More Than Just Childcare
As a true village, we offer so much more than childcare!
Preschool and Pre-K
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Forest School
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Afterschool and Summer Camp
K-2nd Grade
Weekly rate $300 Daily Rate $50 Bus drops off here Camp and Vacation $300 weekly |
Preschool and Pre-K
“Creepy Crawlies” (T-Th) and “Wild Things” Forest Preschool Classrooms (M-F):
Our preschool, mixed-age classrooms (ages 2.5-5 years old) facilitate an emergent (child-led) based curriculum where the natural world serves as our most important teacher. We believe that play-based education is the best way for children to learn and encourage independence through social and emotional development.
We are outside all day, everyday* enjoying 22 acres of beautiful forest. Our mentors leverage all the forest offers to build preschoolers . . .
- Fine Motor Skills: the precise movements necessary for learning to write and create are developed through activities such as bark peeling, stick writing, grass cutting, moss-pulling, and many traditional preschool activities.
- Gross Motor Skills: the skills that build your child’s core muscles, are developed through climbing, log-balancing, puddle jumping, ice walking, and trail running. These activities also have the benefit of building preschoolers strength, coordination, and confidence.· Social/Emotional Skills: social and emotional development thrives when children work through problems as best as they can by themselves – only receiving guidance or facilitation form adults when asked. We encourage free-thinking and independence. We embrace uniqueness and allow discomfort and emotions; coaching children on how to manage their feelings. This develops their own capabilities for resolving conflicts and builds their confidence in the process.
- Cognitive Thinking: Children are natural problem solvers when adults don’t intervene. Our mentors inspire imagination and wonder in the natural world, through encouraging critical thinking with questions (e.g., What do you think lives here? What tale do these tracks tell? Who do you think might have an answer for this problem?) and creating a safe space for children to dream and explore.
- Pre-Literacy/Literacy Skills: children require vestibular development in their preschool years in order to build their literacy skills. Spinning, rolling, swinging, and moving our bodies are essential to this development and you’ll see our mentors encouraging and engaging in these activities frequently. We also love to read, create, and perform stories.
Important information:
· Our preschool programs are full-day, and we are open from 7:30-5:00; drop-off must be before 8:30
· Our classes have two awesome teachers and 10-14 children (Ratio 1:7)
· Your child must be 2.5 years-old on their enrollment date
· We are outside all day for napping, toileting and diapering (toilet training is not a requirement, please see toilet training policies in our Parent Handbook)
· To be comfortable and outside all day every day we have strict gear requirements that families must adhere to
· Masks are required at all times except for eating, drinking, and napping. We offer children socially distanced “mask breaks” whenever they need them
· Due to the small size of our school part-time preschoolers cannot pick the days they come – only the three days/week that our preschool class is open (Tuesday-Thursday)
· Tuition is $250/week for part-time and $325/week for full-time
For more frequently asked questions please visit here
Forest School
Microschool Classroom (M-F):
Our mixed age K-3 forest school is fully outdoors and utilizes the Oak Meadow Curriculum and Maine Learning Standards as guides for learning in our emergent curriculum format. Running from 9 am (drop-off starting at 7:30) to 3 pm every day, the Birds take hikes, climb trees, balance on slack lines and explore our forest playground building on the skills they developed in our preschool while also developing the essentials of a well-rounded elementary school education. Some examples of how we combine a traditional elementary curriculum in the forest using emergent teaching include:
● Literacy: We learn how to write the letter O by exploring the shapes of bubbles and drawing Owls because they start with O and have the body shape similar to an O. For older Birds we practice writing paragraphs!
● Math: We explore weight differences by building small scales with hangers, strings, and cups; then hop into our belay belts and hoist ourselves up on a human scale to see how many students it takes to weigh the same as a teacher.
● Sciences: We spend time planting seeds to discuss what it takes for plants to grow. Then we explore questions like Do they need similar things to humans like water, air, nutrients? Why is it important for plants to have clean water / no pollution? How do the plants help us? How can we think of ourselves as growing plants!?
● Social studies: We explore how weatherproof bags became an item we see in stores today. What is weatherproofing? Where did it first start? What materials can you use to weatherproof? How did that trend get to Maine, USA?
● Arts: We tie dye and experiment with color mixing. We look at primary colors- what combinations make the secondary colors?
● Other? Health: We practice our theater skills by acting out social stories to help us understand things that go on internally such as how we feel when we are being bullied. We ask ourselves questions like: What can we say to someone who is hurting our feelings? What's the difference between a strong voice and a mean voice? How can I express my personal boundaries?
