“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela
The House of AïA is not defined by age – we believe children give as much to the greater community as adults. As innocent beings, they see the world without the emotional haze that redefines us with age. It is their clean vision that many of us chase as adults, to rebalance our emotional state.
As life-guides it’s our obligation to help them grow into healthy spiritual beings with a curiosity for life and a sensitivity to nature. They are the next generation of influencers. In fact, they have the power to persuade adults, even at a young age.
Through the vision of Laura Diaz, our holistic child center offers a series of daily activities held outside connecting children to the surrounding environment.
Laura, a mother of three, sought a different way to raise her kids. That’s what brought her to the Waldorf School. It opened her mind to a new form of education aligned with her beliefs. The Waldorf philosophy, Anthroposophy, speaks to the human need to feel connected to the world. Each individual has the freedom to find their path of connection through experiencing art, science, and creativity. Children don’t sit in a classroom—they participate—cultivating their unique intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual paths. Laura, a certified Waldorf educator, and practitioner is bringing Anthroposophy to Palmaïa.
Palmaïa – The House of AïA, offers a nurturing sanctuary to care for our next generation differently on vacation. Children benefit from respecting their natural rhythms and we give them the freedom to eat, sleep and play when they wish, in a safe environment, as they would at home. Laura is building a Waldorf inspired program that respects each stage of a child’s natural development cycle. By allowing them to experience each day in a healthy, creative way and according to their emotional state, they get the foundational security to enable them to grow into intellectual and spiritual adults. A child under seven may need more guidance to feel safe whereas children over seven need more exploration and art.
The program has seven themes designed to help cultivate spiritual paths, one for each day of the week, and is influenced by the planets and the moon. Within each theme are five ingredients – a classic element, grain, art, music, and metal. The daily rituals are designed around these five ingredients.
For example, on Mondays, you will discover Luna – Moon. The moon grain is rice. To experience the natural qualities of rice a child will feel it, throw it and eat it. The moon element is water. Children may learn about the beautiful composition of our sea and connect to it while swimming. Lessons are adaptable based on the children’s desires keeping in line with the Waldorf philosophy. And parents, knowing their children are in trusted hands can take time to focus on themselves or choose to participate in the program.
The Waldorf inspired program is for children ages 3–14 and can only be found at Palmaïa, The House of AïA.
Sara Goulder based on interview with Laura Diaz