Mimi’s House Family Childcare

What an exciting year it has been in our Certified Nature Explore Classroom! Our days are filled with
wonder, joy, and connections to the beautiful world around us. I love that our outdoor classroom is
constantly changing. It evolves with the seasons, the weather, the plants growing in the gardens, the
wildlife visiting us, and the children’s interests and current play schemas.

Each year, our program enhances our outdoor classroom. To demonstrate our dedication to planting
native plants, we became a registered member of Wild Ones in 2024. This spring, we built a Bird Sanctuary Area. With a grant from the Growing Healthy Eaters Program, we were able to expand our Kitchen Garden.

We have also added a greenhouse to our environment to extend our growing season and facilitate indoor gardening. Inside the greenhouse, we’ve set up two new children’s potting tables and plant stands. This summer, we are enlarging our Digging Area.

Our program continues its efforts in farm-to-early childhood education and is actively collaborating with the Growing Healthy Eaters Program, a partnership with Michigan State University Extension. In addition to growing our own food in our Kitchen Garden, we are excited to partner with a local farmer who provides CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes filled with fresh, healthy produce. In 2024, the Farm to Early Care Education Network awarded our program the Grow More Award in recognition of our commitment to gardening, nutrition, and agricultural education.

I have diligently worked on continuing my nature-based education and advocating for nature play as well as farm-to-ECE practices. I was honored to write a feature in the spring edition of Exchange Magazine, where I shared insights about our outdoor classroom and offered tips for other early childhood educators on how to extend and enhance outdoor time. Earlier this year, I was approved by the state of Michigan’s MiRegistry to become a trainer, allowing me to share my passion with others while they earn credit hours. Incredible days in nature are unfolding before us! I am thrilled to discover what awaits us this year.