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A secure start for your child’s education

WWS Early Years programs offer young children a warm, nurturing environment, helping them feel at home as they begin their first educational experience.

  • Licensed group childcare is available for ages 30 months – 5 years old in Little Cedars at Spruce Grove & Wildflowers at Spring Creek.
  • Briar Rose Kindergarten at Spruce Grove is open to children who will turn five by December of the same year.

Financial Assistance for Childcare

WWS has been accepted into B.C.’s Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI), which may provide a reduction of up to $545 per month for group care for children aged 3 to kindergarten, and up to $900/month for group toddler care (under 36 months). Parents do not need to apply; fee reductions are applied to fees.

In addition, qualified families are also recommended to apply for the Affordable Childcare Benefit for more assistance (Little Cedars & Wildflowers participants only).

Childcare Programs

Wildflowers @ Spring Creek 

Space is available for children 30 months – school age

Days: 2, 3, 4 & 5 day options available – Operating year-round, Mon-Fri

Times: 8:00-4:00PM

Tuition/Fees: $70 per day, with reduced rates available through CCFRI

Wildflowers Admissions

Little Cedars @ Spruce Grove

Space is available for 30 months – school age 

Days: 2, 3, 4 & 5 day options available – Monday-Friday for September – June. 

(2 day min. ongoing registration required)

Times: 8:15-3:15 PM (Mon-Thurs.) 8:15-12:30 (Fridays)

Tuition/Fees: Starting from approx. $4400/year* based on min. 2 day/week total cost (*as of June 2020).

Little Cedars Registration

FAQS for WWS childcare enrollment

Whistler Waldorf School is licensed to provide care for children starting at 30 months of age. Applications may be submitted and will be reviewed once a child reaches 24 months, six months before they become eligible for enrollment.

  • Little Cedars (LC) is located on the Spruce Grove campus.
  • Wildflowers is located in Spring Creek.
The two programs are more alike than they are different but there are key differences in the program schedule. Wildflowers offers year-round care, and Little Cedars’ schedule mirrors the K-12 program.
  • Little Cedars operates from September to June and is closed during the summer months. Enrollment in Little Cedars represents a commitment for the full September–June academic year. Fridays are half days, with care available from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30.
  • Wildflowers is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a three-week summer closure. Enrollment is ongoing throughout the year until a two-month written notice of withdrawal is provided.

We recommend applying between January and February for a September start for Little Cedars (Spruce Grove). Enrollment for Wildflowers (Spring Creek) is ongoing throughout the year, and we encourage families to apply as soon as their child turns 24 months or at least six months before the desired start date.

Wildflowers is $70 per day and Little Cedars is $75 per day. The slight difference in tuition reflects varying program and facility costs. These rates do not include CCFRI or the Affordable Child Care Benefit. Please note that fees are subject to change; refer to the Tuition Rates page for the most up-to-date information.

Enrollment for Little Cedars is typically confirmed in the spring (around April) for a September start. Space in Wildflowers is usually confirmed one to two months in advance, though we can often provide earlier notice for September starts when openings arise as children transition to kindergarten.

WWS does not utilize a chronological waitlist but rather a wait pool. This means that there is no benefit to applying well in advance of the desired start time. Applications are not accepted for children under 24 months of age.

After completing the admissions process, any child who is granted acceptance once a class has reached its maximum capacity will be placed in a waiting pool. Applicants remain in the wait pool until a placement becomes available, or the family declines an offer. Children who become eligible for kindergarten are then removed from the wait pool

When space becomes available, placements are made with consideration for the school’s mission, program needs, and class composition, as well as the following general priorities:

  • First Priority: Currently enrolled students re-enrolling for the subsequent year. Re-enrollment agreements and deposits are typically due in mid-March. (Applicable to Little Cedars)
  • Second Priority Siblings of currently enrolled students and children of faculty or staff, in support of keeping families together.

