How do we meet the pressure to begin early academic instruction while we fulfill our commitment to nurture and protect the children's physical, social and emotional health and support their intellectual development for the whole of life? This is our question as we hold the overall well-being of the child in the center of our pondering together.

Speaker: Nancy Blanning

Nancy is an early childhood and teacher training educator in the US with a special interest in child development. She has collaborated with many others to understand grade school readiness and appropriate timing to begin that journey. She is author, conference and workshop presenter, teacher trainer, and mentor in North America and has given workshops at Goetheanum conferences on movement activities to support healthy sensory development. Her Waldorf teaching began in 1982.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Grundsteinsaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en inglés, en anglais

About the exhibition 

From a very early age, we humans discover painting and drawing; quite intuitively, we translate experiences, observations and fantasies into images – without ever having «learned» to do so. Even before we can write, we develop a language that can be perceived and understood worldwide, and whose fundamentals have changed very little over the generations. If we are allowed to, which is increasingly rarely the case.

For many years, Norbert Carstens has been collecting children’s drawings from the last 100 years, from all over the world, and researching fascinating commonalities as well as current developments.

Exhibitor: Norbert Carstens

Norbert Carstens is an art educator, draughtsman and eurythmist from Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. He has been studying children’s drawings for over 40 years and has compiled an extensive collection of drawings from all over the world. He is the founder of ChildArt e.V. and curator of the exhibition CHILD ART. LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG IMPACT.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Terrassensaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés 

About the exhibition 

From a very early age, we humans discover painting and drawing; quite intuitively, we translate experiences, observations and fantasies into images – without ever having «learned» to do so. Even before we can write, we develop a language that can be perceived and understood worldwide, and whose fundamentals have changed very little over the generations. If we are allowed to, which is increasingly rarely the case.

For many years, Norbert Carstens has been collecting children’s drawings from the last 100 years, from all over the world, and researching fascinating commonalities as well as current developments.

Exhibitor: Norbert Carstens

Norbert Carstens is an art educator, draughtsman and eurythmist from Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. He has been studying children’s drawings for over 40 years and has compiled an extensive collection of drawings from all over the world. He is the founder of ChildArt e.V. and curator of the exhibition CHILD ART. LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG IMPACT.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Terrassensaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés 

Singing games are a part of every culture and generation. These gems provide healthy opportunities for sensory integration while lifting spirits and building community. Singing and moving together in simple or complicated forms appeals to all ages, whether at home, in a classroom, or faculty meeting. They are contagious joy.

Speaker: Anna Rainville

A Waldorf educator since 1978, Anna travels widely to mentor and teach. Her experience as a class teacher, kindergarten teacher, and with adult learners continues to delight and deepen her interest in Waldorf education. Whether in classrooms, living rooms, Zoom rooms, conferences, teacher training centers, universities, or forest schools, Anna enjoys supporting teachers, both new and seasoned.

Anna lives in California and works nationally and internationally, including the Philippines, Estonia, the West Bank, Ireland, and India. Special interest in learning through movement and sensory integration led her to complete remedial training. Her book, Singing Games for Families, Schools, and Communities, is cherished by early childhood educators.

Meeting point: AfaP-Saal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés

Short description of the film:

This documentary was produced to celebrate 100 years of Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education in Brazil. The film documents a process of training and research based on Goethe’s phenomenological approach to observation, carried out by educators from different regions of Brazil. The focus of the research is children’s free play in early childhood education and their interaction with trees. The images capture the educators’ attentive presence, as well as the strength of play amid the rich diversity of cultures and biomes that shape Brazilian identity.

Speaker/Oradora: Sandra Eckschmidt

She is Early Childhood teacher at Casa Amarela School. Waldorf Pedagogy lecturer and PhD in Education. Brazilian representative of of IASWECE and researcher of Play Teeritory (Territorio do brincar). Author specializing in play and phenomenological observation in childhood.

