Here at The Meadows we work to connect children with nature. We do this by offering children two hours of outside time daily.
“What would our lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in technology?”
― Richard Louv, The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder
Our Outside Reading Nook
“Unlike television, reading does not swallow the senses or dictate thought. Reading stimulates the ecology of the imagination. Can you remember the wonder you felt when first reading The Jungle Book or Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn? Kipling’s world within a world; Twain’s slow river, the feel of freedom and sand on the secret island, and in the depths of the cave?”
― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Music is a natural and important part of young children’s growth and development. Early interaction with music positively affects the quality of all children’s lives. Successful experiences in music help all children bond emotionally and intellectually with others through creative expression in song, rhythmic movement, and listening experiences. Music in early childhood creates a foundation upon which future music learning is built. These experiences should be integrated within the daily routine and play of children. In this way, enduring attitudes regarding the joy of music making and sharing are developed.
What do Children Learn when Playing with Cars?
• Experiencing cause and effect relationships, such as when a car drops down a ramp
• Labeling basic parts of a car
• Strengthing hand-eye coordination skills and improving hand dexterity while building a toy car. Consider building a visual model for your child to copy
• Improving hand coordination and hand dexterity while repairing a car using toy tools. Facilitate this by placing your hand on the child’s and physically moving his hands if necessary
• Practice using both hands simultaneously while turning a steering wheel