Early childhood at Roseway
Play Group for children from 3 months to 4 years
Play Group is the first step in a Waldorf education at Roseway. It welcomes children from 3 months to 4 years, three or five mornings a week during school terms, on our campus in Alverstone, Outer West Durban.
We call our Play Group Little Rosebuds. It is a small, family-like group where the youngest members of our community can grow, explore and learn through play, the most natural way for young children to discover the world.
3 or 5
mornings a week
Play Group at a glance
- Ages
- 3 months to 4 years
- Days
- 3 or 5 mornings a week, in school terms
- Home time
- 12h30
- Aftercare
- Available, at no charge
- Where
- Little Rosebuds, Alverstone campus
How young children learn through play
From their earliest months, children are encouraged to use their senses and their curiosity, supported by gentle rhythms, loving care and meaningful activity. As they grow, play becomes their greatest teacher, building coordination, imagination and a close connection to the world around them.
By their third year, as children begin to say "I", their play becomes rich with imagination. A simple block of wood can become a car, a boat or a cradle. This is why our toys are simple and made from natural materials: they leave room for the child to imagine.
Children learn through imitation, song, rhythm and imaginative play. Every child is given the time to discover at their own pace, in a setting where they feel safe and seen.
A morning at Little Rosebuds
What children do
Under the care of our trained teachers, each morning has a balance of guided and free activities:
- Free, imaginative play indoors and outside
- Baking and preparing snacks together
- Handcrafts and drawing
- Gardening
- Songs, rhymes and stories
- Picnics and walks in the countryside around the school
Free imaginative play stays at the heart of every day.
Play Group questions
Answers to the questions parents ask us most. If yours is not here, get in touch or call the school office on 031 768 1309.
Play Group takes children from 3 months old. Children stay in Play Group until they are about 4 years old, when they move on to our Kindergarten.
You can choose three or five mornings a week. Play Group runs during school terms.
Play Group finishes at 12h30.
Yes. Aftercare is available, and there is no charge for Play Group children.
Play is the most natural way for young children to learn. Through play they build coordination, imagination and concentration, and a close connection to the world around them. These are the foundations that later learning rests on, so we give them time to grow rather than rushing ahead.
Simple toys made from natural materials leave room for the child's imagination. A block of wood can become a car, a boat or a cradle, so the child does the imagining instead of the toy.
Young children feel safe when they know what comes next. A gentle, predictable rhythm through the morning, the week and the seasons gives them that security, so they can relax into play and learning.
Outdoor play, gardening, picnics and walks in the countryside around the school help young children develop their senses, their movement and their love of nature. Our campus in Alverstone gives them plenty of space to explore.
Fees depend on how many days your child attends and how you choose to pay. Play Group can be paid daily, monthly, termly or yearly. Use our fee calculator to see the current amounts, including the sibling rate and discounts for paying in advance.
Mornings combine free imaginative play with guided activities such as baking, handcrafts, drawing, gardening, songs and stories, picnics and walks around the school grounds.
Play Group is the first step of a Waldorf education at Roseway. Children continue to Kindergarten, then primary school from Class 1 to Class 7 and high school from Class 8, with matric in Class 13.
Start with a provisional application and pay the R850 non-refundable administration fee, which is deducted from your placement fee if your child is accepted. See Apply Now for the full process, or contact the school office on 031 768 1309.
Amazing things happen to your children
Come and talk to our passionate teachers and dedicated staff to find out "Why Waldorf?"