Garden Day

We love our garden and natural play area at COLM. A few weeks ago, we had a garden work day with the help of some of our dedicated parent volunteers. The children love this day for many reasons. Not only do they get to play in the dirt; but they experience contributing to the community, using real tools, and taking care of the environment. These are some of the hallmarks of the Practical Life curriculum that the children use everyday. 

For our fall garden day, we cleaned up weeds and cut back overgrown shrubs. We planted winter vegetables too. Just like with any activity involving children, the tools used must be functional and the right size. If the tools are too big and heavy, the children cannot manage them. If they are too small, like a toy, they do not work properly. 

The young child is developing strength and coordination, and using the proper tools to complete a task makes the activity every empowering for the child. Everyone is able to contribute in the garden! 

It is really amazing how hard the children worked. They loved spending time outside and spent the whole morning gardening, despite the cold! 

After a morning of work, we are proud of our garden and spruced up courtyard area. Huge thanks to our parent volunteers for spending their time with us this morning, and to everyone who helped by sending in plants and seeds. It is exciting to watch everything grow! 

“We have such a brief opportunity to pass on to our children our love for this Earth, and to tell our stories. These are the moments when the world is made whole. In my children's memories, the adventures we've had together in nature will always exist.” 
― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder​

Many thanks to Meg Porter of Meg Porter Photography and Meg and Kate Weddings for these beautiful images! Click on the links to see more of her work.