Example Classes
Now offering afternoon classes for a more in-depth exploration into the wonders of nature. These classes tend to be 3 to 4 yr olds but are suitable for toddlers with lots of sensory exploration and creative play.
Week 1 – Introduction to Spring. Springtime is a time of change with new life popping up all around us. We think about how we use our bodies to discover these changes and play in nature. Using our senses we will go on a scavenger hunt and look for signs of Spring.
Week 2 – The wonder of Trees. To help us think about trees in a deeper way we will become a tree as a group, some children being the roots, some the trunk and some the beautiful branches and leaves stretching up to the sky. We think about what each part does and which animals live in the different areas. We’ll go for a walk to see some different types of trees, sing action songs and have stories.
Week 3 – Spring Birds. Many birds are returning from their winter vacation. We will watch them busily build nests and get ready for their eggs to hatch. We will make bird feeders to hang around the grounds.
Week 4 -International Earth Week – We will celebrate our wonderful earth together. Children will plant sunflower seeds to take home. We will look at other seeds to compare size and shape. Children will see how this seed turns into a tiny shoot and eventually a big flower. We will look at what plants need to grow? The children will sings and act out little sunflowers popping up through the soil. We will also make a grass caterpillar to water and care for over the semester. Lots of sensory exploration.
Week 5 – Creepy Crawlies. Equipped with magnifying glasses and bug boxes we will become nature detectives and discover who lives under the rocks and in the soil.
Week 6 – Flowers. This is a beautiful colorful class where we will make gifts for Mothers Day. We will explore different flowers, size, color, shape, smell.
Week 7- Bees. Children will learn about the three kinds of bees who live in the hive and how they collect nectar from the flowers to make honey. Samples of honeycombs will be available for children to see, touch and taste honey the bees make.
Week 8 – Texture and Color in Nature. We will go on a color hunt around the grounds and match the colors we find. This is a sensory play day where the children will make mud pies in the nature kitchen.
Week 9 – Caterpillars and Butterflies. We will look at the three stages of the butterfly. Hopefully over the semester we will have seen the transformation of our caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies. We will release them from the pavillion into the world. We will paint symmetrical butterflies to remember the colors and patterns of their wings.
Week – 10 Making Music with Nature – We will make instruments with nature objects that we we find in and around the grounds. Joined by our music teacher we will sing our favorite Spring songs and celebrate the oncoming of summer.
Depending on the location some semesters will be eight or nine weeks.
All classes will include songs, stories, a creative or sensory activity plus plenty of fresh air and opportunity to explore and play.
Pandora's Garden 