best books about waldorf education

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The Waldorf Way: 7 Essential Waldorf Books for Inquisitive Parents

October 10, 2023

I want to learn more about Waldorf... but where do I begin?

I like what I see, but how do I bring it into my home?

The following list of Waldorf books are some of our favorite publications highlighting the delicate dynamic of the Waldorf classroom, curriculum, and even approach at home. Some of these are even in our parent library- check with our front desk!

Introductions into Waldorf Education

Understanding Waldorf Education- Teaching from the Inside Out by Jack Petrash
School as a Journey by Torin M Finser

Waldorf Publications

Waldorf Education- An Introduction for Parents- Waldorf Publications
Windows into Waldorf- An Introduction into Waldorf Education- Waldorf Publications

Non-Waldorf Publications supportive of the Waldorf Lifestyle/ Approach:

You are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy
Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans Hardcover- by Michaeleen Doucleff
Simplicity Parenting- Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne

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A Waldorf book list…

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I seem to take an immersion approach to new things that interest me. I read articles, critiques, blogs and of course as many books as I can get my hands on

And this has been the way of it with Waldorf too.

There are so many lovely and inspiring books about Waldorf. Ones about parenting, child development, Waldorf teaching and Waldorf crafts.

{Mmmm, the craft books… I will have to write a whole post devoted to those…}

But for now, here are my 5 favourite Waldorf books

#1 Beyond the Rainbow Bridge

By Barbara J. Patterson and Pamela Bradley

A wonderful starting place for learning about Waldorf. This book explains the gentle parenting approach that Waldorf inspires, by using rhythm, simple toys, less haste and respectful discipline.

Patterson also includes questions from the parent-child classes (playgroups) she has ran, with helpful suggestions for parents to try.

By Rahima Baldwin Dancy For a deeper exploration of Waldorf and how it may be placed within our culture as a way to parent, Rahima Dancy provides a thoughtful and helpful resource.

You Are Your Child’s First Teacher includes useful discussion about academic vs play based learning, school readiness, and parenting challenges like returning to work.

This book brings us the story of Waldorf teacher, Torin M. Finser and the journey he took with his class. It is an inspiring story showing the dedication, creativity and warmth of Waldorf teachers.

As a parent considering Waldorf education, this book gave me a great deal of comfort. Finser also illustrated the wonderful relationship between teacher, student, family and school community.

For a handbook of Waldorf inspired ideas to incorporating into your home, Heaven on Earth is a valuable resource. From how to develop a rhythm that works for your family to how to celebrate festivals as a family.

This is a beautiful book that I like to return to for inspiration often.

This is a book I revisit and with increasing lightness, continuously try to simplify our home, toys, books and lives.

Have you read these books? Did you like them? What are your favourite Waldorf books?

Warmly, Kelly

You can see more from this series here .

The Balloon Tree

Baby steps to Waldorf

Rainbow wind wands

20 comments.

The only one I haven’t at least flipped through is Heaven on Earth. I loved the others though. They give a great view of Waldorf Education philosophy.

Thank you for sharing your list of books. I am interested in learning about Waldorf education and putting a few ideas into practice where I work.

I haven’t heard of these before. Thanks for sharing.

I really need to read Simplicity Parenting. So many inspirational bloggers (including you now) have suggested it. Thank you for this great list 🙂

Thanks for this list, I want to read ‘you are your child’s first teacher’ but haven’t heard of the others

I really want to read Simplicity Parenting too… I wish my library had it.

Thanks for sharing. I wish I had more time to read!

I haven’t read any of these so thanks for the suggestions. 🙂

Looking forward to looking into these books more.. Thanks so much for this series! Such a valuable resource to have all this information in one happy place! x

I tend to take an immersion approach to learning too 🙂 I haven’t read them but I’ve heard good things about the first two. I would be interested to know what You are Your Child’s First Teacher says about academic vs play-based learning.

That looks like a great list, I immediately want to read a few of them. I love reading but rarely find the time 🙂

I have a few of these but would love to check out the others – thanks for sharing!

A beautiful little book list. I love books, so I’ll be looking at the library this week for a couple of them!

Thanks for the recommendation. Look forward to adding some to my wish list 🙂 xo P

Thanks for these great resources. Ill add them to my reading list.

Thanks for compiling this list and your thoughts on the books. Very useful indeed 🙂

I’m learning so much for your series. Thank you Kelly. I’ve pinned this a few times. 🙂

I have only read #2, writing down the names of the others so I can check them out too! Very helpful list, thank you.

