The natural beauty of autumn leaves and fall harvests continue to impact our early learners as we explore, create, and imagine outdoors in our forest and school garden. As a way to integrate children’s fascinations with all that comes with autumn our team has co-created some intentional learning explorations that also connect to our student’s developing… Read More Autumn Play and Learning Invitations
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
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
“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
“Every leaf speaks bliss to me fluttering from the autumn tree.” -Emily Bronte For many children and adults a natural interest in leaves re-surfaces each and every year when the leaves change colour. Fall is an amazing opportunity to nurture children’s natural curiosity in the environment and outdoor learning. Below are some playful invitations to play and learn… Read More Exploring Leaves Through Play
“As the sun covers flowers so does art colour life.” -John Lubbock Lois Ehlers’s beautiful book, “Planting a Rainbow” found on amazon has inspired us to explore vivid colours with loose parts. The children said the flowers in the story reminded them of buttons. So, we brought out a collection of buttons for them to represent… Read More Planting a Button Rainbow
Since the screen-obsessed child began to dominate much of western culture many parents have been struggling with how to foster the creative play they once experienced as children in the forest playing with sticks. In Kindergarten classrooms across Ontario, Canada, educators have begun connecting children with nature by bringing natural materials into the classroom for… Read More Hey Educator, What’s This Loose Parts Play You Keep Talking About? A Parent’s Guide to the Benefits of Loose Parts Play
Have you tried infusing math into your small world play? We love wood cookies and have many in our room and outdoors. Some are numbered, some have dots, others have letters or words on them. Constant exposure to numbers, letters and sight words in small world play is such a simple and easy way to… Read More Small World Zoo
Welcome to Shapeland! Kinderland has been excited to build Shapeland using 3D shapes with blocks, tree blocks, rocks, and cut up pool noodles with long tooth pics and skewers. Our early learners began exploring shapes through play and then their own inquiries. They added materials as they wanted to use them. This constructivist approach enabled our… Read More Pool Noodle Shapeland
inspired by play 