welcome to a year of wonder

Right now, it’s high summer at Green Gables.

The land turns green and wild, alive with butterflies and birdsong, where fairies hide in garden nooks. A Waldorf-inspired play school in Golden, Colorado.

Waldorf-inspired  ·  Ages 2½–6  ·  Golden, Colorado  ·  Since 2015

The garden pavilion in high summer, ringed by green

high summer · on the grounds

Nº 01 · The Almanac · high summer

Every season has its own work, colour, and wonder.

Our days and weeks follow the greater rhythm of the year — we celebrate it in our songs, our stories, and the small jobs that fill little hands.

Two children wheeling a wooden wagon across the creek bridge
high summer · on the grounds

this season at the school

What little hands are doing now

  • garden harvest
  • creek play
  • fairy nooks
  • nature art

Photographed on the grounds — the picture changes with the season, just like the school.

“Rhythm is essential to our days, weeks and year — a natural flow that carries the children along, from outward play to inward quiet.”

The Green Gables Way

Green Gables is a Waldorf-inspired play school with a mission to nurture children in the development of reverence and imagination, to wonder at beauty, and to foster their genuine interest in the world. We offer early childhood education — a preschool and kindergarten program for ages 2½–6 — and summer camps for children 4–10, serving Golden, Wheat Ridge, Arvada & the Denver area since 2015.

The school resides in a haven of trees, sculpted landscape and blooming magical beauty, home to a small farm of animals and a garden. Our days are spent almost entirely outdoors — a large soft grassy lawn, swings and rope ladders, balance beams, sand boxes and tree forts — with a beautiful indoor refuge for snack and for cold or rainy days.

Nº 02 · The Rhythm

The shape of a morning.

Each day follows a masterfully flowing rhythm — a gentle arc from outward play to inward quiet and back again, with Rachel and a professional assistant teacher weaving a warm, seamless and rich curriculum.

Children deep in play on the shaded porch

Free Play

Outdoors, rain or shine

A child crowned with fresh flowers

Circle

Songs & movement

Popsicles all around on a warm afternoon

Snack

Wholesome & organic

Candlelight and quiet hands at story time

Story

Puppet plays & tales

A days-old chick cradled in small hands

Farm Life

Tending our animals

Nº 04 · The Cast

Friends, companions, and the best teachers of care.

A small working farm of named animals — the gentlest lessons a child could ask for.

Earl the turkey in full feather display on the lawn
Earl
the turkey · our greeter
Huckleberry the piglet grinning up at the camera
Huckleberry
the piglet · the explorer
Petunia the piglet trotting through the grass
Petunia
the piglet · the Spanish Princess
Maple the lop-eared rabbit resting in the grass
Maple
the rabbit · soft & shy
Uncle Nilsson the pig napping in the shade
Uncle Nilsson
the pig · the wise one
Three ducks waddling past the garden gate
The Ducks
the flock · always splashing
A child cradling a speckled hen in the snow
The Chickens
the hens · keepers of the eggs
Ms. Rachel smiling in the mountains above Golden
Ms. Rachel · in the mountains

Nº 05 · The Teacher

The heart of it all is Ms. Rachel.

Dear families,

I’m a nationally certified Waldorf teacher, and I come to early childhood from a nurturing, therapeutic and restorative place — an advocate for children, an avid gardener (farmer at heart), a nature lover, and a mother of three boys.

After thirty years teaching young children — the last twenty devoted entirely to Waldorf education — I still believe a morning of play and work, story and song is the finest curriculum there is. Come see it for yourself.

with love, Ms. Rachel

30years teaching young children
Waldorfnationally certified
2015serving the Denver area

Nº 06 · From our families

Loved by parents.

What fortunate children are those who can be in Rachel's school! Her gentle ways, her love of animals and nature, her imaginative art of storytelling, her kind heart and clear head offer each child a way to become the best of who they are.
Lois Hartman · Waldorf mentor
I can't imagine a better place for my children.
Angela P.
The time outdoors, the animals, the seasonal craft projects, cooking, stories and puppet plays make a wonderfully rich curriculum. But the most wonderful thing about Green Gables is Miss Rachel.
Faith Collins
From the cozy, magical setting to the kind, attuned adults — we could not ask for a better preschool experience.
Jenna C.
Rachel and Nathan have created the most welcoming and playful space I've seen. I felt so comfortable dropping my child off, knowing he would be in the best care.
Amy S.
Ms. Rachel honors each child's unique spirit. Green Gables focuses on togetherness, nature, and the wondrous spirit of children.
Beth C.

Now enrolling

Whatever the season, come visit.

Tours are held year-round. Come feel the rhythm of a Green Gables morning — meet Ms. Rachel, walk the gardens, say hello to Earl.

call us · 970.799.0143