We are a small preschool inspired by the Waldorf education model located
in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan. We started in 2011 with
just four children, meeting once a week in the home of a founding member, and
by the end of the year the class grew to eight children. The following years we
increased our numbers and met four times a week in a classroom rented from
Mother Cabrini High School and the Lutheran Cornerstone Church. Since September
2017, we are happy to have a space in the beautiful Fort Washington
Collegiate Church on the corner of 181st Street and Fort Washington Avenue.
M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T
The Wooden Button preschool began as a grassroots organization of parents and
educators working together to bestow the benefits of a holistic, play-based
preschool education on our children in the Washington Heights neighborhood of
Northern Manhattan. Our educational approach weaves a seamless fabric of music,
movement and art with a strong emphasis on learning through self-directed play.
We strive to create a nurturing social environment dedicated to preserving the
wonder of childhood. Children at The Wooden Button will develop an
understanding and respect for the natural world through their experience in the
classroom, in their exploration of the Wooden Button garden and in the
celebration of the seasons of the year. We foster children’s physical, emotional, and mental development while supporting their individuality. We
welcome children and teachers of all ethnicities, faiths, and backgrounds. Our basic daily routine includes morning hand washing, self-directed play and practical or artistic activity at the table, movement circle time, rest with story, snack (which the children have helped prepare), and then outdoor play all year round for the last hour.
Parents are involved with many aspects of the school as we try and foster a strong community.
