•At Little Garden we follow a developmentally appropriate, holistic, individualized, seasonal curriculum. Inspired by Waldorf, we follow the rhythms of the earth. In the ways of Maria Montessori, we study tangible things in our world. Like Reggio Emilia, we see the environment as a third teacher. Guided by Forest Schools, we spend much of our days outdoors, discovering the lessons of nature.
•When the apples are ripe, we learn to pick and cook with them. When the pumpkin flowers are giant, we learn to sketch and dissect them. When chicks are born, we learn to nurture and care for them. If the students become interested in a topic along the way, we take a side trip, a deep dive. This may be a study of the acorn weevil, pasta making, boat building, or any other topic stemming from the children’s curiosities. We use our deep knowledge of child development, and the strengths of each child, to continuously scaffold our students’ learning as they become joyful, life-long learners.
Fall
Fall is a time to learn about roots and branches. We study the abundant apples, acorns, and leaves around us. We learn what community looks like and discover how to extend branches of friendship as we sink our roots into our new school year. During this time, we practice sorting, categorizing, and counting our finds. We apply visual discrimination as we learn to read the names of our new friends, and enhance our memory, sequencing, and vocabulary skills as we listen to, act out, and retell new stories
Winter
Winter is a time of traditions and celebrations. We learn of the animals gathering into their winter homes, and the earth taking time to rest. We invite families to share their valued winter traditions and festivals. We learn the joy in thinking of others and giving as we share gifts and music with our families and community. During this time, we strengthen our fine and large motor muscles as we learn woodworking and handcraft skills. We strengthen our prereading skills as we learn to memorize poems and songs. Our math skills such as patterning, one-to-one correspondence, and spatial awareness are enhanced as we learn the basics of playing instruments and reading notes.
Spring
Spring is a time of blooms and growth. We learn about life all around us as we hatch new chicks and butterflies. We learn to be gentle, nurturing, and curious. We learn to be good stewards of the earth as we make our own paper, create our own natural dyes, and make felted creations from wool donated by the neighbor’s sheep. We spend time exploring new streams and trails and learn to appreciate the diversity all around us. We practice drawing shapes, letters, people, and our names in mud, sand, and playdough. We learn our numbers and turn-taking as we play games with dice and cards. We learn adding, fractions, cause and effect, patience, and teamwork as we handmake make ice cream, pretzels, and cheese.
Summer
Summer is a time of transitions. It is a time to reflect on all of the growth throughout the year. We honor our families for all they have done to help us succeed. We invite our friends and family to join us as we leave preschool behind and look forward to new growth ahead. We celebrate the unique gifts we have discovered in each child. We eat snow cones with homemade syrup, recite our favorite poems, and sing our favorite songs together one last time. We recognize growth as we share portfolios, self-portraits, and science and storytelling journals with families.
Little Garden Preschool 