At Merry Hearts, we are with children outside as much as possible every day to be in direct contact with nature. This is the foundation of our program. Snacks, crafts, music, and story time are experienced out of doors as weather permits. Our mission in getting outside and into natural areas is directed toward the endless sensory and imaginative opportunities in nature as well as toward our overall philosophy based on strengthening our own connections to the earth and its seasons.
Our focus on imaginative development comes from observing how children play, our knowledge of child development and the influence of Waldorf education that has long been rooted in the understanding that imaginative development lays the foundations for the abstract thinking required later in reading and higher math skills.
Children at Merry Hearts learn to interact cooperatively, to share toys and ideas and to clean up together. Children sing songs, construct with natural manipulatives, (blocks, acorns, sticks, shells), paint with watercolors, and listen to and tell stories told using puppets. Children are surrounded by beautiful sights, sounds and textures.
Merry Hearts also focuses on practical learning. Children at Merry Hearts practice activities such as gardening, using buttons and zippers, thorough hand-washing, setting and cleaning up a table, cooking and baking, and using polite language to express their needs and desires. Each child’s growth and development is carefully observed and nurtured.
“Children must be given the time to dream, to touch, to feel, and most of all to construct. To build their ideas, to expand on their questions, and to develop a deep sense of rootedness and connection to the world around them.” ~Earthskids.com