Child Development & Psychology

Child development and psychology titles rooted in anthroposophical understanding offer a distinctive picture of how children grow, learn, and individuate through clearly defined stages. Rudolf Steiner described three major seven-year developmental phases — birth to seven, seven to fourteen, and fourteen to twenty-one — each governed by different forces and requiring different approaches from parents and educators. This collection brings together the essential works that illuminate these stages and their practical implications.

Foundational texts include Bernard Lievegoed’s Phases of Childhood, one of the most widely read anthroposophical works on developmental psychology, and Michaela Glöckler and Wolfgang Goebel’s A Guide to Child Health, now in its sixth edition. You will also find Rudolf Steiner’s core lectures on education and child development, Henning Köhler’s works on understanding difficult children, and newer titles exploring the impact of screens and digital technology on developing consciousness. Works by Rahima Baldwin Dancy, Joan Salter, and Kim John Payne provide accessible entry points for parents.

This collection serves Waldorf parents navigating their children’s development, teachers seeking deeper understanding of their students, and health practitioners working with children. The Rudolf Steiner Bookstore maintains one of the most complete selections of anthroposophical child development literature available anywhere. Explore the subcategories The Seven-Year Stages and Adolescent Development for age-specific resources.