Preschool Programs
For ages 2 to 5 - Outdoor experience in the woods, field or seashore during the school year
Please read our program description and policies under the parent handbook tab for more detailed information. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Curriculum
Ready Set Go Outside offers a child centered program in outdoor settings where children can safely explore with their senses, sing, read, build, practice mindfulness, write, dig, socialize, garden, exercise, relax, play with water, create, carve, and sculpt. Teachers will guide children in self exploration and offer resources as needed. The following topics will be covered as directed by the children’s interest.
Academics
How will children learn LITERACY? Children will learn letter/word recognition, letter-sound recognition, story sequencing, letter writing, vocabulary/language through story telling, reading story books, songs around the campfire, writing in journals, following directions, art, and more.
How will children learn MATHEMATICS? Children will learn number recognition, patterns, spatial awareness, measuring, organizing and sequencing through music, drumming, building, reading books, story telling, songs, arts, scientific observations, etc.
How will children learn SCIENCE? Children will learn through sensory exploration in natural settings, observation of living versus nonliving things, studying animal behavior, experimenting with natural elements, problem solving, gardening, and using tools (nets, microscopes, magnifiers, eye droppers, scales, measuring tools, digital technology, binoculars).
How will children learn SOCIAL STUDIES/SKILLS? Children will learn time concepts and seasons through observing the position of the sun, moon and stars. Social skills will develop through sharing tools, problem solving, cooperative activities, community service (e.g., recycling) and more. Children will learn map skills and navigating their neighborhood through orienteering activities. We can begin to explore democratic organization by involving children in teamwork and voting. Children will be integral in designing and building our outdoor classroom. Resilience and risk taking skills naturally develop in outdoor settings when children climb trees and rocks, splash in puddles, gather materials and build a structure, slide down a sand pile or snowy hill, and use tools like saws and hammers.
ART will be integrated through campfire and marching songs, drum circles, flute playing, rhythm instruments, drama through story telling, natural crafts, silly dances, and other movement activities.
MOTOR SKILLS will develop through exploring different terrain and elements, climbing, writing, using tools (sawing, whittling, knot tying, etc.), building, digging, swinging, sliding, sledding, etc.
Possible Topics of interest by season
- Introductions and forest exploration– Describe routine, guidelines for safety, trees, edibles, forest exploration, etc.
- Tide pool discovery– 2 trips to beach (Winslow Park and cousin’s island), live animal touch tank, seashell exploration
- Streams and ponds– net scooping for insects, tadpoles, fish, frogs, floating plants
- Garden harvest– pumpkin/sunflower dissection, seed walk, leaf art, corn husking and crafts
- Fall colors– scavenger hunt for colors, painting with nature, color combinations
- Changes– seasons, senses, habitats
- What’s in mud?- soil discovery, worm study, mud painting, clay art
- Birds– adaptations, life cycles, habitats, habits
- Navigating the outdoors, maps, compass, directions, shelter building
- Temperature, climate, weather, clouds, precipitation
- feeding, migration, hibernation
- Web of life, food chains, predators and prey
- Structures– build and test different builds using various materials found in nature, fairy houses
- Sky– stars, sun, moon, constellations, etc.
- Shells– animal shells, seed shells, nut shells, egg shells
- Animal tracking– footprints, scat, animal homes, trails, signs
- Evergreens– identify trees by bark, leaves, size and shape
- Snowflakes and patterns
- Geology, dinosaurs, rocks and minerals
- Experiments with water, snow and ice
- Owls– habits, adaptations, habitats, life cycle
- Art in nature– review patterns and colors previously found, photography, sketching, writing, painting
- Mammal study– adaptations, habitats, life cycles, species
- Patterns in nature– scavenger hunt for shapes and patterns, recreating natural patterns
- Light and dark, glow in the dark, cycles, solar effects
- Life cycles– mammals, birds, aquatic life, metamorphosis, plant cycles, fungus cycles
- Spring, as nature’s nursery– study baby animal and plant beginnings
- Animals that lay eggs– structure of eggs, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects, types of eggs
- Spring changes, animal and plant evidence, weather, migration, hibernation
- Macro and micro animals and plants– exploring the tiny in soil, water and air
- Garden prep– seed study, germination, preparing soil, planting, watering, weeding, dirt play
- Stewards of the Earth– solutions, problem solving, teaching what we know
- Wind and flight– seed dispersion, kites, animals in flight, feather study
- Fungus and decomposition– log dissections, fungus identification, decomposing insects and worms
- Herps– habits, adaptations, and life cycles of reptiles and amphibians, vernal pools
- Insects and spiders– habits, adaptations and life cycles of beetles, ants, bees and butterflies
- Insects and spiders- habits, adaptations and life cycles spiders, web design, predator prey relationship, arthropods with more than 6 legs (sow bug study)
- Ocean side- salt marsh, tide pool and mud flat exploration
- Fish and scales– ichthyologists hunt, capture, study and release various fish, habitats, adaptations, life cycles
Please read our program description and policies here for more information. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
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