Meeting point/Ponto de encontro: Goetheanum, Ostsaal 4

-> em português/in Portuguese/auf Portugiesisch/en portugués/en portugais

stART international (www.start-international.org), with 18 years of experience in educational-therapeutic work with children in emergency situations, will present aspects of its long work in Europe and abroad which might be also helpful and enriching for everyday early childhood settings in today’s increasingly challenging world.

Speaker: stART, Barbara Schiller

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Nordatelier

-> in English/auf Englisch/en anglais/en inglés

Impulsbeitrag und Videobeispiele um Kinder NEU sehen zu lernen.

Vortragende: Claudia Grah-Wittich, geb. 1957, verheiratet, drei erwachsene Kinder

Studium der Philosophie und Kunstgeschichte M.A., Dipl. Sozialarbeitern, tätig in der Frühförderung und Elternberatung am «hof» in Niederursel/Frankfurt, Aufbau des Pädagogisch-therapeutischen Zentrums in Frankfurt/Niederursel Fachreferentin für frühe Kindheit, Organisations- und Einrichtungsberatung im frühpädagogischen Bereich, sowie Erwachsenenbildung. Weiterbildung «Eltern Beraten, Kinder NEU sehen lernen» in Frankfurt/Niederursel und Salzburg, Mitarbeit in der Arbeitsgruppe «Schwangerschaft, Geburt und frühe Kindheit» der Medizinischen Sektion am Goetheanum, Vorträge und Seminare im In und Ausland, Autorin

Treffpunkt: Goetheanum, Ostsaal 3

-> auf Deutsch, en allemand, in German, en alemán

How do we meet the pressure to begin early academic instruction while we fulfill our commitment to nurture and protect the children's physical, social and emotional health and support their intellectual development for the whole of life? This is our question as we hold the overall well-being of the child in the center of our pondering together.

Speaker: Nancy Blanning

Nancy is an early childhood and teacher training educator in the US with a special interest in child development. She has collaborated with many others to understand grade school readiness and appropriate timing to begin that journey. She is author, conference and workshop presenter, teacher trainer, and mentor in North America and has given workshops at Goetheanum conferences on movement activities to support healthy sensory development. Her Waldorf teaching began in 1982.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Grundsteinsaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en inglés, en anglais

About the exhibition 

From a very early age, we humans discover painting and drawing; quite intuitively, we translate experiences, observations and fantasies into images – without ever having «learned» to do so. Even before we can write, we develop a language that can be perceived and understood worldwide, and whose fundamentals have changed very little over the generations. If we are allowed to, which is increasingly rarely the case.

For many years, Norbert Carstens has been collecting children’s drawings from the last 100 years, from all over the world, and researching fascinating commonalities as well as current developments.

Zur Ausstellung 

Schon in früher Kindheit entdecken wir Menschen das Malen und Zeichnen, ganz intuitiv setzen wir Erlebnisse, Beobachtungen, Phantasien in Bilder um – ohne es «gelernt» zu haben. Ohne schreiben zu können entwickeln wir eine Sprache, die weltweit wahrgenommen und verstanden werden kann und die sich über Generationen in ihren Grundlagen nur wenig verändert hat. Wenn man uns lässt, was aber immer seltener der Fall ist.

Seit vielen Jahren sammelt Norbert Carstens Kinderzeichnungen der letzten 100 Jahre aus und in aller Welt und erforscht faszinierende Gemeinsamkeiten ebenso wie aktuelle Entwicklungen.

Exhibitor/Aussteller: Norbert Carstens

Norbert Carstens is an art educator, draughtsman and eurythmist from Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. He has been studying children’s drawings for over 40 years and has compiled an extensive collection of drawings from all over the world. He is the founder of ChildArt e.V. and curator of the exhibition CHILD ART. LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG IMPACT.

Norbert Carstens ist Kunstpädagoge, Zeichner und Eurythmist aus Bochum, NRW. Seit mehr als 40 Jahren beschäftigt er sich mit Kleinkindzeichnungen und hat eine umfangreiche Sammlung von Zeichnungen aus der ganzen Welt zusammengetragen. Er ist Initiator des ChildArt e.V. und Kurator der Ausstellung CHILD ART. KLEINE MENSCHEN, GROSSES WIRKEN.

