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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. From September
2017 to June 2020 we were housed in Fort Washington
Collegiate Church.
Since then, a new and exciting chapter for the school is beginning as we have mixed-age forest preschool year round.
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. The Wooden Button doesn't discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational and admission policies.Our basic daily routine includes morning hand washing, a movement circle where we greet each other and nature, self-directed play in the forest, snack of fresh fruits and vegetables and sandwiches, and then "hike" to entrance of park to meet caregivers.
