A morning
How a morning at Rowan runs
The order stays the same every day, so children know what comes next. What changes is the day's work.
- 8:30
Step 1: Arrival
A teacher greets each child at the door. Children hang their coats and settle into play.
- 8:45
Step 2: Play
Blocks, silks, a play kitchen and a sand table. The toys are wood, wool, cotton and silk, and the play has no script.
- 9:30
Step 3: Circle
Songs, verses and movement games that change with the season. One teacher leads and the other plays beside the children.
- 10:00
Step 4: The day's work
Painting, handwork, baking, a walk or soup, depending on the day of the week.
- 11:15
Step 5: Snack
Children help set the table, and everyone sits down together after a short verse.
- 12:00
Step 6: Story and goodbye
A story told by heart, or with puppets and felt figures, and then pickup at the door. On the long day, lunch and a rest follow.
The week
Each day of the week has its own work
- Monday
Step 1: Painting day
Children paint with watercolor on damp paper, one color at a time, while a teacher tells a short story about the colors. The paintings dry on a line and go home on Friday.
- Tuesday
Step 2: Handwork day
Finger knitting, felting wool and sewing small things by hand. In each room the older children often help a younger one with a stitch.
- Wednesday
Step 3: Baking day
Children knead and shape bread for snack, and by mid-morning the room smells of it. Everyone sits down together to eat what they made.
- Thursday
Step 4: Walk day
A walk to the field and the woods nearby, with a story at the edge of the trees. On very cold, hot or stormy mornings the walk happens in the room.
- Friday
Step 5: Soup and puppets day
Children chop vegetables for a shared soup, and a teacher tells a story with felt figures and handmade puppets.
Outdoors
Out in the garden and the field, most mornings
Children go outdoors every morning they can: the garden beds, the field and the trees beyond. We dress for the day in layers, and on very cold, hot or stormy mornings we stay in and bring the outdoor work inside. Bring rain boots, a hat and a spare set of clothes in a labeled bag.
Come and see a morning
Tours run while the rooms are working. Book one and see the week for yourself.