The Waldorf school strives to develop a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate and where children learn in both a tactile and intellectual way. Developed by Rudolph Steiner in 1919, Waldorf schools recognize three stages of child development: early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence. The philosophy recognizes the importance of practical, artistic and conceptual learning. In early childhood students participate in guided free play. As they move into middle childhood at about seven years old they experience a interdisciplinary approach that encompasses the “spirit, soul and body.”