Programs

Our program provides a safe and secure environment with responsive and loving caregivers, which is essential for an infant's healthy brain development. New to the world, infants learn most effectively through the use of their senses and imitation. We provide opportunities for indoor/outdoor play and interaction with teachers and peers in sensory-rich environments, where infants' physical, cognitive, and emotional needs are met. In addition, through the use of sign language, preverbal infants are provided ways to communicate their wants and needs. 

This is an exciting age for both you and your toddler as they begin to explore more of the world around them with greater curiosity and independence. Our toddler program is designed to encourage the growth and development necessary to ensure your child has a firm foundation for future development. Toddlers will be a part of sensory-rich environments that promote the continuation of learning with their senses and encourage investigation of the natural and built world.  They will have the opportunity to explore social relationships on a daily basis and expand their imaginative capacities through stories, indoor and outdoor play, and the use of various outdoor learning spaces.  Students are given this new independence in closely monitored settings as they are given opportunities to use and explore new tools and spaces around our campus. Toddlers are allowed to foster their newfound inpendence in our gardens and other outdoor learning spaces by using different tools (such as small shovels and rakes) under adult supervision to gain confidence in their ability to meet a variety of goals outdoors. Toddler programs emphasize the foundation for emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development that is necessary for future growth and development.

Our Pre-K program begins to focus more heavily on preparing children for the upcoming standards they will be expected to master in early elementary years. Through play-based learning, children are provided the opportunity to learn and grow in their understanding of the world around them. Adhering to the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning's standards for Pre-K, our program emphasizes kindergarten readiness, while still maintaining focus on social, emotional, and physical development.  Sensory-rich environments ensure that Pre-K students have the chance to investigate the world around them independently, knowing they are in a safe and loving environment. The program is designed using a variety of hands-on learning opportunities, primarily outdoors, to ensure that children not only learn but have fun and feel a sense of freedom in the process. As our Pre-K students grow socially and emotionally, we allow them to grow in their confidence as well by giving them greater responsibilities in our outdoor learning spaces. Whether they are using a larger shovel or trusted with more advanced goals in the garden or even given the opportunity to teach younger students outdoors, we see their confidence in themselves and their knowledge grow exponentially during their time in Pre-K. With literacy being a primary focus, phonics, sight words, and letter recognition are incorporated through a variety of mediums in order to ensure that students are on the way to reading.  Our Pre-K teachers create lesson plans designed to do all this while taking advantage of our various outdoor learning spaces in a way that caters specifically to the developmental and academic needs of each child.

While a summer filled with fun is always our goal, we also strive to create programs that develop character in each child during the process.  Our program includes activities that teach teamwork, positive thinking, goal setting, hard work, honesty, and much more. We take a variety of field trips based on our camp themes to keep campers engaged, and we also give them an abundance of opportunities to have fun and gain confidence in our outdoor learning spaces. This can include anything from helping teachers lead walks on our nature trail, meeting daily goals in our garden spaces, or even teaching younger students how to use small garden tools safely! 

Daily devotions are a must in our summer program.  During this time each morning, we reflect on all we have for which to be thankful.  It is a time we remind every child they are a beloved child of God, and challenge them to live loving God and others in all they do.