What a great list Kelly! Pinning and wishing I had the time to read some of them right now!!

[…] more inspiration, you can see my Waldorf book list here and some of my favourite Waldorf craft books […]

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Waldorf Education: A Family Guide Paperback – September 29, 2020

Print length 310 pages
Language English
Publisher Michaelmas Pr
Publication date September 29, 2020
ISBN-10 0964783266
ISBN-13 978-0964783263
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Publisher ‏ : ‎ Michaelmas Pr; 2nd edition (September 29, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0964783266
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0964783263
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Handbook of Research on Waldorf Education

DOI link for Handbook of Research on Waldorf Education

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Waldorf Education: An all-round, balanced approach to education that is equally concerned with intellectual-cognitive and artistic-creative learning. A practice- and experience-based pedagogy. Non-selective and open to all children and young people; offering a stress-free, secure learning environment across 12 grades; embedded in a community of students, teachers, and parents. An alternative education that has been successfully practiced for over a century.

The first Waldorf School was founded in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1919. Today, Waldorf Education is practiced in all countries and cultures around the world: in over 1,000 schools, more than 2,000 kindergartens, and numerous centers for special needs education. This makes Waldorf Education the most prevalent alternative approach to teaching. And yet, despite the success and (now empirically validated) recognition that Waldorf schools enjoy, the theory underlying them remains controversial. Within the academic debate, Waldorf Education is seen as ideologic and unscientific.

This publication sets out to bring clarity to this debate: Renowned researchers explain and discuss Waldorf Education’s foundations in relation to the current discourse on education and core disciplines such as theory of knowledge, anthropology, developmental psychology, learning theory, and the theory of professions. This scientific inquiry into Waldorf Education is breaking new ground, casting light on its fascinating humanistic ideal and holistic potential.

Chapter | 12 pages, introduction, chapter chapter 1 | 36 pages, epistemology, chapter | 2 pages, chapter | 32 pages, epistemological foundations of waldorf education, chapter chapter 2 | 46 pages, anthropology, chapter | 15 pages, pedagogic anthropology in educational science and waldorf education, chapter | 17 pages, freedom as an anthropological perspective, chapter | 10 pages, the study of man and educational practice, chapter chapter 3 | 108 pages, developmental psychology, chapter | 4 pages, chapter | 18 pages, attempts to understand the development of children, adolescents, and adults, chapter | 9 pages, discussion of rudolf steiner's developmental psychology, approaches to substantiating the concept of seven-year cycles of development in waldorf education, chapter | 13 pages, waldorf education and developmental psychology in early childhood, the rubicon as a developmental phenomenon in middle childhood, chapter | 27 pages, adolescence and the findings of brain research, chapter chapter 4 | 66 pages, learning theory, chapter | 25 pages, learning from the perspective of educational science 1, chapter | 23 pages, waldorf education and learning research, learning in waldorf education, chapter chapter 5 | 50 pages, the art of teaching, teaching approaches in waldorf education, chapter | 16 pages, the waldorf curriculum, chapter chapter 6 | 38 pages, theory of professions, chapter | 14 pages, the professional image of the waldorf grades teacher, teacher competencies and professional success, chapter | 11 pages, the teacher's path of development, chapter chapter 7 | 56 pages, education science and waldorf education/education reform, challenges to education science posed by waldorf education as education reform, education reform and waldorf education, chapter | 22 pages, central motifs in education reform and waldorf education, chapter chapter 8 | 50 pages, waldorf education and anthroposophy, education science and waldorf education, how can steiner's pedagogical esotericism be open for discussion, anthroposophy and waldorf education, the anthroposophic understanding of history from the point of view of waldorf education, education science, and history teaching, chapter chapter 9 | 69 pages, individual topics, intercultural education and waldorf education, chapter | 21 pages, religious education in waldorf schools in the context of the current pedagogical discourse, waldorf education and media, chapter | 19 pages, school autonomy and collaborative governance as constitutive elements of waldorf schools.

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Waldorf Grade 1 Book Recommendations October 19 2020

For curriculum development in waldorf grade 1.

