored in this grade
are chosen expressly to assist both the inner and outer questing of the young person.
Themes such as:
● The rise and fall of the Roman Empire
● Geology & mineralogy
● Physics
● Geography of the world
● Geometric drawingwith straightedge & compass
● Business math, decimals, & percents
Consider making your focus the creating and sharing of academic experiences and
completing academic challenges. You create the structure (with your child’s input) and
provide guidance, while your child does the research, makes the observations, and
communicates their reflections and conclusions in some form.
Change & challenge are on the horizon for the seventh grade child. This requires
curriculum themes that meet them as they look both out into the world and also within
as their inner emotional and intellectual lives deepen.
Studying biographies of historical and heroic figures, conducting hands-on
demonstrations, and relating subjects to real life will be key components this year. The
goal is to have the child take the reins more and more in the learning process while you
provide the structure and guidance.
Themes of study this year can include:
● Medieval history
● Geography of the world
● The Age of Exploration & Discovery through the Renaissance
● Physics
● Astronomy
● Perspective drawing
● The Golden Ratio & the Pythagorean Theorem
● Introduction to algebra and ratios
A big shift is happening for seventh graders, from seeing and interacting with the world
in a heart-centered way to a more head-centered one. Your student may start to crave
an intellectual challenge and more structure and critical thinking in their studies.
Independent projects can really take off during Grade Seven! As a parent educator, this
can be a magical year to let your own passions and interests blossom as you walk
alongside your child. You can learn and grow together, exploring the joys of life-long
learning!
Is your eighth grader ready for adventure? Or perhaps not?This final step of leaving
childhood behind may be taken with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
So what does a Waldorf-inspired homeschool year look like with an eighth grader?
Eighth grade offers lots of rich material!Here are some highlights:
● Modern world history (roughly 1700 to the present)
● Physics& chemistry
● Human physiology
● Short stories, poetry, & prose
● World geography: cultural or economic
● Algebra, ratio & proportions, the square root algorithm
● Area, volume, & exploration of geometric solids (Platonic solids)
There is a strong focus on the sciences this year, to counterbalance the big emotions
that eighth graders are experiencing. These subjects are more structured and concrete,
and require logical, critical thinking. Cultural geography brings concrete facts to life,
stimulating discussion of ethical issues of peoples, natural resources, and economics
across the globe.
Above all, the home educator's goal during this eighth grade year is to bring the promise
and potential of the world to the hearts of their students. Show your student that their
dreams and hopes are within reach, and also that they have the potential to do good in
the world.This can feel like a monumental task! Your own curiosity and willingness to
learn can carry you through, dear homeschooling parent!
I hope Ages & Stages has provided you with an inspiring overview of each age and
stage of learning and growing.
As homeschoolers, we learn and grow together with our children!
This means that it's okay to flow through these ages and stages with flexibility. Rather
than being fixed and dogmatic, these touch points can allow you to be intuitive and
spontaneous. Your job is not to be an expert homeschooler...
Your actual job is to be open, to be available, to care, to connect, to teach, and to always
be willing to learn.
This can be a huge relief. You don’t have to have it all together every moment.
In fact, your earnest striving is an EXAMPLE for your child. Mom or Dad not knowing
what to do is honest. It’s humble. It’s what sets the example of being a life-long learner.
And for me ~ that’s my end-goal in homeschooling. To foster a love for learning!
My friend, you’ve got this. I promise.
And on that note ~ if you want to keep learning and growing on the homeschooling path,
🙏
I have a couple of offers for you. Please see the next page for a few more thoughts on
simplicity, mindset, and community.
💜
Blessings on your homeschooling journey and do stay in touch,
Jean
www.artofhomeschooling.com
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
● Child Development (a free, open-source book) written for the East African Waldorf
Teacher Development Program by Peter Van Alphen & Catherine Van Alphen
● Your Six-Year-Old: Loving and Defiant by Louise Bates Ames (Gesell Institute of Human
Development) ~ volumes available for ages 2-9
● The Educational Tasks and Content of the Steiner Waldorf Curriculum edited by Martyn
Rawson & Tobias Richter
If you want to explore more about the art of homeschooling, please check out
Homeschool Simplicity 101 and Inspired at Home community.
These resources are for ALL levels of homeschool experience. Learn more below and
click to see all the details!
Homeschool Simplicity 101 Includes: Inspired at Home Membership Includes:
Homeschool Simplicity Handbook Library of 30+ Masterclasses
How to Bring it All Together Training Planning Coaching Calls
Minimum Viable Homeschool Day Training Reflections Coaching Calls
Block Outlines for Grades 1-8 PDF Inner Work Conversations
Simplicity Change Process Training + PDF Community Facebook Group
14 Holistic Planning Templates Weekly Motivational Videos from Me
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