The Nature Explore Classroom at
Little Dumplins Family Child Care
Our unique outdoor nature program incorporates gardening as well as caring for and learning about
chickens.
The children start with learning to plant seeds in early April. Watching and recording the
progress is so exciting for the children. I have found that when the children grow and harvest their produce that they watched from a seed, they will be happy to try a new vegetable. Their hands on experience in the garden helps children learn to recognize different plants based on size, shape, and flowers. In the garden we have a special container where chicken snacks grow such as kale, lettuce, carrots and broccoli. Feeding the chickens and collecting eggs is one of the highlights of the day.
I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania. As a child I loved being outdoors playing in all nature. As an adult I also want to be outdoors as much as possible. I have been operating and working in the childcare field for over thirty years, making sure to spend mornings and afternoons outdoors. I wanted to create a safe and nurturing environment focusing on developing positive connections to nature through joyful, play based experiences, exploring and making discoveries.
I got rid of most of the plastic climbers and equipment and replaced them with wooden items as well as made a nature trail through our woods where the children develop their own sense of adventure. I was so pleased when I stumbled upon the Nature Explore Certified Classroom website. I was able to get many ideas about the arrangement for the outdoor area focusing on outdoor activities, nature-based materials and children’s access to natural spaces. My goal is to continue to enrich children’s outdoor leaning experiences through discovery and exploration.