A Journey through Time in Verse and Rhyme Heather Thomas An English Manual Dorothy Harrer Brother Francis Jakob Streit Math Lessons for Elementary Grades Dorothy Harrer One, Two Three! David Adams Verses and Poems and Stories to Tell Dorothy Harrer Word Mastery Primer Hugh Renwick

For Artistic Work in Waldorf Grade 1

A Hawthorne Valley Harvest William Ward, ed. Bare Hand Knitting Aleshanee Akin Basic Sculptural Modeling Hela Lowe Creative Form Drawing Rudolf Kutzli Creative Pathways Elizabeth Auer Eurythmy: A Creative Force in Humanity Sylvia Bardt Leaving Room for the Angels Reg Down Painting at School Dick Bruin Pedagogical Theater Arthur Pittis 25 Plays David Mitchell, ed. Five Plays for Waldorf Festivals Richard Moore Xavier Sings of His Alphabet Friends Mary Lynn Channer

For Meeting Children’s Needs in the Grade 1 Waldorf Classroom

Difficult Children: There Is No Such Thing Henning Koehler and Joseph Bailey Educating the Will Michael Howard Helping Children on Their Way Elizabeth Auer Learning about the World through Modeling Arthur Auer Will-Developed Intelligence Patricia Livingston and David Mitchell Working with Anxious, Nervous, and Depressed Children Henning Koehler and Joseph Baily

Readers for Waldorf First Graders

Big-Stamp Two Toes, the Barefoot Giant Reg Down Fee Fi Fum Arthur Pittis King Thrushbeard Kelly Morrow Lazy Jack Kelly Morrow Liputto Jakob Streit Puck the Gnome Jakob Streit Sylvain and Jacosa Kelly Morrow The Little Gnome Tender Root Jakob Streit The Sun with Loving Light Stephen Bloomquist The Prince and the Dragon Kelly Morrow

Read Aloud Books for Waldorf First Graders

A Donsey of Gnomes Sieglinde De Francesca Bambi Felix Salten Jonathan and the Tree Gilad Goldschmidt Mary’s Little Donkey Gunhild Sehlin Matt McFlack and His Flyaway Kite Kyra Robinov and Christina Anderson Pinocchio Carlo Collodi The Old Shepherd’s Tale Christopher Nye The Seven-Year-Old Wonder Book Isabel Wyatt The Way of Gnome Sieglinde De Francesca Thornton Burgess’s books: Mother West Wind’s Children The Burgess Animal Book for Children The Burgess Seashore Book for Children Thornton Burgess Smiling Pool Stories The Little Lame Prince Dinah Maria Mulock Craik The Water Babies Charles Kingsley

Waldorf Grade 1 Book Recommendations | Waldorf Publications

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Resources for Waldorf Homeschooling

WELCOME! I’m Jean, a longtime homeschooler and mother of three. I put together this comprehensive list of resources for Waldorf-inspired homeschooling to help you navigate through the wonderful Waldorf journey. Want help creating a homeschooling plan from all the resources? Click here to get the mentoring and support you need to make homeschooling work for you and your family.

Here are the sections that you will find on this page:

Curriculum Support

Associations & publications, my favorite books, waldorf suppliers, crafts & playthings, support for mom.

This page contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here .

Christopherus Homeschool Resources Donna Simmons is a trained Waldorf teacher and homeschooling Mom. She offers curriculum for grades 1-5 along with a variety of unit studies, a Kindergarten guide, a very informative Waldorf Curriculum Overview , and audio downloads on various topics. Lots to check out on her site including a great article, “Waldorf 101.” Donna is currently downsizing and having a big sale. She will re-open her shop in January 2018 with a new pricing structure.

Live Education! publishes curriculum for Waldorf homeschoolers and teachers for grades K-8. Lovely curriculum book sets for each grade that come with consultation. Must purchase entire grade package.

A Path of Discovery Eric Fairman published his notes as a Waldorf classroom teacher in Australia. You can purchase each grade separately, volume 1-8. There is also a Mathematics book for all the grades. Purchase from Waldorf Books . All proceeds from the sale of A Path of Discovery volumes are allocated to legitimate social charitable needs, especially those of poor families and children in 3rd world countries such as Nepal or to send children of successful asylum seekers or other children of destitute families, to Steiner-Waldorf (inspired) schools.

Waldorf Essentials Melisa Nielsen is a Waldorf homeschooling parent who offers curriculum and support for grades 1-7 and an Early Years program. She also offers a training program for Moms called Thinking, Feeling, Willing .

