The Steiner approach to early childhood education and care
The Steiner approach to early childhood education, also known as Waldorf education, is a holistic model that treats young children as whole people with intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual needs. If you've walked into a kindergarten full of wooden toys, muted colours and children kneading bread dough, there's a good chance it follows Steiner principles.
What is the Steiner (Waldorf) approach?
The Steiner approach is an educational philosophy based on the work of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher who tried to bridge science and spirituality and founded a body of ideas called anthroposophy. The first Steiner school opened in 1919 at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany, to educate the children of factory workers, which is why the names Steiner and Waldorf are now used interchangeably.
At its heart is the belief that children should be cared for and educated as whole individuals, with a curriculum built around their intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual development. The aim is to support well-rounded people who can think independently, create freely and act with social responsibility.
In Australia, Steiner schools and early childhood settings are represented by Steiner Education Australia, the not-for-profit peak body. It represents 51 Steiner schools and 16 associate members across the states and territories, and Steiner education has operated in Australia since 1957.
What are the three stages of child development in Steiner education?
Steiner education is built around three seven-year developmental stages, and the early childhood years sit inside the first one. Each stage changes how children are taught, moving from the body and the senses in the early years toward imagination, and later toward independent reasoning.
- The physical stage (birth to seven): the foundation years, focused on movement, the senses and play.
- The imaginative stage (seven to 14): learning through imagination, story and the arts.
- The independent-thinking stage (14 to 21): developing reasoning, judgement and individual purpose.
What does Steiner look like in the early years (birth to seven)?
In the early years, a Steiner setting centres on play-based learning, rhythm and real, hands-on experiences rather than worksheets or screens. Steiner saw the first seven years as the foundation for lifelong physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual health, so the environment is set up to support development through free play, movement and natural materials.
For this age group, Steiner settings prioritise:
- Self-initiated play with simple, open-ended materials, treated as essential work for young children.
- Learning through imitation, sensory experiences and movement, especially in the first three years when children are most trusting and dependent on their caregivers.
- Artistic activities such as storytelling, music, drawing, painting and rhythmic games, which support imagination and creativity.
- Practical, meaningful work like cooking, baking, gardening and handwork, which builds real-world skills.
- Predictable rhythms across the day, week and year, which give children security and a sense of how life fits together.
Because children three and under rely so heavily on imitation, educators working with this age group are expected to be deliberate role models in how they speak, move and work.
What's the educator’s role in a Steiner classroom?
In a Steiner setting, the educator acts as a calm guide and role model rather than an instructor at the front of the room. Since young children learn so much by copying the adults around them, educators pay close attention to their own example.
Their job is to observe each child closely and understand their individual needs, interests and stage, then offer a balance of structure and freedom. That means age-appropriate activities alongside plenty of space for imaginative play, creativity and self-discovery. Steiner educators also lean on meaningful daily activities like domestic tasks, physical activity and time in nature, and they work to model trust, openness and care.
What's a Steiner learning environment like?
A Steiner environment is deliberately quiet, simple, warm and natural, designed so children can explore safely and take small, manageable risks. Toys are usually made from wood, wool and other natural materials, colours are muted, plastics are minimised, and sharp corners are avoided where possible. The emphasis is on real experiences over virtual ones, so children build a grounded relationship with the world around them.
Food and meals
Steiner settings put real care into food, favouring wholesome, often organic, seasonal and minimally processed meals. Children frequently share communal meals and help prepare them, which builds connection and social skills, and many settings link food to gardening so children understand where it comes from.
Daily rhythm
Daily life follows a predictable rhythm built around children’s need for good sleep, healthy food, time in nature and warm, present care. A typical day alternates between child-led and teacher-led activities, moving through painting, crafts, domestic tasks like cooking and tidying, circle time, storytelling and music. That steady pattern helps children feel safe and builds healthy self-esteem.
Does Steiner teach reading and writing in the early years?
Steiner settings usually delay formal literacy and numeracy until around age seven, in the belief that reading and writing come more easily once children have built strong social, emotional and physical foundations through play. Children still meet language richly before then, through stories, songs, verses and conversation, just without worksheets.
This is one of the biggest differences between Steiner and more academic early-learning programs, and it is worth understanding before you enrol. Some families love the unhurried start, while others prefer an earlier focus on letters and numbers.
It's also worth knowing how Steiner sits within Australian standards. In schools, Steiner programs follow the Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework, which the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority recognises as providing comparable outcomes to the Australian Curriculum. Approved early childhood services that use the Steiner approach still operate under the National Quality Framework, so the approach works within national requirements rather than outside them.
Is the Steiner approach right for your child?
The Steiner approach tends to suit families who value creativity, nature, unhurried development and a calm, low-screen environment in the early years. It may feel less aligned for families who want an early focus on academics, or who prefer more technology in the classroom. It can help to see how Steiner compares with Montessori and Reggio Emilia before you decide.
Every child and family is different, so the best way to judge fit is to visit a few services and watch how your child settles. You can compare learning approaches and find Steiner and other kindergartens near you on Care for Kids.
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