Free Week
Open-ended play nurtures creativity, problem-solving, and independence by allowing children to explore freely without fixed outcomes. Observing them during this time offers insights into their unique learning styles and development, helping caregivers provide personalized support to foster growth
What to Expect…
Updated Loose Parts Center
Loose parts are everyday objects like stones, sticks, buttons, and fabric that children can move, combine, and create with. They foster imagination, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. Educators observe how children engage with these materials to select items that spark the most interest and development. At our center, we change these loose parts monthly to keep the play dynamic aligned with the children's evolving needs and curiosity
Planning for Holistic Play-Based Goals
Holistic play-based goals focus on the interconnected development of physical, emotional, social, and cognitive skills in early childhood education. The Flight framework enhances this approach by guiding educators to observe and document children's learning during play. By centering on children's interests and strengths, we design meaningful experiences that promote exploration, creativity, and collaboration, ensuring that our goals nurture the whole child and foster a lifelong love for learning.
Tending to Our Garden
Gardening benefits young children by fostering their physical and mental development. It encourages curiosity and exploration while promoting fine motor skills through planting and caring for plants. Gardening also nurtures responsibility, boosting confidence as children see their efforts grow, making it a holistic activity that supports their overall growth and well-being. During our free week children can spend more time engaging in either our indoor or outdoor garden
Provocation Station Change-up
This is a space in an early childhood center that is thoughtfully arranged, with materials designed to spark curiosity, exploration, and deeper thinking. It encourages children to investigate, ask questions, and engage in hands-on learning. Examples include nature items for sensory exploration, magnifying glasses and test tubes for scientific discovery, or building materials to inspire problem-solving and engineering skills. We use this station to test our theories on what we believe their emerging interest is.
More Big Body Movement
Gross motor movement is vital for young children's development during open-ended play. It enhances coordination and brain function while fostering curiosity and problem-solving. When engaging in this movement outdoors, we are providing fresh air and opportunities for exploration in nature, promoting social interaction and self-regulation. Overall, integrating more big body movement in natural settings, we are supporting holistic growth and encouraging a lifelong appreciation for physical activity
Caring for our Animals
Being around animals promotes children’s development by enhancing social skills, empathy, and responsibility. Interacting with animals encourages nurturing behavior and emotional awareness, helping children understand and respond to their needs. Caring for pets or visiting farms, fosters responsibility and boosts confidence while providing opportunities for physical activity and outdoor exploration. This enriching experience builds essential life skills and fosters an on-going appreciation for animals.
Explore Deeper
15 Big Ideas
Explore 15 unique topics in depth, each offering different provocations, invitations to play, and proposals to help uncover a child's emerging interests. These topics also include a variety of activities designed to expand on their ideas and encourage further exploration.