Lavender’s Blue Homeschool offers a kindergarten curriculum organized by the seasons, as well as first- and second-grade curriculum. These are complete weekly guides, with stories, song recordings and verses.

Earthschooling Kristie Burns offers curriculum packages and lessons for grades preschool through 8th grade and high school as well. All lessons are created by a team of Waldorf and certified teachers and include videos, MP3s, and lectures for teacher support.

Math By Hand Hands-on, interactive math kits for grades 1-4, made specifically for homeschoolers by a CA Waldorf teacher. Each kit comes with all the materials needed to make each project. Effective, fun and complete.

Oak Meadow publishes homeschool curriculum materials for Pre-K through High School and has an accredited distance education school. Not purely Waldorf (lessons are not set up in main lesson blocks), but influenced by Waldorf.

Art of Homeschooling This is my (Jean Miller’s) website where I offer inspiration through my podcast, blog posts, and a newsletter. You can also find out more about my courses, the Inspired at Home membership community , and my one-to-one Mentor Sessions . Plus so much more! I encourage you to have a look around.

Waldorf Without Walls Barbara Dewey (my mentor) publishes many small, helpful books including one on Getting Started, a great Form Drawing book, and books on Handwork, Math, Watercolor Painting and more.

Waldorfish offers Weekly Art Lessons , an online program of videos that runs September through May. Great for learning Waldorf art techniques right alongside your children. They also offer Waldorf Art for Beginners if you want to learn the basics of Waldorf drawing, painting, and chalkboard drawing. Taught by two Waldorf teachers who also homeschool.

S imply Waldorf offers videos from Waldorf educators to and courses to help you on your homeschooling journey. New on the scene! You’ll find kindergarten and first grade resources available.

Millenial Child Eugene Schwartz’s site has lots of CDs on various topics including each grade, and he offers online conferences by grade. He has very helpful free outlines of each grade as well. And check out the article “ Freedom of Choice or Freedom from Choice? ”

Celebrate the Rhythm of Life Lisa Boisvert-Mackenzie offers the Living Curriculum Program for early childhood that focuses on simple rhythms, songs, and verses; and eCourses to support and inspire parents and teachers. Here’s a link to an article about Homeschooling Getting Organized .

The Waldorf Connection Anne Cleveland offers training and support particularly for parents of young children as well as a Kindergarten and First Grade curriculum.

A Waldorf Journey Meredith Floyd-Preston is a mother of 3 teenagers and a Waldorf classroom teacher who blogs and podcasts about her experiences at A Waldorf Journey. She also offers curriculum and training materials for teachers and homeschoolers, and hosts a wonderful Podcast. You can listen to my conversation with Meredith on her Podcast here: A Conversation with Jean Miller of Art of Homeschooling .

Living Music Jodie Mesler has created a music curriculum called The Magic Flute for teaching penny whistle or recorder at home. Volume 1 is for the 6-year-old; Volume 2, for 7-9-year-olds. She also has Festival songbooks and CDs.

Lemon Tree Press offers books by longtime Waldorf educator, Howard Schrager. Titles include LMNOP and King Maximo and the Number Knights .

Syrendell Jennifer Tan is a fiber artist and Waldorf Mom who has handwork e-books for sale, among other things. Rick Tan is a Waldorf teacher and offers ecourses and workshops on chalkboard drawing and watercolor painting.

Bravewriter “Supports and nurtures the homeschool family in the areas of Language Arts and writing from grammar school until college with online classes, home study courses and language arts programs.” Publishes magazines on individual fiction titles complete with dictation, narration and writing ideas for both elementary and high school.

David Darcy has a great book Inspiring Your Child’s Education: A Holistic Curriculum and Teacher Training Guide as well as a book and CD on the pentatonic recorder.

Jamie York Press Publisher of Waldorf math books for private, public and home schools, including the Making Math Meaningful curriculum and workbooks for each grade. This site also has wonderful Free Downloads of practice and review sheets, lesson plans, and math facts flashcards.

Movement for Childhood A resource for teachers and parents who want to provide children a path to healthy development through age-appropriate movement activities inspired by Waldorf education. Check out the article “ Education for Balance and Resilience .”

The Baldwin Project “Bringing Yesterday’s Classics to Today’s Children,” The Baldwin Online Children’s Literature Project seeks to make available a comprehensive collection of stories for different grades for teachers and parents – folk tales, myths, legends, fairy tales. Its focus is on literature that is in the public domain, published between 1880-1922. A great resource for stories .

