Welcome to Nature-Based care dedicated to “Nurturing Strong Roots”
The idea for Kind Roots Early Learning and Care began as a conversation between two nature-loving moms about how childhood is a perfect time for children to develop a close relationship to nature. I found that many others share my deep love of all things outdoors, and value my training and experience in early childhood education.
I envisioned an environment where children feel nurtured and loved so that they are free to take in all the glory of their childhoods as they play, explore, be kind and learn some more.
Discussions like this grew into a vision of a childhood program based on and set in nature. This vision has become Kind Roots Early Learning & Care.
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Our Teachers
The quality of the program is due to the quality of the Teachers.
The teachers are dedicated to their practice and are honored to be your child’s guides as they learn, play, and grow at Kind Roots.
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Our Curriculum
At Kind Roots, we focus on child-led learning, developmentally appropriate practices, and the belief that 'play is a child's work.' Our goal is to develop each child's confidence, creativity, and life-long learning skills in our program.
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Our Day
We open at 7:30 am and close at 4:30 pm daily, Monday through Friday.
Risks & Benefits of Outdoor Learning
An outdoor classroom for early learners' activities comes with some risks. Such is the nature of nature. We thoughtfully include outdoor activities and constantly assess risks versus benefits. We do this on a daily basis due to a constantly changing outdoor learning environment.
Our curriculum follows professionally-developed, tested practices developed by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). The association advocates for high-quality early childhood environmental education, as do we.
The following is a snapshot of our risk-benefit assessment that highlights how we embrace and manage risk.
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Climbing Trees
Risk: Injury from Fall
Benefits: Children gain a new physical vantage point and perspective of their surroundings. They develop confidence, determination, and bravery as it takes both physical and emotional risks to climb. Gross motor skills of hand-eye coordination, balance, spatial awareness, and motor planning are all part of physical skill development. Through science inquiry children learn about the features of trees, bark, leaves, and branching; as well as; the animals that inhabit the trees.
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Stick Play
Risk: Injury from improper use or carrying.
Benefits: Visual discrimination is used to find a particular kind of stick. When children find the stick desired it can be used for writing, painting, and drawing implements helpful with literacy development. A stick can encourages children to speak and socialize through make-believe play and games. Children practice math ideas of sorting, counting, measuring, or grouping in sets. Sticks present problem-solving and construction possibilities involving spatial skills. Sorting sticks by size is also important for fire-making. Sticks can be used to make a beat for the basis of music and song and children develop fine and gross motor skills when picking up and carrying sticks.
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Tool Use
Risk: Injury from improper or unsupervised use.
Benefits: Children develop a sense of accomplishment and independence as they learn to use various tools (EX. hammer, shovel, screw driver, saw, potato peeler, etc.) They regulate their emotions and learn to slow down as they follow directions, and concentrate on proper tool use. Fine Motor Skills are practiced. Collaboration and teamwork are instilled while using tools in group building.
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Trail Hikes
Risk: Walking and exploring uneven ground can cause children to trip or fall.
Benefits: Gross motor development (locomotor skills), balance, and motor planning is enhanced by walking and climbing on uneven terrain. Children develop physical endurance on trails and experience the qualities our local parks have as they develop an appreciation for our natural community.
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Foraging
Risk: Illness from incorrect plant identification.
Benefits: Children have the opportunity to study plant identity through observation skills. They become familiar with harmful plants and learn how to avoid them, as well as; come to understand our essential connection with plants as they can be appreciated as nourishing food or medicine. Children develop understanding of conditions and needs of specific plants and where to find them.
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Campfires
Risk: Injury from burn
Benefits: Children help construct different kinds of fires used for different purposes. They discover ways people use fire for light and heat. Children follow directions and exhibit caution around fires, regulating their bodies and emotions to participate in campfire activities. Children listen to and express ideas or stories around the fire building community. Children learn how fire can be used for cooking healthy foods and drinks. They also use charcoal remains for drawing and painting.
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Encounters with animals (general)
Risk: Injury from pinches, bites or stings.
Benefits: Children grow empathy, love, and appreciation for all living things. Children learn to identify animals’ native to their community. They reflect on their animal encounters through storytelling, writing, drawing, dramatic play, games, song, and creative movement. They imitate the actions, sounds, and other behaviors of animals through imaginative play. Children become more aware and mindful of the needs of other living things and ways they can act to protect them. They come to understand that every creature has a role to play in our natural community.
