An Outdoor Parent-Child Group
for Children Ages 1-5 in Arvada, Co
(Note: I will be offering Play Garden classes again in 2018, with Spring, Summer, and Autumn sessions. Check back in early 2018 for dates and prices. Thanks, Faith)
Come spend the summer with me (Miss Faith) and Miss Gabriela in my very own beautiful and adventurous Play Garden. Get your hands in the dirt, explore with your child, sit and do crafts, drink iced tea and chat with other parents while your children play, clamber, explore, and sit amongst the flowers.
A Waldorf-Inspired Curriculum Includes:
- Preparing and eating a healthy snack together
- Seasonal songs and ring games
- Trained early childhood teachers to support children’s play
- Space for children to experience nature
What Each Day is Like
Each morning starts at 9am. You and your child walk through the gate into the Play Garden and come say hello. You help your child settle into play and then check out the garden list for active work, help chop apples for our snack, or get out your craft project and settle into an outdoor chair (you can bring your own project or we’ll supply a sweet one for you). Once everyone has arrived and had some time to play, we gather up to greet the day, sing some songs and act out seasonal rhymes together. Then we head over to the picnic tables, wipe hands, and settle down for a delicious snack of fresh fruit, oat cakes, and hibiscus tea. Children clear their plates and cups and go off to play once more. At the end of he morning we gather once more for a sweet, simple puppet show, and then we wave goodbye as we sing our way home at 11am. Some weeks we will have an additional activity such as baking, wet-felting, or other crafts.
Choose: Saturdays, Tuesdays or Thursdays 9am-11am
Saturdays: June 3 to July 22
Tuesdays: June 13 to August 1
Thursdays: June 15th to August 3
Cost:
One session: $195 dollars (eight classes)
Two sessions: $350 (16 classes)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Where is it located? The Play Garden is a half-acre garden behind my home in north-west Arvada, near 80th and Quaker (it’s on W. 79th Place in Arvada, CO 80007 if you want to map search). I’ll send you the exact street address once you’re registered.
Do we go inside at all? Nope! This is an outdoor playgroup, rain or shine. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. Put on your rain pants and get ready to jump in some mud puddles. If you or your child needs to use the restroom you are welcome to use the one in my house, then come back out.
Who are Miss Faith and Miss Gabriela?
Miss Faith (Collins) is an internationally-known speaker and parenting coach. She has taught at Boulder Waldorf Kindergarten as the toddler teacher, at Rainbow Bridge LifeWays Program as lead teacher for children ages 1-5, and at Shepherd Valley Waldorf School (now Boulder Valley Waldorf School) as the parent-child class teacher. Her upcoming book, Joyful Toddlers & Preschoolers: Create a Life that You and Your Child Both Love, will be published in autumn 2017 by Hohm Press. Click here or go to the Joyful Toddlers homepage to learn more about her. Her daughter Sophie is three years old and will be joining us in the summer session.
Miss Gabriela (Hydle) has taught in both Montessori and Waldorf schools, as well as preschool in her native Guatemala. She began her Waldorf teacher training in Mexico, and is currently pursuing her certification. Her son Nicholas is two years old and will be joining us as well. For more information about Miss Gabriela, click here.
Can I come visit to meet you and see the space? Yes! I’d be happy to arrange a time to chat and show you around; you are also welcome to come visit a Spring Session class. Send me an email at faith@joyfultoddlers.com and give me your phone number. I’ll give you a call and we can set up a time for you to come over.
What is the space like? It is a fully fenced half-acre in rural Arvada, with horse properties behind. A dry creek runs through the middle with three ways across. On one side is a big play hill with two slides and a tunnel running through it, and on the other side is a sand/gravel pit with lots of buckets, scoops, wheelbarrows, and other toys. There is a play-house with a sturdy three-rung ladder leading up to it, and a large veggie garden of raised beds with arches running between. There are flowers blooming all around. It is a place with lots of nooks and crannies to explore, and parts are well-cultivated, while others are left a bit “wild.”
How big will the classes be? I expect that each class will have around 8-12 families. If they get much larger that, I will open up another day. The yard can certainly support more people, but I want the children (and parents) to really get to know one another over the course of the session.
Who is responsible for my child while we’re there? Miss Faith and Miss Gabriela are there to help the children navigate the social realm, but you are completely responsible for your child’s safety while you are here. There are hills, boulders and short bridges over the dry creek; if your child is a wobbly toddler or a reckless preschooler, you may need to stick pretty close. Regardless, please always make sure that your child stays within your view.
Questions not answered here? Email me at faith@joyfultoddlers.com with the subject “Play Garden Question”