Meeting point/Treffpunkt: Goetheanum, Terrassensaal

-> in English/German, auf Englisch/Deutsch, en anglais/allemand, en inglés/alemán 

Zur Ausstellung 

Schon in früher Kindheit entdecken wir Menschen das Malen und Zeichnen, ganz intuitiv setzen wir Erlebnisse, Beobachtungen, Phantasien in Bilder um – ohne es «gelernt» zu haben. Ohne schreiben zu können entwickeln wir eine Sprache, die weltweit wahrgenommen und verstanden werden kann und die sich über Generationen in ihren Grundlagen nur wenig verändert hat. Wenn man uns lässt, was aber immer seltener der Fall ist.

Seit vielen Jahren sammelt Norbert Carstens Kinderzeichnungen der letzten 100 Jahre aus und in aller Welt und erforscht faszinierende Gemeinsamkeiten ebenso wie aktuelle Entwicklungen.

Aussteller: Norbert Carstens

Norbert Carstens ist Kunstpädagoge, Zeichner und Eurythmist aus Bochum, NRW. Seit mehr als 40 Jahren beschäftigt er sich mit Kleinkindzeichnungen und hat eine umfangreiche Sammlung von Zeichnungen aus der ganzen Welt zusammengetragen. Er ist Initiator des ChildArt e.V. und Kurator der Ausstellung CHILD ART. KLEINE MENSCHEN, GROSSES WIRKEN.

Treffpunkt: Goetheanum, Terrassensaal

-> auf Deutsch, in German, en allemand, en alemán 

Singing games are a part of every culture and generation. These gems provide healthy opportunities for sensory integration while lifting spirits and building community. Singing and moving together in simple or complicated forms appeals to all ages, whether at home, in a classroom, or faculty meeting. They are contagious joy.

Speaker: Anna Rainville

A Waldorf educator since 1978, Anna travels widely to mentor and teach. Her experience as a class teacher, kindergarten teacher, and with adult learners continues to delight and deepen her interest in Waldorf education. Whether in classrooms, living rooms, Zoom rooms, conferences, teacher training centers, universities, or forest schools, Anna enjoys supporting teachers, both new and seasoned.

Anna lives in California and works nationally and internationally, including the Philippines, Estonia, the West Bank, Ireland, and India. Special interest in learning through movement and sensory integration led her to complete remedial training. Her book, Singing Games for Families, Schools, and Communities, is cherished by early childhood educators.

Meeting point: AfaP-Saal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés

Das Modell der Waldorf-Kindertagespflege (familiennahe Betreuung von Kindern in den ersten Lebensjahren durch professionelle Kindertagespflege Personen) – die Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Waldorf-Kindertagespflege in Deutschland.

Vortragende: Claudia Gössling und Yvonne Röder

Treffpunkt: Rudolf Steiner Halde, Saal

-> auf Deutsch, in German, en allemand, en alemán 

Short description of the film:

This documentary was produced to celebrate 100 years of Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education in Brazil. The film documents a process of training and research based on Goethe’s phenomenological approach to observation, carried out by educators from different regions of Brazil. The focus of the research is children’s free play in early childhood education and their interaction with trees. The images capture the educators’ attentive presence, as well as the strength of play amid the rich diversity of cultures and biomes that shape Brazilian identity.

Speaker: Sandra Eckschmidt

She is Early Childhood teacher at Casa Amarela School. Waldorf Pedagogy lecturer and PhD in Education. Brazilian representative of of IASWECE and researcher of Play Teeritory (Territorio do brincar). Author specializing in play and phenomenological observation in childhood.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Ostsaal 4

-> in English

stART international (www.start-international.org), fort de 18 ans d’expérience dans le travail éducatif et thérapeutique auprès d’enfants en situation d’urgence, présentera certains aspects de son long travail en Europe et dans d’autres régions du monde, qui peuvent également s’avérer utiles et enrichissants pour les contextes quotidiens de la petite enfance dans le monde de plus en plus exigeant d’aujourd’hui.

