Outside and Play Based Activities in Our Goleta Preschool
At Under The Orange Trees, I strive to give the children opportunities to learn and grow. I provide developmentally appropriate materials and an environment conducive to exploration and creativity. Throughout the day the children alternate most of their playtime between the sunroom and the backyard.
In the sunroom, areas are carefully designed with purposeful play in mind. I have many materials that are accessible to the children to use on their own, and I set up closely supervised activities such as play-doh or paints.
The children have
- the play kitchen
- play nursery
- dress up
- block zone
- “small world” (small animals, people and accessories),
- art table
- box construction (children tape and glue boxes and loose items to make creations)
- boxed puzzles and games
Infants and toddlers have access to safe play materials including
- wooden stack toys
- soft play mat
- stacking cups
- convertible climbing stairs/rocking boat
All materials in the playroom have educational value and are part of a play based curriculum.
In the back yard, under the orange trees, the children have a lovely shade speckled space to create and play! There is a lot to do there in the backyard!
The children connect with the natural world by interacting with wildlife:
- chasing lizards,
- searching for bugs,
- watching the birds, and
- making friends with the pesky gophers!
They experiment with sand, water and dirt in (and out of!) the sandbox.
The sandbox and mud kitchen, with access to a few kitchen accessories and a hose, is a kid’s perfect world. They also get creative with art supplies outside. I will often have materials at a table in the grass which children use freely, when the mood strikes.
My style is not to plan a craft and tell the children how, when and where to do it. My style is to make choices available and let the children decide. Playing in the backyard is a big part of our days!
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Testimonials
We love Under the Orange Trees child care! Ildi is a loving child care provider who is extremely patient and creative with kids. She meets kids at their level and encourages child-directed play. She is experienced in early childhood care and education. She has taught my son how to be kind and inclusive of others, how to communicate better and be thoughtful, and she has encouraged his creativity and learning. At Under the Orange Trees my son loves playing with the fun toys in the playroom and yard, helping with cooking activities or snack prep, the games they play, the creative activities, playing with the other kids, and he loves Ildi! It is a perfect warm, caring home environment for him. We feel so lucky to be there!Anna Freedland
