Young children are naturally curious about the world.  They learn through observing and imitating what they experience. In the supportive surroundings of the Children’s Garden, we nurture children’s innate abilities for observation, which will then support their capacity for inquiry in later intellectual development.

Activities are brought by the teachers through imagination. Using stories, songs and festivals that bring a picture of nature and the change of seasons, they ignite the children’s interest by meeting them where they are at this stage of development. 

A day in the life of the CG

Recent work has taken us into the natural world of springtime exploration and gardening. Our nature walks, taken every day in the Kindergarten, are so different from the winter or fall walks we took. Daily time outside fosters a love for the natural world and a sense of wonder. The children’s observational skills are developing too – they notice and investigate so many fascinating phenomena while still experiencing the world as a place full of magic. Intense curiosity about the natural world is bursting into bloom, watered by the rain we see and feel as it makes mud out in our flowerbeds and play areas. Working in the garden- digging in to the rich earth, searching for bugs- is their first foray into ecology and environmental stewardship. It’s great for growing limbs, gross motor development, and social awareness too. 

We have planted peas, watched them sprout and daily grow bigger. The children eagerly await their round, green gifts. Even though the rain has delayed some of our work, students love to pick the false nettles, dandelions, mint, and iris that we find growing in both the chrysanthemum/blueberry garden by the sidewalk and the gardens inside the gate. They are fascinated by the wild mustard growing in the woods, and the slugs and salamanders to be found under the logs in the woods and the playgrounds. We even found a nest of baby robins, and are watching as their feathers grow. Our teachers help eager children to be careful, making sure the baby robins do not get disturbed!

- Written by Charlotte Landgraf and Lisa Bechmann, Children's Garden teachers

​Learn more about our Children's Garden.