Philosophy
Arc en Ciel is a Waldorf-inspired play-based Spanish-speaking program for children 9 months through 4 years of age.
Our goal is to guide children in ways that naturally strengthen self-reliance, confidence, and patience in learning and sharing. Children are encouraged to explore new skills based on their individual degrees of readiness. Arc en Ciel strives to be a safe space for parents as well as their children, to help support the whole family through the rolling transitions of early childhood. Parents are invited to participate in community together, and are always invited for celebrations.
Activity
We balance the children’s natural rhythms through a gentle and predictable structure, to inspire creativity in a secure environment. Daily activities include play, singing, baking, circle time, story-telling, crafts, and household tasks with an unhurried rhythm. Inside our joyfully-decorated home, the children’s creative imaginations are complemented by wooden blocks and toys, books, and a rainbow of play clothes and dolls. Our proximity to Holly Park lets us play outdoors in the neighborhood playground or the baseball fields on a daily basis.
Celebration
The inner life of the child is supported through celebrating seasonal transitions through festivals and crafts. We celebrate the changes of seasons together with our pumpkin patch at Holly Park, our Winter Solstice gathering with the parents, an annual Valentine gathering, Spring Egg Hunt, and our Fall Potluck.
For birthdays, the celebrated child is bestowed with a custom-made felt crown in the color and jewels of the child’s choice. Parents are invited to attend and bring a special treat for the children to share that afternoon.
Food
Food is an important part of our day at AEC. We strive to bring the highest quality of food to the children with nutritious and organic ingredients. Our wholesome snacks and lunch are in accord with the guidelines of the Federal Food Program. We make bread weekly with the children as an activity to connect them more profoundly with the basis of eating.
Example menu:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, bananas, milk
Lunch: chicken, turkey, or beef with whole grains (such as brown rice), 2 vegetables, and milk
Afternoon snack: Almond butter on whole wheat bread, apples, and milk.
“I love the daily rhythm Christine follows and how there is such a focus on creative play. The food is wonderful, super healthy and organic. Our daughter is such a great eater I think partly due to the delicious food she gets at school. They visit Holly Park daily, which is a huge, beautiful outdoor space. My daughter tells me about the butterflies she sees at the park and every day when we pick her up, she says she wants to go to Holly Park. We often take her after daycare and you can find other parents with their children there as well, so it’s a nice way to get to know other families. My husband and I agree that Christine and Arc En Ciel is one of the best things that has happened to our family since moving to SF. ”