Mele’aina is a nature-based and Waldorf-inspired early childhood program for children ages 3-6 years old. We are located on 15 pristine acres at Pono Grown Farm Center, just 5 minutes from Makawao town in Maui, Hawaii. The children who attend Mele’aina are nourished by the natural rhythms of life and engaged in activities that respect and honor childhood. Our early childhood education programs provide children (preschool through kindergarten) with a calm and joyful experience filled with magic and reverence.

Each child’s developmental journey is met with love and interest, and the overall environment nourishes the children physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Our days consist of indoor time, inside of our beautiful new schoolhouse, for imaginative play, circle time, puppet shows and stories. While outdoors, the children experience expansive time to climb trees, go on nature hikes, and explore the farm. As children develop a personal relationship with the natural world, learning is meaningful and a sense of reverence for the earth and all life is cultivated. Other activities include singing, games, gardening, painting, making seasonal crafts, and sharing meals together.

We have two classes at the Mele’aina School - preschool (the Ginger class) and kindergarten (the Orchid class). During outdoor play, the two classes come together to form a mixed age group creating a family type feel where cooperation is encouraged. The younger children enjoy and learn from their older peers, and the older children develop a sense of responsibility and compassion with the younger children present. In addition to our daily and weekly rhythms, we celebrate festivals throughout the year including our Pumpkin Walk, the Advent Spiral, and May Day Fair. These festivals bring families and ohana together and strengthen our growing community. Each child’s birthday is celebrated with a special ceremony where family members are invited to join and share in honoring their growing child.

Parent evenings with a focus on Waldorf related parenting topics create a strong support for our parenting journeys and lasting friendships. Each lead-teacher is Waldorf-trained and each child is honored as a unique being with special gifts to offer the world. We are guided by the work of Rudolf Steiner and the evolution of Waldorf education worldwide.