Two Rivers Kindergarden (Mon. - Thur.) & Parent & Toddler group (Fri.)
Two Rivers Kindergarten – Steiner Influenced
Pre-school/Playgroup for 2.5 to 5 year olds
Two Rivers Kindergarten is a small pre-school located on the beautiful grounds of An Sanctoir in Ballydehob, West Cork. It is managed by a voluntary committee of parents.
The pre-school/playgroup caters for children aged 2 and a half to 5 years in a home-like atmosphere. The children are actively involved in the daily rhythms of life including making and preparing food, setting the table and eating together. There is a large outdoor play area with sandpit, swings, vegetable and fruit garden and little willow houses with views across to Mount Gabriel. Each day the children will either paint, bake, make crafts or garden and they play outside every day.
Opening times: We currently offer morning sessions Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 1pm. During term-time (41 weeks per year).
Parent and toddler group: Friday morning, contact Colette Egan 0862 649289.
Kindergarten Places: We have fee paying places (current rate €15 per morning session) and FREE pre-school year places (ECCE scheme). If you would like to register your child for the 2012/13 school year starting September 2012 please contact Sally Jones (Secretary) on 0834 158066 or by email on tworiverskindergarten@gmail.com
Contact details:
Teacher: Lucy Cox 0879 194082
Admission/Secretary: Sally Jones 0834 158066
Parent & Toddler Group: Colette Egan 0862 649289
Rental of Kindergarten for parties etc: Miranda McCarthy Fisher 0871 231961
Follow us on facebook: Two Rivers Kindergarten
Why is our Kindergarten Steiner influenced – and what does that mean?
The Kindergarten’s philosophy is influenced by the work of the educator Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925) who believed that a true education must engage and nourish the whole child: body and spirit. Play is a child’s most natural way of exploring the world, it allows the child to live in the vivid world of the imagination where all is possible. As a natural extension of play, the Kindergarten provides an opportunity to learn through everyday activities such as cooking, sewing, gardening and caring for the classroom. Painting and using simple, natural materials such as driftwood, pinecones and fleece allow the imagination to work freely. The child constantly uses their own physical activities to ‘grasp’ the world.
At the Kindergarten we believe that repetition and rhythm are comforting and strengthening to children so a regular routine is followed in the classroom every day, which helps the child feel secure and know what to expect. The day is a balance between times of activity (outdoor play) and rest (story time), times of expansion (free play) and times of contraction (tidy up). Rhythm brings a feeling of well-being and joy; a balance between playing on their own initiative and coming together to work co-operatively