Attuned care for your children through a physical, developmental, emotional and spiritual lens.

This gentle, play-based offering weaves together storytelling, song, movement, crafts, games and seasonal festivals for children and family.

Honey Song is a small group setting to foster deep connections and attuned care.

Children need long periods of time in nature to reconnect to this natural relationship. Honey Song values nature connection, our daily Story time is told in a manzanita grove and you will often find the children’s imaginative play unfolding in the thickets and trees.

"Receive the children in
educate them in
let them go forth in

reverence

love

freedom."

Rudolf Steiner

Home away from Home

Honey Sony

Modeling

Children learn primarily through imitation. Children absorb and recreate what they have observed, taking in not only the actions of adults but also the mood, rhythm, and quality of the environment. Honey Song encourages healthy imitation through storytelling, rhythmic and seasonal songs, hand gestures, movement verses and purposeful work. These embodied experiences nourish language, coordination, and imagination. Some curriculum arises from images in nature, daily life, and changing seasons.

Young children have a natural desire to participate in meaningful work that contributes to the community. Rather than separating learning from daily life, Tasks such as caring for the garden, preparing a table with napkins, washing the class meal dishes, sweeping, blowing out the snack and lunch candles, are all examples of loving care offered by children at Honey Song, that build self worth and a sense of contribution and nourish the developing will.

The teacher and adults support this work not by instruction but by embodying purposeful activity with presence, care and intention. Mending or repairing fabrics or toys, hand crafts, sweeping, baking are all activities that the children observe, practical work becomes a living lesson in stewardship and care for the world around them.

There is a lot of space for imaginative play, what has been modeled and observed or experienced through their whole being, can be processed through play.

Rhythm & Reverence

Honey Song values daily, weekly and seasonal rhythm. Our daily rhythm fosters predictability for children creating a sense of safety and inner orientation. Our seasonal rhythms create a connection for the child to the natural rhythms of the earth and create family culture and ritual through festivities like the spiral walk and Winter solstice.

Rather than a schedule, rhythm is like a natural breathing. Where the day follows a gentle unfolding. Honey Song follows the “outbreath” of play and activity and the “in breath” of craft, meal time or story. Children begin to anticipate what comes next that's familiar.

This predictability allows the young child to rest into a sense of safety and allows more relaxation into play and exploration in the day.

Reverence has a home in rhythm. It is how we enter a story, the warmth in our presence, it is how each meal is welcomed with a pause of intention, song and gesture. Children need to witness us in reverence for life and the natural world.

What better teaching is there than reverence? When Rhythm is held with reverence, everyday activities and transitions become meaningful, rather than rushed.

Song

Songs and singing are offered and shared as a meaningful way for children to connect with themselves, one another, and the natural world. Songs shared are woven with theme or seasonal reference. Repeated over weeks or months, songs become familiar companions and anchors. Children experience language, rhythm and community. Songs are sung that support transition into a new activity of the day. Singing may be accompanied by ukulele or guitar but often just sung together.

The Art of Guidance and Boundaries

Children thrive when they are met with both warmth and boundaries. Honey Songs' approach is rooted in respect and child development. We recognize children are still learning big feelings, social challenges, impulse control, and conflict. Rather than relying on punishment, shame or reward. We strive to meet children with regulated warm presence and clear guidance. Children’s feelings and experiences are met with empathy and deep care and firm consistent boundaries to support safety for the group and the individual child.

Hand Crafts & Painting

Stitching and sewing invite children into meaningful work with their hands. Helping to cultivate patience, focus, coordination and fine motor skills. Handcrafts often are inspired by themes, stories or seasons allowing children to engage more deeply with the seasonal rhythms. Early childhood age children do not express painting or crafts or images in form, but rather from emotion or imagination. We tend to offer one or two colors for painting at one time, allowing children to explore the movement and mood of color versus the end result. The focus remains on the experience itself, gesture and imagination.

"Elysse is such a blessing to our community. Honey Song is a special program. Our child is always sharing the songs she learns and has fostered enriching friendships. "

-Libby