Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child
The garden space is a natural transition that encompasses the child’s outdoor work of sweeping acorns, raking leaves, weeding, harvesting cherry tomatoes, making bird feeders, filling the new cedar bird feeder and daily care of the bird bath.
A new magnetic screen covers the environment doorway which allows for fresh air flow and the invitation to work outside.
New to the garden is a Thermometer and removable Rain Gauge. The children will now be able to scientifically measure the amount of rainfall. The rainy days have brought great excitement to view the totals and empty the gauge daily for accurate totals. The garden space is slowly transforming to integrate science, technology and botany research into the prepared space. A simple garden offers countless opportunities for the young child to be a natural explorer. Curiosity is the spark.
Everything attracts the young child. The child examines the world about him with through his or her senses of smell, texture, sound, weight color, shape and composition to place order to their impressions. Their work serves an deep “inner purpose” of observing, touching, moving, handling, pushing, comparing and connecting to the world around them. Thus, a result of their work is inner peace, joy, and interest in the world around them.
