Our days are busy! Child lead learning does not mean we spend the day without a schedule. Children thrive with repetitiveness and when they know what to expect.
We believe early interventions in speech and occupational therapy to be very important and are happy to make accommodations for a child especially under the age of 3. We have a space to provide early intervention services for children who need it. If you feel that your child needs services, we can help guide you to getting started.
We participate in the Children and Adult Food Program, a federally funded program that encourages healthy food options and experiences, Dependent on arrival and departure, children are provided breakfast, two snacks, and lunch. Our lunches are hearty and substantial, and whole grains, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables are served daily. We are presently not a nut or allergen free facility. However, our small size does make it possible to create meals and purchase foods with a child's needs in mind. Special diets do require a doctor's note where specific requirements are documented.
Children help plan, grow, and harvest fresh fruits and vegetables during spring, summer and fall, providing then a unique connection with the food they are served. If applicable, we will serve foods in both their raw and cooked state for children to try. Children are encouraged to take their harvest home to share with families and if we can, children also participate in preserving their food, making refrigerator pickle and freezer jellies, to bring home, as well as freezing foods to eat here during the winter months
Example Menu:
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/
files/documents/ad-3027.pdf
, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
We learn to play, we play to learn
Our program is play-based, meaning that children help guide us on what they learn, rather than us dictating to them. Children learn best by experiences and action, and play-based learning provides that. Our spaces encourage exploration and curiosity, and we are there to promote whatever their needs may be. While they may decide where interests lie, we make sure that that day's "lesson" is multifaceted.
A yoga lesson teaches mindfulness, personal space, and up, down, left, right.
A question about volcanoes leads to talk about continents, mountains, focus on the colors red, yellow, and orange and of course, the chemical reaction of vinegar to baking soda.
Picking zucchini while out for a walk becomes not only a cooking lesson with measurements, but also the importance of washing hands and being patient while waiting for a turn to add and mix ingredients,
While children lead the way, we are prepared with structured play within their interests, using the opportunity to teach them life skills, kindergarten readiness, and personal awareness. Our days are spent providing every chance to learn something new and interesting.