OUTDOOR PRESCHOOL AND NATURE BASED LEARNING
“Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.” -Albert Einstein
Many of you may be aware of the nature-based, outdoor preschool movement in our state. In many other countries outdoor, nature-based learning had taken the lead long ago; with studies showing the outcome of success to back this most important way of learning! Village Learning prides itself on having always offered both: Garden Gate Preschool; including a special blend of Traditional Preschool; Montessori activities- for specific learning opportunities, and Play- based learning with a creative, emerging curriculum as well as, an expansive Nature-based learning program! At Village Learning you do not have to choose; knowing that each is a special and valuable opportunity; your child is offered the best of both!
“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.”
-Tomas Berry
Our nature-based learning offers both child and teacher led, “project earth friend”, adventures each day! From the simplicity of a talking stick, indicating who has the power to talk as the children share ideas in outdoor circles, to the magic of a journey stick; where curious minds collect items they find fascinating from nature and attach them to the stick as they explore on a nature walk together- later, when the journey ends, the sharing begins; what item came first? Where did it come from? Why is important in nature? And…so much more!
“In the woods we return to reason and faith.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The children choose many wonderous subjects to explore
From larger projects such as our own horse track to simulate nature and how horses live in the wild; a place to feel safe; a place to roll; the watering hole and more… to small discoveries: how joy filled it is to a child exploring his senses as they become heightened through nature experiences.
How exciting are the changing seasons! Why do leaves change color? How does the tree grow! Where do their seeds come from? Does this one give us syrup? How do you know?
As you can imagine, there are so many questions and we are here to discover the answers with them, as each child explores and celebrates nature itself!