Important information:
· Our one, mixed age group has two amazing teachers and 15 or fewer children
· Your child must be at least 5 on their enrollment date and be physically and emotionally developed to be learning with other elementary-school aged children
· We are outside all day, everyday*
· To be comfortable and outside all day every day we have strict gear requirements that families must adhere to
· Masks are required at all times except for eating and drinking. We offer children socially distanced “mask breaks” whenever they need them
· Tuition is $325/week and after-school care is included in that cost
For more frequently asked questions please visit here
Our mixed age K-3 forest school is fully outdoors and utilizes the Oak Meadow Curriculum and Maine Learning Standards as guides for learning in our emergent curriculum format. Running from 9 am (drop-off starting at 7:30) to 3 pm every day, the Birds take hikes, climb trees, balance on slack lines and explore our forest playground building on the skills they developed in our preschool while also developing the essentials of a well-rounded elementary school education. Some examples of how we combine a traditional elementary curriculum in the forest using emergent teaching include:
● Literacy: We learn how to write the letter O by exploring the shapes of bubbles and drawing Owls because they start with O and have the body shape similar to an O. For older Birds we practice writing paragraphs!
● Math: We explore weight differences by building small scales with hangers, strings, and cups; then hop into our belay belts and hoist ourselves up on a human scale to see how many students it takes to weigh the same as a teacher.
● Sciences: We spend time planting seeds to discuss what it takes for plants to grow. Then we explore questions like Do they need similar things to humans like water, air, nutrients? Why is it important for plants to have clean water / no pollution? How do the plants help us? How can we think of ourselves as growing plants!?
● Social studies: We explore how weatherproof bags became an item we see in stores today. What is weatherproofing? Where did it first start? What materials can you use to weatherproof? How did that trend get to Maine, USA?
● Arts: We tie dye and experiment with color mixing. We look at primary colors- what combinations make the secondary colors?
● Other? Health: We practice our theater skills by acting out social stories to help us understand things that go on internally such as how we feel when we are being bullied. We ask ourselves questions like: What can we say to someone who is hurting our feelings? What's the difference between a strong voice and a mean voice? How can I express my personal boundaries?
Important information:
· Our one, mixed age group has two amazing teachers and 15 or fewer children
· Your child must be at least 5 on their enrollment date and be physically and emotionally developed to be learning with other elementary-school aged children
· We are outside all day, everyday*
· To be comfortable and outside all day every day we have strict gear requirements that families must adhere to
· Masks are required at all times except for eating and drinking. We offer children socially distanced “mask breaks” whenever they need them
· Tuition is $325/week and after-school care is included in that cost
For more frequently asked questions please visit here
Afterschool and Summer/Vacation Camp
Village Nest Cooperative Adventurers
A camp for K-2
Camp space is extremely limited and on a first come, first served basis.
Afterschool: $150 Weekly, $50 Daily, Monday-Friday, Drop-off-5:00 PM
Summer and Vacation Camp: $300 a week, Monday-Friday, 7:30-5:00
Join us for a summer filled with exploration, innovation, and imagination. Each day will be filled with wonder. Whether your children are frog hunters, entomologists, artists, or just love being dirty this program is for them!
Do you remember what summers were like for you as a child? Did you come home wet, dirty, and full of questions at the end of a day at summer camp? This is the camp experience your child will have at the Village Nest Cooperative.
We aim to provide a safe camp experience that encourages children to take risks, child-led, play that inspires children to be critical thinkers that appreciate the natural world.
For more frequently asked questions please visit here
A camp for K-2
Camp space is extremely limited and on a first come, first served basis.
Afterschool: $150 Weekly, $50 Daily, Monday-Friday, Drop-off-5:00 PM
Summer and Vacation Camp: $300 a week, Monday-Friday, 7:30-5:00
Join us for a summer filled with exploration, innovation, and imagination. Each day will be filled with wonder. Whether your children are frog hunters, entomologists, artists, or just love being dirty this program is for them!
Do you remember what summers were like for you as a child? Did you come home wet, dirty, and full of questions at the end of a day at summer camp? This is the camp experience your child will have at the Village Nest Cooperative.
We aim to provide a safe camp experience that encourages children to take risks, child-led, play that inspires children to be critical thinkers that appreciate the natural world.
For more frequently asked questions please visit here
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The Village Nest Cooperative
Eliot, ME 03903 info@villagenestcooperative.com |
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