Conférencière : Valeska Gleser 

Point de rencontre : Goetheanum Nordatelier

-> en français, auf Französisch, in French, en francés

The IASWECE Working Group on Training invites colleagues who are actively teaching in early childhood training courses to meet one another, ask questions, share burning issues and learn about resources and upcoming trainers' meetings.

Speakers/Vortragende: IASWECE members

Meeting point/Treffpunkt: Stundentenwohnheim, rechts

A stimulus and video examples to help you see children in a new light.

Speaker: Claudia Grah-Wittich, born in 1957, married, with three adult children

Studied Philosophy and Art History (MA), qualified social worker, working in early intervention and parental counselling at «hof» in Niederursel/Frankfurt, established the Pedagogical-Therapeutic Centre in Frankfurt/Niederursel, specialist consultant for early childhood, organisational and institutional consultancy in the field of early childhood education, as well as adult education. Further training in «Counselling Parents, Learning to See Children in a New Light» in Frankfurt/Niederursel and Salzburg; member of the «Pregnancy, Birth and Early Childhood» working group of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum; lectures and seminars in Germany and abroad; author

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Ostsaal 3

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en ingés

How do we meet the pressure to begin early academic instruction while we fulfill our commitment to nurture and protect the children's physical, social and emotional health and support their intellectual development for the whole of life? This is our question as we hold the overall well-being of the child in the center of our pondering together.

Speaker: Nancy Blanning

Nancy is an early childhood and teacher training educator in the US with a special interest in child development. She has collaborated with many others to understand grade school readiness and appropriate timing to begin that journey. She is author, conference and workshop presenter, teacher trainer, and mentor in North America and has given workshops at Goetheanum conferences on movement activities to support healthy sensory development. Her Waldorf teaching began in 1982.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Grundsteinsaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en inglés, en anglais

About the exhibition 

From a very early age, we humans discover painting and drawing; quite intuitively, we translate experiences, observations and fantasies into images – without ever having «learned» to do so. Even before we can write, we develop a language that can be perceived and understood worldwide, and whose fundamentals have changed very little over the generations. If we are allowed to, which is increasingly rarely the case.

For many years, Norbert Carstens has been collecting children’s drawings from the last 100 years, from all over the world, and researching fascinating commonalities as well as current developments.

Exhibitor: Norbert Carstens

Norbert Carstens is an art educator, draughtsman and eurythmist from Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. He has been studying children’s drawings for over 40 years and has compiled an extensive collection of drawings from all over the world. He is the founder of ChildArt e.V. and curator of the exhibition CHILD ART. LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG IMPACT.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Terrassensaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés 

About the exhibition 

From a very early age, we humans discover painting and drawing; quite intuitively, we translate experiences, observations and fantasies into images – without ever having «learned» to do so. Even before we can write, we develop a language that can be perceived and understood worldwide, and whose fundamentals have changed very little over the generations. If we are allowed to, which is increasingly rarely the case.

For many years, Norbert Carstens has been collecting children’s drawings from the last 100 years, from all over the world, and researching fascinating commonalities as well as current developments.

Exhibitor: Norbert Carstens

Norbert Carstens is an art educator, draughtsman and eurythmist from Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. He has been studying children’s drawings for over 40 years and has compiled an extensive collection of drawings from all over the world. He is the founder of ChildArt e.V. and curator of the exhibition CHILD ART. LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG IMPACT.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Terrassensaal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés 

Singing games are a part of every culture and generation. These gems provide healthy opportunities for sensory integration while lifting spirits and building community. Singing and moving together in simple or complicated forms appeals to all ages, whether at home, in a classroom, or faculty meeting. They are contagious joy.

