Our Outdoor Kindergarten offers children the opportunity to experience joy, wonder, and connection with nature as they splash in puddles, create play structures out of nature's materials, create a community garden with their class, collect acorns for potions, find a patch of moss on a dewy spring day, or feel the thrill of sledding in the winter.
The class will spend their days enjoying our 13-acre campus and its many different spaces, from the wooded areas, to open fields, and playgrounds. They will experience hands-on learning and cooperation as they engage more with the birds, plants, and stones that inhabit our campus, and how we work in harmony with and support them. They will get to know the maples and oaks, garlic mustard and pawpaws, red-wing blackbirds and chickadees, and have the experience of seeing jack-in-the-pulpits in spring.
The teacher will bring the richness, love and magic of a Waldorf mixed-age kindergarten, while developing resiliency, innovation and social/emotional skills. The observations and connections they make with nature and its resources will produce many life skills for the world ahead of them.
FAQs
How much of the day is spent outside?
Ideally, the children will spend as much time outside in their day as they comfortably can. In inclement weather, children can become uncomfortable when they are wet or cold, and for those times we have a small heated space outdoors for eating on cold days or doing activities, and a larger classroom space in the building for when the class needs a respite from the weather conditions.
During what conditions are the children indoors?
We will always have the children indoors if there is thunder, lightning, tornado warnings, or if needing to follow our policy for cold weather or air quality alerts.
What does rest time look like?
Because of the nature of how active the children will be in the morning, we find it important for the afternoon to have more restful activities such as listening to a story or artistic activity. We ask that students who participate in this program have dropped their afternoon nap.
Will there be snack or lunch provided?
There will be a warm and hearty snack provided every day for the children, warm teas as needed, and for lunch they will bring a packed lunch from home.
How does it vary from the indoor program?
Our indoor classes spend ample time outside every day, but the outdoor class has the special ability to engage in many project-based activities outside, as well as get to interact with nature and the grounds in a deeper way. Projects and will vary based on the season and what observations and interests arise out of the children's observations outside. They may vary from gardening, gathering black walnuts to dye some fabric, building bird or bat houses, or learning from the older grades that are doing their outdoor education classes.
Schedule
4-day M-Th or 5-day M-F
Half day or Full day (Full-day students must no longer require an afternoon nap)
Age Requirement
4-6 years old
Average Class Size
18
