Upon entering Walnut Creek’s Little Sprout Kindergarten, you will quickly realize that it is not your typical preschool. Everything here is brimming with potential, from the aprons with paint splotches to the joyful squeals that reverberate from the garden. Kindergarten at one school is changing the game, and parents are taking note. Visit our site for more information!
A world without workbooks and strict routines, where barefoot adventurers create forts out of mud and leaves, debate the nature of shadows, and count worms in the vegetable garden. Curiosity, not a checklist, is the driving force behind learning here. Instead of standing at the front of the room, teachers sit down next to their students and use questions that allow them to think creatively and critically.
The interior is a veritable playground for kids, complete with a changeable art section, a light-filled reading nook, and a miniature science station complete with “potions” and miniature volcanoes. Learning occurs organically via play, and every space is made to encourage it.
“Trust kids” is the staff’s straightforward and effective strategy. Instead of asking for clarification, kids who assume cucumbers are spicy will just dig in. As soon as the magnifying glass is brought out, snack time transforms into a scientific experiment.
At Little Sprout, we value community involvement as much as we do originality. They encourage parents to participate in their hobbies on these “family days,” which might include everything from baking to insect hunting to making rockets out of soda bottles. Unforgettable, hands-on, and a bit of a mess.
Absolutely, we value safety very highly. We embrace children’s scratched knees and muddy hands because it shows they are actively participating, exploring, and learning about the world around them.
Kindergartners here are getting ready for more than simply first grade. Learning, it’s demonstrating to them, is dynamic, individual, and, at times, magnificently chaotic. And isn’t it the ideal way to begin?