The child before 7 years old
The Seven-Year Cycles in Steiner-Waldorf Education The concept of seven-year cycles is one of the core principles of SteinerWaldorf education, which I consider to be the wisest approach because it views the child as a whole being. It recognizes not only the visible, physical body but also the unseen dimensions of the human being. At its core, a person is a spiritual being with energetic bodies that gradually develop over time. According to this perspective, a child grows in distinct seven-year phases: -From birth to age 7, the focus is on building the physical body. During this stage, the child is forming their organs, bones, muscles, tendons, joints, and immune system. From 7 to 14 years, the child’s development shifts to the etheric or life body, which governs growth and vitality. This is the ideal period for school learning, which should be engaging and dynamic to support this stage of development. From 14 to 21 years, the adolescent works on developing the astral body, which is linked to emotions, feelings, and relationships. This is a time for deepening sensitivity, forming connections with others, and finding one’s place in the world. From 21 to 28 years, the young adult develops the mental body, which allows for independent thinking and reasoning. By 28, when the brain reaches full maturity, a person is fully prepared for adult life.