Nature Explore Classroom at the CA Montessori Children’s Center in Islandia, NY

CA Montessori Children’s Center is entering its 2nd year as a Certified Nature Explore Classroom.

During the past year, the Center, along with the CA Green Initiative planted 11 new trees and many other varieties of plants in and around the property. Bushes and shrubs added to the retaining wall, decrease noise from the local highway. A walking path through the woods was added in addition to a rain barrel, worm farm and gardening tools.

A new program was introduced this year called the Summer Fun Series. This was offered with the goal of providing opportunities for parents to spend quality time with their child in an atmosphere that will strengthen the parent-child bond and utilize the new natural playground environment. Some of the events offered in the new Nature Explore Classroom included; Story time Under the Trees, Relay Races, Make a Birdfeeder, Bubbles, Cupcake Creations, Things that Blow in the Wind and a Puppet/Teddy Bear Show. This beautiful outdoor classroom was also the site of their Father’s Day celebration and preschool moving up day.

Continuing Staff professional development included the workshop “Learning about the Outdoor Space”; Suffolk AEYC Growing Children: Natural Spaces and Sustainability in Early Childhood Conference; LINCK Conference with Keynote Speaker, Richard Louv; and the Suffolk AEYC Making Connections Conference.