Welcome to Under the Oaks Early Childhood Center
3480 Las Flores Canyon Road
Malibu, CA 90265
(310)456-7111
We are a nature based, Waldorf Inspired Preschool where learning takes place developmentally and experientially focused from the inside out. We have a preschool, a Parent and Toddler Center and Elementary age after school gathering place and most of all a community gathering place where social interactions are fostered, nature is explored and friends are made. We have large beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces including a hiking trail, two playgrounds, a garden and large indoor classrooms.
Our programs include Preschool half and full day programs, elementary school afternoon programs and also a gathering place for families. We welcome parents and young children to join us for storytelling, festivals, parenting events, hiking, toy making, a play space for young children in nature, a place to create arts and crafts with your children, an animal program where families interact with friendly therapy animals and learn the language of the heart and the senses through interactions with them.
Our rooms are created to feel like a homelike environment with toys made of natural organic materials. We cook, paint, create, play, sing, dance, explore and learn that each person has a unique contribution.
Our preschool has a strong rhythm and activities are provided teaching first of all social skills, including learning curiosity in each other, self expression, self regulation skills and more. Pre academic skills include, fine motor, gross motor, sequencing, growing an ability to focus, language skills, social skills and self regulation skills all needed as a foundation for future learning. We model a sense of wonder and provide opportunities for that wonder to grow to curiosity, exploration and achievement of new knowledge and collaboration with peers. Learning here is fun, building bridges with our ideas and the ideas of others. Our focus begins with social skills and branches out to curiosity and creation.
Welcome
Programs
Our Parent and Child Classes are a great way to get to know our school. Join us with your little one for 5 weeks on Thursday or Friday this Autumn from Oct 23rd through November 20th. Or this Winter from January 14th through March 26th You will meet the teachers and other families, get to know our curriculum, the classrooms, the grounds, including two of our playgrounds, the edible garden and hiking trails. We have created our space to be a homelike environment.
As your child begins their journey of venturing out, exploring and making new friends, our classroom feels warm, inviting and filled with delicious smells of baking, cooking with basil, mint, lavender, and roses from the garden. Come participate in song and game activities. We offer seasonal craft activities. Together, we share healthy, organic community snacks.
A classroom activity “favorite” is baking bread, and we also enjoy watercolor-painting, connecting with our loving school animals, singing songs, and good ol’ fashion puppet-watching storytime. Weeks vary with parent discussions, mindful witness as the children explore and guided homeade toys you will make for your child. Toys are made from natural materials, wood, wool, cotton, silk etc. We use materials that allow for creative imagination and that incourage children’s development.
The Parent and Child class is two hours of dedicated, mindful sharing as little ones begin to socialize and develop social skills. We end each class with a game circle followed by and a beautiful Goodbye Rainbow.
Early in life, children learn from the inside out, using their senses, from doing, feeling and experiencing the natural world. Learning here takes place through imitation and example rather than through instruction. As they are rapidly changing, young children thrive on having a consistent and predictable rhythm of activities. There is a consistent flow of the day, the week and the seasons. Tuition: starts at $14,000 (9am-1pm, 3-days a week). Full day and/or full week options are available.
Super fun afternoon classes (1:30pm-5:30pm, 5 days a week) for elementary school children, including yoga, music, hiking, story-time, snacks and cooking, dance and rhythm. More information coming soon. Tuition: $50 per two hour class.
Join us for our nature focused camp filled with artisan crafts from nature, hiking, dancing, singing, gardening, having sensory water play, and tending to our farm and pet animals.
Winter Camp
1.Weekly December 14th through January 8th
2. Farm and pet animals week
3. Snow fairy storytelling and crafting
Woodwork, building and crafting from nature
Summer
Seven themed weeks between June - August 2026 include
Visit us with your child for a “Summer Camp' play day 10:00-11:30 Saturday, May 16th.
1. local flora and fauna including the creation of our “scrub jay cafe”,
2. farm and pet animals which will include a building project where children can help us build our new guinniepig and Bunny land,
3. Make your own boats and treasure maps in our Pirate boat and water play week, folklore story telling that will include creating a journey stick and learning the art of oral and pictorial storytelling,
4. Baking and cooking foods ranging from garden to table, and a travel around the culinary world mixed with crafts and stories from each continent,
5. Ocean adventure week including a field trip to tide pools on Latigo Shore
6. Themed week based on the interested of the children in our group
7. Themed week based on interest
. We have expansive outdoor playgrounds as well as a hiking trail along a running creek and large air conditioned indoor classrooms. Tuition: is $400/week (9am-1pm, Mondays through Thursdays). with a Friday option available. Full day options available as well untill 3pm. Sign up in April for the discounted rate of $350 per week.
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