NATURE’S KIDS

Much of what we do involves kids learning through science and nature. When the children first arrive, they have an opportunity to engage in free-play. During this time kids can explore many different activities that are available to them at Nature’s Kids. The kids may choose to play in one of the outdoor sandboxes, visit with our resident animals, do experiments or interact with their friends in play.

After free play the kids gather around the teacher for circle time. The boys and girls enjoy this time because it prepares them for another action-packed day of experiential learning in science and nature. Circle time allows the children to refresh their memories about what they learned in a prior day and to discuss with the instructor and each other what they would still love to learn more about. Through conversation and sharing, kids better understand and process their experiences and begin to perceive the school day as a goal-oriented learning experience. Circle time gives direction and purpose to the learning experience for both the students and our professional staff of teachers.

The Possibilities are Endless!

At Nature’s Kids much of what we do is done with using nature as a classroom. Our 17-acre preserve has ponds, streams, fields, forests, bridges, gardens, live animals, and all sorts of nooks and crannies for your toddler to explore. The possibilities are endless. Class takes place in the outdoors as much as possible and each day at Nature’s Kids provides our instructors with new teachable moments.

During snack the kids eat healthy foods provided by CSTL or snacks the children made themselves. Children take the opportunity to have snack outside under a big shady oak tree or sitting on the fishing pier overlooking the pond.

Four to six academic topics are presented each day. Math and language skills are integrated into the nature theme throughout the course of the session. Children are encouraged to sort, count, and observe whenever the opportunity presents itself. Counting rings on a tree, petals of a flower, or clouds in the sky, numbers are everywhere. Language arts are also integrated into the science and nature curriculum and lessons. Letter recognition by sight and sound happens through out the school day.

The ability for a person or child to have control over their body is called kinesthetic intelligence. The ability to gently hold a butterfly, to roll over a log, climb a hill, or play a musical instrument are things we tend to learn as children. How to use your body to perform these and dozens of other tasks are part of the lessons at Nature’s Kids. Our facility, with all its geological and ecological features, is the perfect place to develop your child’s kinesthetic skill set. The children are challenged to use their bodies, hands, legs, fingers, toes, lips, and eyes in new ways each day, and in each lesson. The ability to balance is done outside as much as possible. climbing over or under logs, hiking through the trails, jumping like frogs, and flying like birds are just a few ways we teach the children how to use their body.

What We Learned Today: To end the day and reflect on what happened, the class enjoys this time to recollect their day. A sign greets the parents and caregivers, providing a summary of their exciting day!

As the seasons change learning evolves into something special. The terrain in each of our ecosystems changes as well. Your child will learn more about living things in a few months than most children do in their first several years of development.