Available Programs

OVERVIEW
Our Sprouts program is designed for children ages 3-6. It is an educational program with a small group size that encourages young people to learn about the outdoor world through their senses, sharing the experience with their peers.

A professional farm-based educator leads projects that incorporate art, science, cooking, animal care, and gardening time. Experimenting, creating, and learning can happen in a slightly more structured manner in a small group. It is important to learn the joys of cooperating, sharing, taking turns through play, and experiencing fine and gross motor skills through projects.

SCHEDULE
Children are dropped off in the Welcome Center at 9:00 AM. The Welcome Center is adjacent to the farm parking lot. Once everyone has arrived, we head to our classroom to drop off belongings. We will gather together for a brief morning group time, read a story, and talk about what we will be doing.

We head off to explore various areas of the farm. A hands-on project is offered in each class, which may take place on a nature walk or at a specific location. The majority of the class is held outdoors throughout the year. We do have an indoor classroom to use for inclement weather and specific projects.

The group will take a snack break either outside or in the classroom and have an opportunity for the children to socialize and share what they are learning. At 11:45 AM, we collectively clean up whatever we have been working on and gather our belongings. We meet parents at the Welcome Center at noon for pick-up. Families are welcome to bring a picnic lunch or plan a playdate on the farm once Sprouts’ class is done for the day.

OBJECTIVES
Establish the love of learning
Separate from parents comfortably
Develop independence in self-help skills — dressing, personal hygiene, and care for belongings
Develop a positive self-image and a feeling that “I can do it!”
Learn to participate in group activities
Learn to cooperate and use words to express feelings and solve problems
Practice good manners and respect for others and the outdoors
Begin to develop good listening and recall skills
Strengthen gross motor skills through climbing, jumping, running, etc.
Enhance fine motor coordination by manipulating small objects:
Explore, create, and express themselves comfortably
Appreciate our natural environment
Play, Play, Play!

OVERVIEW

• This program runs for 10 weeks, on Fridays from 9am – noon. Fall, Winter, and Spring—this immersive program connects children to the rhythms of the farm and the natural world through hands-on exploration, creative expression, and outdoor learning. A professional educator who encourages experiential, screen-free learning.

  Little Acorns is a small-group, multi- age community that encourages curiosity, creativity and confidence.

  The group will take a snack break either outside or in the classroom and have an opportunity to socialize and share what they are learning. Towards the end of the class they are encouraged to help with a collaborative cleanup ritual. This practice encourages children to see themselves as active caretakers of their surroundings, instilling a deep-seated respect for both the environment and their peers.

  SCHEDULE

• Each week the group meets at the Welcome Center (adjacent to the parking lot ) at 9:00 AM. They then head off to the classroom where they will meet to discuss the plan for the day. Most of the activities lead to outdoor exploration including small hikes, time in the Play Forest, the barns and the gardens.

OBJECTIVES
Establish the love of learning
Separate from parents comfortably
Develop independence in self-help skills — dressing, personal hygiene, and care for belongings
Develop a positive self-image and a feeling that “I can do it!”
Learn to participate in group activities
Learn to cooperate and use words to express feelings and solve problems
Practice good manners and respect for others and the outdoors
Begin to develop good listening and recall skills
Strengthen gross motor skills through climbing, jumping, running, etc.
Enhance fine motor coordination by manipulating small objects:
Explore, create, and express themselves comfortably
Appreciate our natural environment
Play, Play, Play!