Our Parent & Child
Our Parent & Child
At Ash Tree Parent and Child Group, we offer a warm, welcoming space for families with young children from birth to four years old. Led by a caring, experienced group leader, our sessions support healthy development through free movement, imaginative play, sensory exploration, and building secure connections.
Our cosy two-hour sessions run Monday to Friday during term time, and we’d love to have you join us! Whether you’re looking to connect with others, support your child’s growth, or enjoy quality time together, Ash Tree Parent and Child Group is here for you.
We can’t wait to welcome you into our community!
Each Parent and Child Group session follows a gentle daily rhythm, inspired by a simplified Waldorf Kindergarten morning. The flow alternates between periods of activity and calm, with free play, movement, and adult-led activities creating a balanced and nurturing experience. The changing seasons are reflected in our yearly rhythm, with seasonal songs, stories, and simple celebrations of festivals.
Our mixed-age indoor sessions welcome children from six months to four years and include baking bread or scones, time for free play, ring time with songs and rhymes, a healthy shared snack, and a story. Once a week, we offer an outdoor Forest Walk group, as well as a special baby group for little ones from birth to walking. We hope parents and carers will feel supported, build connections with others, and become part of our warm and vibrant community at Ringwood Waldorf School.
For many families with children from birth to four years, Parent and Child Groups are their first introduction to Waldorf education, helping create a smooth and familiar transition into Kindergarten when the time comes.
We would love to welcome you and your child to our group!
Weekly Schedule
Parent & Child Groups – birth to four years:
Morning: Monday–Thursday, 10:00am–12:00pm
Afternoon: Tuesday & Wednesday, 1:10pm–3:10pm
* Babies under one year are best suited to our Tuesday afternoon group
Forest Walk – walking to six years (younger siblings welcome):
Friday, 9:30am–11:30am
All sessions run during term time.
Cost: £12 Mon-Thurs, £10 Forest Walk, Sibling discounts available.
We value simple, open-ended toys that inspire imagination and creativity. These timeless objects leave a lasting impression on children. Imagine the wonder of a child exploring a basket of knitted animals, examining a pine cone, smelling dried lavender, or listening to a large shell.
From birth to seven, especially in the first three years, children lay crucial foundations for life. Play brings joy while fostering movement, balance, memory, problem-solving, and understanding. At Ash Tree Parent and Child Group, children explore different areas and build social connections as they play together.
At the end of free play, the group gathers for circle time with songs, rhymes, and finger games. Children enjoy the repetition, quickly learning melodies and gestures suited to their age. Reflecting seasons and festivals, circle time fosters imitation, vocabulary, attentiveness, memory, and social awareness in a fun, engaging way.
Snack time is a special moment to share wholesome food, conversation, and connection. After washing hands with a song, everyone helps prepare the table. The meal begins with a lit candle, creating a calm atmosphere. Indoor sessions include freshly baked bread or scones with fruit, tea, and water, while outdoor groups enjoy oatcakes, fruit, and tea. This shared time fosters relationships, conversation, and social customs for children and babies alike.
After snack time, the group gathers for a cosy story told with handmade puppets and figures, reflecting home life and nature through the seasons. Stories are often repeated for several weeks, as young children love familiarity. Rhymes or songs from circle time may be included to enrich the narrative and reinforce themes.
After the story, we head outside for a short walk to visit the chickens and ducks, or enjoy outdoor free play. We go outside year-round to let children experience fresh air, sunshine, rain, and nature. The gardens offer a chance to observe the changing seasons, connecting with the songs and stories of the session. We end the day in a circle, saying goodbye with poems and songs, feeling refreshed and ready for the week ahead.
Our Tuesday afternoon group offers a gentle space for parents and carers with babies from birth to walking. These sessions provide a welcoming and supportive space for adults to make new connections while babies are free to move and explore our natural toys and materials in a calm and loving environment.
Our Friday Forest Walk group begins at the school, where we gather and set off together along the Castleman Trailway, a peaceful path that leads us through the forest behind the school. We walk at a gentle pace, giving time for children to explore and take in the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural world around them. Our destination is the school’s eco garden, where we find a quiet spot to rest and have a snack. Rain or shine, we head out each week so children can experience the fresh air, shifting weather, and changing seasons. We end the morning in a simple circle with poems and songs.
We’d love to hear from you.
Please use this form to register your interest in our Parent and Child Sessions or to ask any questions. A member of our team will reach out to assist you with any inquiries and guide you through the next steps.
We look forward to connecting with you and welcoming you to our community.
Please read the Terms and Conditions and school policies before completing the form.
