Nursery
18 months - 3 years
At Mountaintop, we care deeply for the healthy development of each child. We nurture this through organic, nourishing meals and play rooted in the natural world.
Inside, children are surrounded by handmade playthings crafted from wool, silk, cotton, and wood—materials that invite gentle exploration and awaken the sense of touch through their rich variety of textures. These simple, beautiful toys also teach children to notice and appreciate the different qualities of the world around them.
Outdoors, we honor children's need to move, play, and explore. Understanding that movement is essential for both fun and the development of gross and fine motor skills—as well as balance—we offer a thoughtfully designed outdoor space. Our outdoor space, surrounded by large deciduous trees, includes a sandbox with sand toys, swings, climbing structures, slides, and logs for climbing, jumping, or exploring what's hidden beneath.
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Our philosophy and teaching methods are inspired by both the work of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf Education, and by Hungarian pediatrician, Dr. Emmi Pikler and her colleague, Magda Gerber. Magda Gerber played a big role in bringing Dr. Pikler’s ideas to the English-speaking world through Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE), which she established in 1978, together with Tom Forrest, M.D.
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Ages 18m - 3yrs
Limited to 12 children
Chipmunks Daily Rhythm
Arrival • 9:00am • MORNINGS
Children and parents are greeted and welcomed through the gate and then go to Outside or Inside play-time/craft activity.
Play is the most important time of our morning. This is the children’s real “work”, where they learn to be together, socialize, learn about sharing, take risks and resolve conflict. These are all worked out and explored during free play under the watchful guidance of their teachers. Occasionally we will work on a craft, crayon or wet felt.
Tidy up time
Every toy, cloth, soft animal or doll has a place in the room and the children soon learn that tidying up is just as pleasant a part of the
day as any other. We sing all the toys back into their baskets, and sing the dollies to sleep,
and then we sing ourselves to the bathroom for hand-washing.
Toileting
Changing diapers and potty time before eating
Snack and Lunch
We eat organic, vegetarian foods in our program. We have oats or rice, or millet, or polenta along with a fruit and vegetable. On Soup Day the Mixed age classes make us good veggie soup. Filtered water is always available. We will clean up all together, with the children participating as much as they are able.
Story time
We sing and have our story each day after snack, either at the table or sitting in the playroom. The foundations for literacy are laid through singing songs together and through storytelling. Stories are told in the oral tradition, using simple handmade, felted or silk puppets. Both singing, and storytelling develop vocabulary, memory and creative imagination.
Outside Playtime
Dismissal for the Half Day children • Noon-Please be on time and waiting at the gate.
AFTERNOONS
Toileting • when we come in, we wash hands and change diapers or use the potty
Nap • 12:30 – 2:45pm
Each child will have a cozy flannel blanket and a mat to curl up on while the teachers sing lullabies and give comfort when needed.
Toileting & Afternoon snack • 2:30-3:00
We play quietly until all the children are awake and changed, then we have snack together. Snack is fresh fruit and bread or crackers, water is served. We end the day with quiet activity around the table or weather permitting, we go outside to play.
Dismissal for the Full Day children • 3:00pm
Our lovely, fenced in backyard has a sandbox, cut logs for climbing and balance, two small climbing structures and swings and slides. We try to go outside in most weather: the children find joy in the vibrant colors and windy days of fall, the snow and ice in winter, the blustery breezes of March and the lovely colors of spring.
