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True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by. E.S. Bouton Schema are repetitive patterns of play that children use to explore the world around them, make sense of that world, and grow cognitively. Some common schemas we see at RVNS are transporting, trajectory, enclosing, construction, destruction, rotating, […]

Don’t eat me. I am an inchworm. I am useful. I measure things. from Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni On a Wednesday at the Farm, our youngest friends were captivated by an unexpected guest that joined us for morning gathering. “An inchworm!” I blurted out. Oh, how I wish I would have waited to […]

Dandelion adapted from a poem by Nicolette Lennert Dandelion fluff Floats on a breeze Tickles my nose And makes me sneeze Some see a wish Some see a weed Some see food Bees love and need Dandelions provided much inspiration in the spring. Their bright, cheery color and ubiquitous nature made dandelions a perfect subject […]

We’ve reached the end of the school year, and we’ve been silent for quite a while.  In the middle of March, we went to remote learning like most everyone else in the country.  We started off unsure what we felt good about offering, especially given the age of our students (3-9).  We realized that collectively […]

…I have found no exact duplicate. In this inexhaustible storehouse of crystal treasures, what a delight is in store for all future lovers of snowflakes and of the beautiful in nature. W. A. Bentley – “Snowflake” Bentley “It’s too early. I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January.” – Lucy Van Pelt “They […]

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder It’s a little past one in the afternoon. I call […]

This post follows a thread (pun intended) that upon reflection, had its beginning in the fall when one morning, we added the card game Into the Forest to the classroom offerings. It’s a simple card game. Each card has an illustration of a plant or animal. If the card represents an animal, it has a […]

Since the first days of school, the children have been interested in currency.  Having a currency to buy goods (sticks, stones, etc.) was important as they established different stores in the nature mall.  We were most delighted when they began using leaves as currency because there was such an abundance of leaves, and that provided […]

We have been noticing the changes occurring in nature and in our towns and homes as fall slips away and winter approaches. We pondered what we do to get ready for winter cold. “We wear coats!” “And mittens.” “We dress warm!” We discussed how our forest friends also prepare for winter, and we read books […]

The natural materials of our outdoor location offer an abundance of “loose parts” that friends can use, move, put together, and change to become whatever their play or imagination requires. Some of these loose parts are BIG. Friends have built big with logs and planks. The logs are not uniform. They are large, heavy, and […]