Speaker: Anna Rainville

A Waldorf educator since 1978, Anna travels widely to mentor and teach. Her experience as a class teacher, kindergarten teacher, and with adult learners continues to delight and deepen her interest in Waldorf education. Whether in classrooms, living rooms, Zoom rooms, conferences, teacher training centers, universities, or forest schools, Anna enjoys supporting teachers, both new and seasoned.

Anna lives in California and works nationally and internationally, including the Philippines, Estonia, the West Bank, Ireland, and India. Special interest in learning through movement and sensory integration led her to complete remedial training. Her book, Singing Games for Families, Schools, and Communities, is cherished by early childhood educators.

Meeting point: AfaP-Saal

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés

Das Modell der Waldorf-Kindertagespflege (familiennahe Betreuung von Kindern in den ersten Lebensjahren durch professionelle Kindertagespflege Personen) – die Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Waldorf-Kindertagespflege in Deutschland.

Vortragende: Claudia Gössling und Yvonne Röder

Treffpunkt: Rudolf Steiner Halde, Saal

-> auf Deutsch, in German, en allemand, en alemán 

Kurzbeschreibung des Films:

Dieser Dokumentarfilm wurde anlässlich des 100-jährigen Jubiläums der Steiner-Waldorf-Frühpädagogik in Brasilien produziert. Der Film dokumentiert einen Ausbildungs- und Forschungsprozess, der auf Goethes phänomenologischem Beobachtungsansatz basiert und von Pädagoginnen aus verschiedenen Regionen Brasiliens durchgeführt wurde. Im Mittelpunkt der Forschung stehen das freie Spiel von Kindern in der frühkindlichen Bildung und ihre Interaktion mit Bäumen. Die Bilder fangen die aufmerksame Präsenz der Pädagogen ein sowie die Kraft des Spiels inmitten der reichen Vielfalt an Kulturen und Biomen, die die brasilianische Identität prägen.

Vortragende: Sandra Eckschmidt

Sie ist Erzieherin an der Casa Amarela Schule. Dozentin für Waldorfpädagogik und promovierte Pädagogin. Brasilianische Vertreterin der IASWECE und Forscherin bei «Territorio do brincar». Autorin mit den Schwerpunkten Spiel und phänomenologische Beobachtung in der Kindheit.

Treffpunkt: Goetheanum, Ostsaal 4

-> auf Deutsch/in German

Just.Childhood is a community-based NGO in Lebanon, founded in 2014 in Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camp and grounded in Waldorf pedagogy. Through three integrated programs — Early Childhood Education, Psychosocial Support, and Sports for Development — the organization creates safe, culturally rooted spaces where children and youth affected by displacement, trauma, and poverty can learn, play, and rebuild resilience. The presentation will highlight how local educators, families, and partner organizations work together to protect childhood and strengthen communities. 

Speaker: 

• Wiebke Eden-Fleig, founder of Just.Childhood, degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies, has worked for several years as a programme coordinator for a German foundation in Beirut. She is an educational expert committed to carrying out the project in order to offer children and their families a better future.
• Samah Rmieh, is the Coordinator of Just.Childhood’s Bait Al-Shams Kindergarten. She oversees the daily operations of the center, supports team coordination, and ensures clear and reliable communication across staff and caregivers. Her work is grounded in a child-centered and Waldorf-baed educational approach, with a strong focus on rhythm, relationships, and creating a safe, structured, and nurturing learning environment where every child can feel seen, supported, and able to grow.
• Fadia Mohammad, holds formal training in Education in Child and Mother Welfare (2013–2014) and a Certificate in Waldorf Early Childhood Education from the Akademie für Waldorfpädagogik in Mannheim, Germany (2017). She has been part of Just.Childhood since 2015 and currently works as a kindergarten educator at Bait Al-Shams in Beirut. Her practice is rooted in child-centered, developmentally appropriate education, with a strong emphasis on emotional safety, social development, and meaningful early learning experiences.

Meeting point: Goetheanum, Nordatelier

-> in English, auf Englisch, en anglais, en inglés