Whole Family Rhythms Meagan at Whole Family Rhythm offers beautiful seasonal guides for families with young children as well as a Return to Rhythm online course. Join the free challenge to help you create a strong, balanced and flowing family rhythm in just 5 days.

Wee Folk Art Patterns and crafts from three generations of crafters. They also have a free kindergarten curriculum plan with a simple schedule of story, activity, art and poetry for each week.

Promethean Press Promethean Press aims to produce valuable aids to Waldorf Teachers in Music, Singing, Speech and Drama, Geometry, Child Development, Anthroposophy and other areas. Books of verses and recorder music from Waldorf teacher John Miles.

Starlite Puppets is dedicated to sharing the art of storytelling through puppetry and live music. They offer a few books of stories and songs and puppet-making kits.

Juniper Tree Puppets is a resource for puppetry and storytelling arts, exploring the art and archetype, the magic and meaning, the wisdom and healing of story and ensouled puppetry. They offer puppet making kits, story resource books, and trainings.

Waldorf Curriculum This website includes free unit studies for kindergarten and the grades as well as tips on planning and an overview of the Waldorf curriculum.

The Online Waldorf Library So many incredible resources here . Under Journals, you can find back issues of a newsletter published from 1967-1988 written by and for Waldorf teachers; back issues of Gateways: A Newsletter of WECAN ; Renewal magazine and so much more. The website has a handy search feature.

Rudolf Steiner Audio Offers MP3s and zip files of many books and lectures by Rudolf Steiner all for free to download or listen to on your computer.

Rudolf Steiner Archive Steiner’s lectures, books, and articles can be read here online as well as summaries of his books.

Why Waldorf Works “Everything You Need to Know About Waldorf Education” This is the new AWSNA site, the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.

Anthroposophical Society in America T he Rudolf Steiner Library, founded in 1928, is the lending and mail-order library of the Anthroposophical Society (click on Rudolf Steiner Library in menu). Society members automatically receive library membership at no additional charge. The library has over 27,000 volumes.

LILIPOH Magazine LILIPOH stands for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The magazine’s tagline is The Spirit of Life . “Both inspirational and practical, LILIPOH is a lifestyles magazine for the growing populace known as ‘culture-creatives,’ folks interested in holistic health, well-being, creativity, spirituality, gardening, education, art, and social health. Articles, art, poetry, reviews of books, and news make LILIPOH a well-rounded, solution-oriented publication for creative, green-minded, thinking individuals who have an interest in spiritual inquiry and a desire to make a difference in the world.”

Taproot Magazine The magazine for makers, doers, and dreamers. This is an ad-free, independent quarterly focusing on food, farm, family, and craft. ( Not related to the Taproot Teacher Training for Waldorf Homeschoolers , but a great name! )

No Child Left Inside Coalition is a broad-based organization made up of more than 600 member groups from across the United States who believe young people should receive a strong education about their natural world. The Coalition’s focus is the passage of the federal No Child Left Inside Act which would authorize major new funding for states to provide high-quality, environmental instruction.

Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN) “Our mission is to protect and nurture the healthy development of the young child. We provide resources for early childhood educators and parents interested in Waldorf early childhood education.”

Alliance for Childhood works on issues related to preserving childhood, including supporting the importance of play and working against the commercialization of childhood and high stakes testing.

The Nature Institute ’s mission is “viewing nature, science and technology in context.” They offer education programs and publications founded on the Goethean approach to science and nature.

The Nova Institute The Nova Institute seeks to bring fresh insights into parent and teacher education through a deeper understanding of children. The organization was founded by Jack Petrash, author of Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out .

3 Favorite Books to Introduce Waldorf Education

	(Rahima Baldwin)
	o (Jack Petrash)
	3. (Pamela Johnson Fenner & Karen L. Rivers, ed.)

Just Starting with Waldorf Homeschooling? See Jean's top 10 tips to get you started.

4 Favorite Books for more in-depth Waldorf Curriculum

	(Martyn Rawson & Kevin Avison)
	(Edited by Roberto Trostli)
	(Caroline von Heydebrand)
	(Donna Simmons)

3 Favorite Books/Articles on Overviews of Specific Grades (Keep in mind that these all describe classroom settings.)

	1. (Marjorie Spock)
	(Torin Finser)
	(Elizabeth Grunelius)

Favorite Supplies for Homeschooling

If you want to see more ideas for Waldorf supplies, check out these suggestions here .

