The Nature Explore Classroom at
Early Discoveries
The first five years of children’s lives are the most important years of their development. Children’s early experiences – the things they see, hear, feel, and learn – and the connections they make with others and their environment help shape the foundation for healthy living and learning throughout their lives.
At Early Discoveries, we believe in the importance of high-quality early experiences that support children’s early development and learning. Applying children’s interests and developmental needs, we offer time, space, activities, and tools that support each child’s life skill development and learning. We strive to cultivate positive relationships with families in our program and support them as their child’s first and best teacher through open communication, support, and resources.
Our learning experiences involve both child-led exploration and educator guidance and activities as we encourage them to move through the learning cycle in which they develop an awareness of the world around them, take time to explore wonders, ask questions, and apply their learning to new ideas. Using an emergent curriculum, children are the designers of and active participants in their learning. We encourage children to develop a sense of responsibility and empathy for the environment, including the plants, critters, and friends they meet along the way.
Not only are our educational practices guided by children’s experiences, interests, and needs, but they are also inspired by our Minnesota seasons. Your child’s early years are spent enjoying all our Minnesota weather has to offer as they explore and interact with each other outdoors and learn through Farm to Early Childhood practices. We are fortunate to have a beautiful location with rolling fields, livestock, trees, plenty of green grass, and gentle breezes. From our gathering space, the children can observe hummingbirds flying and feeding, birds making nests in the pine and fruit trees, and horses, goats, and chickens grazing while they feel the cool breeze and sunshine on their faces.
When we look out over our environment, we see endless fields of crops growing and trees waving against blue skies. Surrounding and intermingling the children’s nature activity areas are flowers, plants, and shrubs to smell, feel, see, and explore. It’s not uncommon to walk through the nature art, water, and messy material areas smell fresh dill and chives, and see children munching on freshly harvested green beans. It is our goal that through their time in our program children will develop meaningful connections with nature that will last them throughout their entire lives, know that the world is full of wonder at any age, and believe that there is always something new and exciting to experience.
