Montessori in the Pines is a unique school in that we blend traditional Montessori education with farm school models.  Montessori is carried through into the garden, where the principals of self-initiated learning and sensorial exploring are found.  Children are walking laboratories: their fingers and arms are units of measurement.  Their eyes, ears, and tongues analyze the natural world around them… When in the garden, the children use language and practice early math and science in a meaningful context.  They can also take pride in the food they grow, and form an early foundation of healthy eating habits.  Lets look at more reasons why a nature-based Montessori is beneficial:

What do kids love about outdoor space?

Freedom: being able to explore, dig in mud, and catch bugs

Abundance: being able to pick and taste things

Independent space: a place to hide and be found

Sense of ownership: ‘this is our space, we created it’

Solitude/listening games

Touching and smelling

Gardening:

Increases their self-esteem, patience, and cooperation

Allows for self-expression and healthy risk-taking

Teaches key science concepts

Helps children become stewards of the environment from a young age

Brings together communities

Increases preference towards eating fruits and vegetables

year round learning:

There are an abundance of projects we do, both indoor and outdoor, as seasons change throughout the year.  This is just a small sample:

Sprouting seeds, watering tender young plants, harvesting fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Raking leaves, composting food scraps, exploring worms in our worm bin, building bee hotels.

Building snow people, pulling each other on sleds, watching icicles melt

Baking muffins, making salads, churning butter, chopping carrots for our bunnies

Composting food scraps, exploring worms in our worm bin, building bee hotels.

Collecting eggs from our chickens and crushing the eggshells to make to make natural fertilizer.

Art projects with found nature, making bird feeders, investigating insects with magnifying glasses.

Climbing our rock wall, riding bikes, splashing in the water table and mud kitchen, digging.

Conducting science experiments with snow, rain, oyster mushrooms, and solar energy.

Going on nature walks, going bird watching, identifying native plants and animals.