Beyond these priorities Early Years admissions also considers:

  1. A range of educational and developmental factors, including the balance of age, gender, and social dynamics within the class; the student’s learning style, developmental readiness, and ability to integrate into the existing cohort
  2. The family’s alignment with the school’s mission and values, and willingness to partner in support of their child’s education; and timing of the available space and readiness to begin.
  3. Wait pool decisions are made with care and discretion by the admissions team in consultation with faculty.
  4. All decisions are final and reflect the school’s commitment to maintaining balanced, mission-aligned classes that best serve the needs of all students.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to predict exactly how long a child will remain in the waiting pool, as enrollment fluctuates throughout the year. In general, the wait for children aged 30–36 months can be several months, as space for this age group is limited. However, we are often able to place children aged 36 months and older more quickly.

We understand that being in a wait pool can be challenging for families, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and commitment to joining the WWS community. Our goal is to make the wait pool process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Based on your desired start date and age of your child, our admissions office will contact you when a position becomes available.  At that time, you will be issued an enrollment agreement and invited to participate in a welcome visit.

Kindergarten Program

Briar Rose (Kindergarten) @ Spruce Grove

Applications are accepted year-round for Kindergarten enrollment. Children can start Kindergarten in September of the year they turn five years old.

Days:  Monday-Friday from September – June (as per school year).

Times: 8:30-3:05PM (Mon-Thurs.) 8:30-12:35 (Fridays)

Tuition/Fees: Please see current yearly fee schedule.

Kindergarten Enrollment

Pedagogy of the Early Years Programs

At the licensed Whistler Waldorf Little Cedars and Wildflowers (ages 30 months–5 years) and Briar Rose kindergarten (ages 5–6) programs, our qualified Early Years educators nurture each child through age-appropriate activities that inspire curiosity, confidence, and a heartfelt connection to the world.

The licensed Whistler Waldorf Little Cedars (ages 3-5) and Briar Rose (ages 5-6) programs are led by qualified ECE professionals.

The early years are a very special, tender time in child development, often the first entry into a social group outside the family for many children. A Waldorf early years classroom emphasizes a calm, homelike environment, with homelike tasks and an unhurried pace.

Our strong rhythm includes an organic hot snack with fruit each morning, plenty of time spent outdoors gardening or going for nature walks, rest time, and lots and lots of work and play! We bake bread from scratch and learn to paint with watercolors every week. We start and finish every day with un-directed free play – the children are free to follow their imaginations. Our daily songs ensure the transitions from one activity to the next run smoothly as children recognize what’s coming up next and music often helps them move along. As well as our daily songs, we learn rhymes and stories for all seasons of the year too. This way we connect to the changing seasons and passage of time in our everyday lives.

A  Waldorf Approach…

Waldorf education encourages a healthy and balance lifestyle for the child – plenty of sleep, a healthy diet, and a less is more approach to everyday scheduling. It also strongly recommends that young children don’t have access to screen time, through TV, computers, smart phones or games, allowing children freedom from powerful images that so easily invade self-created imaginations. Our Waldorf playschool provides a rare opportunity for your child to experience a space that is totally free of advertising and media: a space for them to truly be themselves.

Member of WECAN…

Welcome to WECAN, the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America. Their mission is to foster a new cultural impulse for the work with young child from pre-birth to age seven.

Whistler Waldorf follows the guiding principles of WECAN as do many Waldorf schools.

View WECAN for more specific details on childhood and education principles for the schooling of young children.

Parent Education & Resources

Registration For Early Years Programs

Whistler Waldorf School accepts applications on a rolling basis. Read more about our current rates and application process. 

Applications are accepted year-round and considered as space allows. Admission is contingent upon both availability and the school’s ability to support each child’s developmental and educational needs. Our admissions process seeks to ensure a strong alignment between your family and Whistler Waldorf School’s Mission, Vision and Values.

Inquire about Early Years