Bookstore at Rudolf Steiner College AWSNA Publications Paper Scissors Stone Meadowsweet Naturals Waldorf Books

A Child’s Dream Bella Luna Toys A Toy Garden Palumba Nova Natural Toys & Crafts Happy Hedgehog Post Bear Dance Crafts Weir Dolls and Crafts

Plan to Eat This is my absolute favorite menu planning tool that I’ve been using for over 4 years. An online meal planning program that stores all of your recipes, including those you find on the web, and allows you to drag and drop them into a weekly plan for meal preparation. Makes cooking at home and preparing family dinners so much easier.

Healthy Moving This wonderful exercise program helped me recover from an autoimmune flare 3 years ago and I’ve been doing it ever since. Four 6-week challenges a year bring you a weekend online class and then daily challenges of just one movement that you repeat throughout the day. So easy, fun, and effective. Plus a super supportive community. Check out the Coaching & Challenge Program here . If you aren’t ready to commit to a program, get the Stress Relief Bundle here – a handful of video classes and a short practice.

Health Journeys This has been my go-to for guided meditations. My favorite is Meditations to Relieve Stress . Includes both Affirmations and a Walking Meditation.

Supplies and Resources I Recommend

The seven steps above are a POWERFUL foundation. And, you might want to dig a little deeper into the practice and philosophy of Waldorf education.

Below I’ve put together a simple list of supplies and resources to further your work as a Waldorf homeschooling parent. So excited for you!

Getting started with Waldorf homeschooling - setting up your space

This list contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I suggest you get started with watercolor painting, drawing, and bean bag games. This is a great way to bring art and creative movement into your home now, and you can always add more in later.

Below are a few high quality art supplies I recommend. The crayons, watercolor paints, and pencils will last practically forever and are truly worth the investment!

Stockmar, a mix of stick and block crayons
Watercolor paint like Stockmar
Watercolor paper (140 pound is good for painting)
Colored pencils; Lyra is great (great for ages 7+)
Strathmore watercolor or drawing paper, 300 series (from a local craft or art supply store)
Drawing paper
Mercurius chalk for chalkboard drawings

For making homemade bean bags, check out this blog post: Movement Games for Children

Here are just a few books and resources I LOVE. Click the links and check them out!

A Child’s Seasonal Treasury by Betty Jones
Festivals, Family & Food by Diana Carey & Judy Large
You Are Your Child’s First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin
Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne
A Path of Discovery (for each specific grade) by Eric Fairman
The Tasks and Content of the Steiner-Waldorf Curriculum by Avison, Rawson, & Richter
Creative Pathways by Elizabeth Auer
Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out by Jack Petrash
Teaching as a Lively Art by Marjorie Spock
Homeschool Simplicity Bundle by me 😉
Waldorf Art for Beginners from Waldorfish
Living Music with Jodie Mesler
The Magic Flute with Jodie Mesler
Inspired at Home a community for heart-centered homeschoolers guided by yours truly 💗

Guidance for Waldorf Homeschooling from Jean Miller

Research Bulletin Articles
Research from Waldorf Education
Research Bulletin
Research on Curricula
Research on Arts in Education
Research on Brain Development
Research on Curriculum
Research on Parental Choice in Education
Research on Marketing to Children
Research into Children’s Health
Research on Children’s Mental Health
Research on Play in Childhood
Research into Student Performance
Research on Teachers
Research on Technology
Research on Wireless Technology
Research on Science Teaching
Research on Sleep
Waldorf Curriculum Topics HS Science
Research on Reading and Writing
The Online Waldorf Library
Electronic Books
Waldorf Publications Store
Board of Trustees
Subscriptions
Supporting Members

Sponsored by The Research Institute for Waldorf Education www.waldorflibrary.org

This web site is a gold mine for anyone seeking information on Waldorf education. Contents include hundreds of free downloads such as:

reference books
graduate dissertations
a vast archive of articles
over 400 books in English reviewed in the database
curriculum notes
journals and magazines
latest research
helpful links

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Research On Looping

Hearts Speak Stories

When flowers bloom.

