Saddleback Children’s Center
In the last year or so at Saddleback Children’s Center, we have been striving to teach our students the joy of lifelong learning. We want our children to develop a lifelong love of the outdoors and all it has to offer.
From reading or drawing in the shade of a tree, birdwatching or rock throwing to examining local flora and fauna. We have outdoor areas on campus and a local regional park outside our backdoor! Regardless of the weather, there are always new bugs and plants to explore seasonally. The children really enjoy looking at things through binoculars and magnifing glasses. We try to make them aware of what is above them and what is under their feet and then let them explore.
We have added more garden beds to our campus in the last year! We had a very successful pumpkin harvest but are now learning how to protect our gardens from pests like rabbits, birds and snails. The rabbits have been a relatively easy fix of applying stock wire to the perimiter of our garden area. The birds appear to be afraid of shiny things, but the snails, we haven’t found a solution to the snails yet. But that is exactly why we love Nature Explore, to learn as a group how solve problems to live in this amazing world?
In the coming year we want to incorporate all aspects of our day into the Outdoor Classroom and Nature Explore philosophy. By expanding on and adjusting some of our play areas and fine tuning the quantity and type of materials we are providing age appropriate outdoor experiences to cultivate that life long learner attitude we are striving for.