Infants:

6 weeks to 16 months of age

Core principles:

• Our mission is to nurture a child's development in all areas: spiritual, emotional, social, physical, and cognitive.

• A Christian Foundation: Our program's curriculum, values, and teaching methods are rooted in Christian beliefs. We won't be teaching specific religious practices, but we will center our days on growing fruitful spirits.  Staff and children will grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

• Nature-Based Learning: This approach emphasizes spending a significant amount of time outdoors, regardless of the weather. W use the natural world as a classroom, encouraging children to explore, discover, and learn through hands-on experiences. For infants, this might look like:

  • Time spent outside observing the sky, trees, and animals.

  • Sensory play with natural materials like leaves, mud, and water.

  • Quiet time in a stroller or on a blanket in a natural setting.

  • Daily walks or "hikes" for older, mobile infants.

 

Benefits of This Combination

 

The blend of nature-based and Christian education is a powerful way to foster a child's development. Some of the benefits include:

• Spiritual Development: Children learn to appreciate God's creation firsthand, fostering a sense of awe and wonder. They are taught to be good stewards of the earth.

• Physical Health: Regular outdoor time promotes physical activity, helps with gross and fine motor skills, and can boost overall health and well-being.

• Cognitive and Emotional Growth: Nature-based education has been shown to improve concentration, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Being in nature can also reduce stress and improve self-regulation, which is beneficial for infants and toddlers.

• Holistic Learning: This approach moves beyond traditional classroom-based learning, recognizing that children learn best through active engagement and sensory experiences.

 

 

Toddlers:

16 to 33 months​

Core principles:

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• Learning in God's Creation: The central idea is that nature is a classroom. Children learn about God's character and love through exploring the natural world. This can include activities like studying plants, animals, and the seasons.  Toddlers will be immersed in real-life experiences such as caring for animals, plants and our indoor/outdoor environments.

• Play-Based and Child-Led: At Roots and Wings Early Learning Center, play as the primary mode of learning. Children are encouraged to explore, discover, and experiment with natural materials, fostering curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

• Holistic Development: The goal is to nurture the "whole child"—mind, body, and spirit. Our program aims to improve physical health and gross motor skills through outdoor play, enhance cognitive abilities through hands-on learning, and support social-emotional development through collaborative activities.

 

Key Activities and Features

 

• Outdoor Classrooms: Our goal is to spend a good portion of our day outside, regardless of the weather. Children have access to natural play spaces within our fenced in playground and will begin to explore the space beyond with guidance.  

• Nature-Inspired Thematic Units: Learning topics often revolve around nature, such as insects, trees, animals, and pond life. Indoor activities and traditional academics (like pre-writing and phonics) are used to reinforce outdoor discoveries.

• Practical Life Skills: We immerse toddlers in practical skills like gardening, cooking, and caring for animals, helping children develop a sense of responsibility and connection to their environment.

• Sensory Engagement: Nature provides a rich sensory experience. Children use their senses to engage with the world around them, which is a key component of early brain development.

 

Benefits for Toddlers

 

• Improved Health: Spending time outdoors increases physical activity and can boost a child's immune system.

• Reduced Stress: Research shows that exposure to nature can lower stress and anxiety in young children.

• Enhanced Cognitive Skills: Daily exposure to natural settings has been linked to improved focus, concentration, and cognitive abilities.

• Stronger Social-Emotional Development: Outdoor play encourages cooperation, communication, and problem-solving, helping children build self-confidence and self-discipline.

 

Preschool: 

33 months to kindergarten​

Core principles:

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• Spiritual Development:  Through activities like nature walks, gardening, and observing animals, children are encouraged to develop a sense of awe and wonder for creation. 

• Academic and Cognitive Development: Learning is "play-responsive" and child-initiated. Children are encouraged to ask questions, hypothesize, and solve problems. Activity examples:

  • Nature Scavenger Hunts: Learning to identify and classify different leaves, rocks, or insects.

  • Building Forts: Developing critical thinking, teamwork, and engineering skills using natural materials like sticks and leaves.

  • Gardening: Learning about the life cycle of plants and understanding God's provision.

• Physical and Social Development: Spending significant time outdoors promotes physical activity and builds a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Children have the space to run, jump, climb, and develop their gross motor skills. The unstructured nature of outdoor play also fosters social skills like sharing, cooperation, and conflict resolution.

 

Benefits of Nature-Based Education for Preschoolers

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• Enhanced Creativity and Problem-Solving: The unpredictable and open-ended nature of the outdoors encourages children to be creative and resourceful.

• Improved Cognitive Abilities: Daily exposure to natural settings has been shown to increase a child's ability to focus and improve cognitive function.

• Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Being in nature has a calming effect, and it can help reduce symptoms of conditions like ADHD.

• Environmental Stewardship: By building a deep connection with the natural world, children are more likely to develop a lifelong sense of responsibility for caring for the environment as God's creation.

 

Before/after school care:

*Provide a safe, warm, loving environment for older children before going to a day of formal learning at school.

*Provide a safe, engaging, nature space for older children to decompress after a day of formal learning.