Once getting ready for a new first grade, a teacher received a gift from a kindergarten teacher of a moss garden that included a little gnome house and a darling, needle-felted gnome. In the center was an African violet. All summer long the violet bloomed and bloomed and the teacher loved the violet and told… Read more “When Flowers Bloom”

Little House on the Prairie :: Best Waldorf Books :: Discovering Waldorf Education

March 30, 2016
Best Waldorf Books , discovering waldorf , Little House on the Prairie , Steiner

Ask Waldorf inspired families what their favorite books are and most will respond with a resounding, the Little House on the Prairie series , by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Little House On The Prairie :: Discovering Waldorf Educations :: www.theMagicOnions.com

Kitty and I started with the first in the series, Little House in the Big Woods, when Kitty was 5. We would read one chapter each evening before bedtime. It quickly became our most favorite time of the day. In fact, Kitty started asking to go to bed earlier and earlier, just so that we could read together for longer each night. It was the first chapter book for us and I am so thankful that it set the way for many many hours of happy reading together throughout the years.

The story of Little House On The Prairie fits in wonderfully well with a Waldorf inspired home life. It resonates with girls and boys alike. It is about a pilgrim family who travel across the American prairie in a wagon, stopping from time to time to make a homestead before continuing with their journey. It is beautiful and gentle and talks about an era when life revolved around the everyday simplicity of survival. The story is told through young Laura’s eyes and describes every aspect of pilgrim life… living day-to-day in a wagon, Pa building a log cabin, baking honey-cakes over an open fire… they are always together and make happiness in all the little things they do.

Their lifestyle highlights the purity of family connections, of working together and treating each other with respect and love. It teaches us the value of connecting with the earth and animals in our everyday life. It shows our children that they can do important work within their family and that they can feel pride in the chores they do. And, for me, most importantly, it shows us that we can find beauty in everything we do, every day.

By the time Kitty and I came to the second and third in the series, we had quite scrapped the ‘only at bedtime’ restriction and would read for hours each day. I get a special warm feeling now (and a little teary too) remembering this time we enjoyed together. Our minds and spirits traveled back to a beautiful time in pilgrim history as our bodies cuddled together on the couch or on a blanket under a tree. If I could choose five moments to go back to, reading Little House On The Prairie with Kitty all those years ago, would just about top the list.

We built a homemade Little House on the Prairie playhouse in the back yard with bits and pieces from garage sales which led to hours and hours of Waldorf-inspired play for Teddy and Kitty. I know they made such special memories in their little house because they still remember and talk about it often.

You can purchase the Little House on the Prairie series at an excellent price through my affiliate link here (and yes, you will want all 9 volumes) :

Here’s another Discovering Waldorf Education article on the best Waldorf books for younger children.

If you are looking for other meaningful Waldorf articles, please visit the Discovering Waldorf Education archives and the Discovering Waldorf Education Pinterest Board .

If you would like to read an article on a specific topic, please let me know in the comments below. If you would like to submit an article for Discovering Waldorf Education, please get in touch with me through the contact form… I’m always looking for new Waldorf content.

Blessings and magic,

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One Response

It’s so cute! I love this tv show too! By the way, How is your son, since his accident?

