What Happens in KinderHouse? By Jaimmie Stugard

What happens in KinderHouse? 

by Miss Jaimmie

For many, many years, families arrived at LifeWays to see our living room transformed into a KinderHouse space two mornings a week. Blocks, puppets, silks, dolls and many other beautiful, natural toys and instruments were carefully arranged to inspire the imaginative play that is the hallmark of the preschool years. From time to time, parents and younger children were invited to be special guests and get a taste of a morning in LifeWays KinderHouse preschool. The grown up guests often remarked about how capable the children were at chopping fruit for morning snack, folding laundry, serving themselves snack, pouring warm tea and minding their table manners.

In KinderHouse, the mornings are framed with songs, rituals and verses that bring form and reverence to our daily routines. The children in KinderHouse are gradually introduced to higher expectations for manners, self care, listening and participation. In September, circle and story tend to be a bit shorter and simple as the children build their capacity for listening and following along with group activities. By May, our puppet plays have become more elaborate and our circle songs and games are more intricate and lengthy. And, still, the children remember every word and I am told that they often bring these stories and songs home to share with their families.

Of course, like many things in our lives, we have been compelled to adapt our KinderHouse program in light of the pandemic and we are gradually readjusting to “the new normal.” For the last two years, KinderHouse had been almost entirely outdoors. But, late this fall, as the weather began to cool, I realized that it was time to bring the “house” back into KinderHouse.  We gradually transitioned into starting with snack indoors and ending our mornings with circle time and a puppet play in LifeWays living room.  After seeing how wonderfully our last several KinderHouse groups played in the forest, I committed to keeping most of our free play in the woods and have yet to bring out all of the KinderHouse toys.

Yet, it is clear that the “stuff” does not make KinderHouse magic.  The essense of KinderHouse is in the imaginative play, the relationships and learning to be together, the communion with nature and the rhythms and routines that form our time together.