Parent-Child Class

Boulder Valley Waldorf’s Parent-Child Program is designed for children from 1 to 2-and-a-half-year-old together with a parent/guardian.

The Parent-Child classes invite children and one of their parents/guardians into the Early Childhood classroom to explore the interactions of play, rhythm, and discipline, and child development. Once a week, in an hour-and-45-minute class, children play with the materials and toys in the classroom and outdoors on the play yard while their accompanying adults work on beautiful, simple projects. In our time together, we will learn the meaning of the above statements as we:

• Work and play
• Enjoy our freshly baked bread of organic ingredients
• Move together and laugh with finger plays and circle games
• Hear stories and puppet plays

Essentially, these classes are intended to be the “gateway” into our school and into Waldorf education. Certainly, our hope is parents will discover a new world of learning and support for family life, a dedicated community of other parents, and the way in which Waldorf education addresses the needs of the whole child. The Parent-Child class is a wonderful introduction to the school and a gentle first step to take before your little one is ready for preschool! Learn more about preschool at BVWS

Master Educator – Ms. Mindy Upton

Being a mother and teacher has been Mindy’s life/work for the past 37 years. She considers herself fortunate to be able to be in the presence of “little people” in the most magical and fascinating years of early childhood. Mindy owned and operated Blue Sky Kindergarten in Boulder 25 years. She studied movement, music, and singing at Boston Conservatory of Music as an undergraduate. Then Mindy began early childhood training, and intensive movement theory training with Betty Meredith Jones, a former student of Rudolf Laban. Mindy researched Rudolf Steiner’s work, and studied at Rudolf Steiner College, and Bottmer Gymnastic training in Spring Valley New York.

Presently, Mindy is on the board at The National Institute for Play, headed by Stuart Brown, author of “Play.” As an adjunct faculty member of Naropa University since 1980, Mindy teaches “Kindergarten Magic” a hands on course in the practice and application of early childhood pedagogy, and mentors new teachers. She has recently written a chapter that has been published by Springer publishing Spirituality In Education, a collection of writings on how spirituality can be integrated in different educational environments.  Mindy’s ongoing quest is to nurture and embrace the magic of the early childhood years with love and attention to each individual child.