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COMMENTS

Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out
Jack Petrash's eloquent, wise, and deeply moving book gives me a new found appreciation for Waldorf education. Even though I have been a Waldorf parent for nearly twenty-five years and a Waldorf teacher for nearly two years, I found Petrash's explanation of the curriculum's three-fold approach fresh and illuminating.
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Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans Hardcover- by Michaeleen Doucleff. Simplicity Parenting- Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne. Morgan Branson. Articles: 1688. The following list of Waldorf books ...
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Get 10% off all STICKLER picture books! Get 10% off these Disney books from Freedom Fire! Get Booked on a Feeling with 10% off Epic Reads YA! New Books; ... By Cedarwood Waldorf School and Another Read Through Best Books About Waldorf Education. A Waldorf Song Book. $24.95 $23.20 in cart add to cart Education for Nonviolence: The Waldorf Way ...
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Ones about parenting, child development, Waldorf teaching and Waldorf crafts. {Mmmm, the craft books…. I will have to write a whole post devoted to those…} But for now, here are my 5 favourite Waldorf books. #1 Beyond the Rainbow Bridge. By Barbara J. Patterson and Pamela Bradley. A wonderful starting place for learning about Waldorf.
Online Waldorf Library
OF WALDORF EDUCATION. Dive into a comprehensive library of resources for teachers, parents, and homeschoolers. Explore books, eBooks, and articles in both English and Spanish. ... For best searching results enter the book or article title or subject or use the Advanced Search feature which will refine your search criteria.
Waldorf Education: A Family Guide
What draws parents and educators toward Waldorf Education today? "Waldorf Education - A Family Guide" offers a "first look" for parents and educators into the history, philosophy, curriculum, and traditions of this unique education. This comprehensive book is a collection of articles describing the world of Waldorf Education - the fastest ...
Steiner Waldorf Pedagogy in Schools
This book offers a comprehensive exploration of Steiner or Waldorf pedagogy and practice in schools. Drawing on key research, it traces the origins of Steiner education from the original Waldorf school and shows how this approach has since been adapted and applied in educational settings around the world. Outlining the educational philosophy of ...
Understanding Waldorf Education
Understanding Waldorf Education. : Written by a teacher with more than 25 years of experience, this book offers a jargon-free view of Waldorf education and its philosophy of the importance of a three-dimensional education. Through learning experiences that involve all of the senses, children use a variety of intelligences to develop thought ...
Waldorf Education: A Family Guide Paperback
Waldorf Education: A Family Guide [Multiple authors, Pamela Johnson Fenner, MaryBeth Rapisardo, MaryBeth Rapisardo] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Waldorf Education: A Family Guide ... Best Sellers Rank: #630,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) Customer Reviews: 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 25 ratings.
Waldorf Education: A Family Guide
This collection of articles—written by parents, teachers and others—offers a "first look" into the history, philosophy, curriculum, and traditions of this unique education. Learn why Waldorf Education is the fastest growing independent school movement in the world. Recipient of a Benjamin Franklin Design Award, 1996. ISBN 9780964783218
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The first Waldorf School was founded in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1919. Today, Waldorf Education is practiced in all countries and cultures around the world: in over 1,000 schools, more than 2,000 kindergartens, and numerous centers for special needs education. This makes Waldorf Education the most prevalent alternative approach to teaching.
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Soul Economy and Waldorf Education, 16 lectures, Dornach, Christmas 1921-22, SB. Lectures on phases of child development, health and illness, aesthetic, physical, religious and moral education. ... WECAN Books - Waldorf Early Childhood Association, 285 Hungry Hollow Road, Spring Valley, NY 10977, USA. Download the WECAN Resource Guide.
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Waldorf education is so abundant and full it is impossible to sufficiently describe it in a 300-page book, much less in a blog post; however, these ABCs of Waldorf Homeschooling will provide newcomers with a good starting point from which to dive in deeper, and will provide inspiration to Waldorf homeschool veterans. *****
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The online Waldorf library has 200+ books converted into PDF ebooks available for download. A fantastic project of the Research Institute for Waldorf Education. Waldorf Today Gallery of Main Lesson Book Pages - Elementary School Beautiful and inspiring Gallery of Chalkboard Drawings in the Waldorf Classroom grades 1 - 8
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Resources for Waldorf Homeschooling ⋆ Art of Homeschooling
All lessons are created by a team of Waldorf and certified teachers and include videos, MP3s, and lectures for teacher support. Math By Hand Hands-on, interactive math kits for grades 1-4, made specifically for homeschoolers by a CA Waldorf teacher. Each kit comes with all the materials needed to make each project.
The Online Waldorf Library
This web site is a gold mine for anyone seeking information on Waldorf education. Contents include hundreds of free downloads such as: reference books. plays. graduate dissertations. a vast archive of articles. over 400 books in English reviewed in the database. curriculum notes. stories.
The Magic Of Beautiful Books :: Discovering Waldorf
Donni Webber is the mom behind the popular natural living Waldorf website and blog, The Magic Onions - where the magic of nature and the wonder of childhood collide to make each moment a precious gift. She is a photographer, writer, crafter, wife and mother of two inspiring young children. Her work has been featured in many popular publications ...
Little House on the Prairie :: Best Waldorf Books :: Discovering
Here's another Discovering Waldorf Education article on the best Waldorf books for younger children.. If you are looking for other meaningful Waldorf articles, please visit the Discovering Waldorf Education archives and the Discovering Waldorf Education Pinterest Board.. If you would like to read an article on a specific topic, please let me know in the comments below.
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Meagan Wilson is a parent educator and author of the now-retired seasonal series of Whole Family Rhythms. After finishing a BA, she went on to complete her Foundations in Steiner Education and Anthroposophy at Sydney Steiner College, as well as her Waldorf Early Childhood Certification at the Rudolf Steiner Centre in Toronto.