Dani, the program director, oversees and manages the garden, helping out on a weekly basis. Anna, our previous garden teacher, is now a regular substitute teacher and plays a vital role in both the garden and landscape programs. In February, we will be hiring a new garden teacher to lead our team and teach our children in Garden Class. We are currently looking for someone with at least two years of experience in gardening and one year of experience teaching children.

Each classroom has garden time once a week, which begins with a garden song to welcome the children. After the song, there is a discussion about what is happening in the garden. The rest of the time is dedicated to discovery, exploration, planting, and harvesting. In the spring of 2025, we will introduce an exciting new curriculum called Tender, Gather, Grow. This curriculum focuses on Native Agriculture, reintroduces first foods into gardens, and is built on principles of respect for our land and giving back. It also includes many lessons on incorporating social-emotional learning in the garden.

Some of the fun activities children can enjoy in the garden include creating delicious recipes in the mud kitchen, setting up fairy homes in the fairy garden, and participating in seasonal gardening tasks such as planting, harvesting, raking, and watering. The children practice Honorable Harvesting, which involves asking for permission, taking only a small amount, sharing the harvest with friends, and expressing gratitude.

There are countless ways for children to learn and play in the garden. They explore, ask questions, engage in collaborative play, relax, and develop a deeper love for nature and our Earth.