We have enjoyed providing families with keepsake Christmas gifts each year and this year is no different. We came across these adorable gnomes from 100 Things to Do and thought that we’d put our own spin on it; rustic, natural, and Christmassy. We purchased a 2″X8″X8′ piece of spruce for about $13 from our local hardware… Read More Rustic Christmas Gnomes
As a cooler wind blows and autumn leaves blanket the forest floor we’ve been settling into fall in Kinderland. We’ve been harvesting from our school garden and even had a Thanksgiving Feast put on by our amazing parent school council. We offer many learning opportunities in our class that are reggio-inspired, but when it comes… Read More Thanksgiving and Fall Rustic Art Keepsakes
These rustic birch tree snowmen were a joy support our littles in making. Our class spend lots of time outdoors and in the forest. These snowmen are truly a reflection of our kindergarten experience. Each child selected their materials and made choices based on their preferences and creativity. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing the children’s eyes… Read More Rustic Birch Tree Snowmen
Our early years team saw these amazing no-sew gnomes on Fabric Art DIY and just had to offer these as an invitation for our early learners. We asked families to donate old socks, mittens, buttons, and ribbons. The donations poured in thanks to our supportive families. The process involved children scooping rice into the bottoms… Read More Christmas Gnomes
Let’s begin with a story. A year 2(senior kindergarten) student enters the outdoor classroom on the first day of school with his mom smiling quietly behind him. His first words are, “Look Mrs Max. I found a worm in my peach pit at breakfast. I wonder why he’s in there?” Some might think, he didn’t… Read More Creating a Culture of Curiosity in Kindergarten
Before transforming our yard into our outdoor learning playspace, our early years team shared our hopes and dreams for the children in the space. We wanted it to provide opportunities for children to develop curiosity, exploration, creativity, innovation, resilience, problem-solving skills, risk-taking, collaboration, oral language skills, mathematical understanding, and connect with nature. We also kept… Read More Planning Outdoor Learning Playspaces For All Seasons
We are thrilled for our littles to take these rustic Christmas tree gifts home for their families this holiday season. They are each creative, unique and very much reflective of the young artists that they are. We often use loose parts in our classroom for open-ended exploration, but the children get excited when we bring… Read More Holiday Tree Art
Many children share their excitement for the holiday season with us and we are equally enthusiastic to provide them with opportunity to encounter learning through invitations to play and learn with a holiday spin. Below are some of the festive playful learning experiences that we’ve offered where children can bump into literacy and math throughout… Read More Playful Christmas and Holiday Invitations to Learn
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir As huge supporters and advocates for outdoor learning our team always looks forward to learning opportunities that extend beyond our classroom to the entire school. Take Me Outside Day and Outdoor Classroom Day are exciting opportunities to spend time… Read More Take Me Outside Day
Hallowe’en is such a fun time of the year for children and such a great opportunity for educators to leverage intentional learning based on child-led interests. Below are some experiences that we’ve provided to support problem-solving and creativity, literacy, math, sensory, and art. Loose Parts Play This qtip skeleton provocation became a loose parts hit… Read More Spooky Hallowe’en Provocations
inspired by play 