Getting to Know You!

“A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.” 
― Maya Angelou

With new friends joining us and old friends returning from summer break, we love to have our first month of the new school year focus on getting to know each other and our program. We strive to provide a nurturing environment that is rhythmic in nature to ensure a strong foundation that is essential to healthy development of young children. Our daily rhythm mimics the rhythm of breathing - inhaling and exhaling. In the inhaling period the children direct their attention to an activity relating to themselves. In the exhaling period, the children relate to the surrounding world. Check out our daily rhythm below!

Getting to know Austin Children's Garden!

We start our program off with art and creative activities! Our art projects are child-led, open-ended, and process-based - set up as an invitation for the kids to be able to explore and express. For more info on process art, please check out our blog Raising Creative Thinkers with Process Art! 

Some of our favorite open-ended creative activities the kids did this month are pictured below: painted boxes, nature loose parts, chalk and water, and clay sculptures.

Circle time is a when we are able to come together as a group and connect. We do this through various songs and greeting activities. This month we did tons of fun name games and getting to know you prompts. We also like to focus on social-emotional learning during this time. For more info on emotional intelligence for kids, take a look at our more recent blog post Emotional Intelligence or an older one with an Amazing Garden Carrot Cake recipe :)

Seen below is our super fun hello song, some of our favorite breathing exercises (balloon and hand breath), and Shubert's BIG Voice, a book from our Shubert Collection from Conscious Discipline that teaches kids, parents, and educators learn how to help children solve problems and build character through conflict.

Next, the kids have lots of time to play freely and creatively! When children are allowed ample time to play, they intrinsically make the connection that learning is fun. Play allows them to explore and discover the world in a natural yet stimulating learning environment that engages all the senses. For more info on how a play-based learning environment can be beneficial, check out our blog Why We Love To Play!

Throughout the day, we offer many meaningful hands on, experiential projects and guided learning opportunities that foster new skills and encourage mastery.

​This month the kids did a simple sink/float activity with the water table, identified where we are on the globe, discovered who is the tallest and shortest in the group, and did lots of cool science experiments with creating hypotheses and comparing them to the actual results!

Towards the end of each program, we do a special activity. We rotate between gross motor interactive games, garden classes with Mr. Ben, and yoga or music by Magic Tree!

This month the kids had a blast moving their bodies with the parachute, chasing Mr. Ben, and having a dance party! The kids harvested and identified mushrooms and spent time in the garden planting magic green beans (aka black eyed peas) that the kids LOVE to snack on! We also did tons of yoga - the kids favorite is Make Up Yoga where they get to create and name their own pose!

Lastly, after special classes we enjoy enjoy a closing circle with books and 100% fruit juice popsicles to finish our day. The kids love it when Mr. Ben pretends their head is the Sun and the popsicle is the Earth!

Getting to know each other!

With so many new friends at the beginning of a new school year, we love to focus on helping the kids to get to know each other better. A great way for the kids to learn more about each other is through their art!

This month, we invited the kids to create family portraits, make collages filled with their favorite things, and use oil pastels and watercolor to create cool, scientific name resist art!

Lemon Balm Popsicles

Since our cooking classes are still on hold, here's a quick and easy, yet delicious, recipe from last year to help you cool down during these hot summer days!

1. Pick some fresh lemon balm and release the refreshing and uplifting aroma by rolling the leaves in your plams.
2. ​Squeeze 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.
3. Combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2 cups water, 1 TBS fresh chopped lemon balm, and liquid stevia to taste.
4. Pour into popsicle mold and freeze until solid.
​5. Enjoy!

See you next time :)