KLA Schools of Plainfield

KLA Schools of Plainfield, inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, serves children from six weeks old through Kindergarten and offers a school-age enrichment program. Our warm, thoughtfully designed environment nurtures children’s abilities, competencies, and natural curiosity. Since opening in October 2013, our school has grown into a vibrant learning community featuring eleven classrooms, a Piazza for gatherings, an Atelier for creative expression, and a unique Nature Explore-certified outdoor classroom.

We believe that daily interaction with nature allows children to appreciate its beauty and gifts. Our nature-based playground was intentionally designed to mirror the natural world and provide children with rich opportunities to explore, investigate, and create. Environmental education is seamlessly woven into our curriculum, and our educators extend the learning environment outdoors with engaging, meaningful experiences.

This year, we enhanced our outdoor classroom to offer even more opportunities for children to learn and grow. Children can create music, explore natural materials, develop balance and motor skills, socialize with peers, express creativity on the chalk wall and art easel, and observe weather patterns at our weather station. Loose parts and open-ended materials encourage exploration, problem-solving, and imaginative play in alignment with our Reggio-inspired philosophy.

Gardening is an integral part of our Nature Explore program. Each classroom selects specific vegetables and herbs to grow in our organic garden. In the spring, children start seeds in trays and later transplant them into the garden beds. Throughout the season, they visit the garden to water, observe, and document their discoveries.

Each class approaches gardening with a unique lens, focusing on inquiries such as:
Who Lives in the Garden?
Discovering the Garden Through Our Senses
Parts of a Plant
Gardening and Health
Core Values and Gardening
How Insects Are Beneficial or Harmful to a Garden

Last year’s garden was highly successful, allowing children to harvest produce, taste fruits and vegetables, and experiment with a variety of recipes. These experiences supported not only scientific learning but also sensory exploration, nutrition awareness, and joyful community building.

We look forward to witnessing the children’s discoveries, learning journeys, and the abundance of our harvest this year as we continue to cultivate a deep, meaningful connection to the natural world.

 

Learn more about this classroom on their certification page!