Playing with Intent

Nature Immersion + Food
Pre-K Playgroup

In our Earth Heroes Pre-K Playgroup, children will sow seeds for a lifelong connection with nature. With the support of CNGF’s teachers, families in this program share responsibility for the care of all children. Children learn outdoors through hands-on, nature-based, sensory play.

Details

Where

Weather permitting, gatherings are held outdoors in our ELSEE garden (Environmental Laboratory for Sustainability and Ecological Education); otherwise, we will use our indoor classroom.

The California Native Garden Foundation’s ELSEE
76 Race Street
San Jose, CA

When

Weekly on Fridays (excluding holidays)
10am – 12:30pm

Participants
  • Ten students maximum per playgroup.
  • Siblings are welcome. A maximum of six siblings may attend each session.
  • This is a parent/guardian participation program. In the event that a parent needs to step out, another parent can be designated.

Sampling of our Lessons

Garden Activity
  • Seeding
  • Harvesting
  • Planting Cuttings
  • Weeding
  • Exploring – Collecting Seeds, Fallen Flowers, Fallen Leaves
  • Compost
Vegetarian / Vegan Snack*
  • Farm-to-table
  • Kids work with teachers to harvest and prepare snacks

*Food allergies are accommodated.

Play, Movement, Activity
  • Dancing
  • Stretch to Refocus
  • Garden Games
  • Hide and Seek
  • Relay Race
  • Tag
  • Free Play
Art
  • Finger Painting with Herbal Paints
  • Painting – Flour-based Paint
  • Play Dough
  • Seed Recycled Paper
  • Nature Observation Books
Spoken Word
  • Song
  • Chant
  • Indigenous stories
Native Plant and Animal Relationship
  • Oak Trees and Scrub Jays
  • Linear Leaf Milkweed and Monarch Butterfly
  • Elderberry and Western Meadowlark
  • Pumpkin and Golden Orb Spider

Pricing

Monthly rates range from $110 to $180, depending on the number of sessions.

Registration

Register for sessions up to four months in advance.

Month of October (Oct. 6, 13, 20, and 27) 
Number of sessions: 4
Price: $150

Month of November (Nov. 2, 10, and 17) 
Number of sessions: 3
Price: $110

Month of December (Dec. 1, 8, and 15) 
Number of sessions: 3
Price: $110

Harvesting Vegetables for Lunch at Hester Farm
Identifying Butterfly Species at ELSEE Teaching Garden

Meet Our Pre-K Teachers

Giana Locke

Giana Locke

Giana is currently a student at San Jose State University studying early childhood development. With her degree, she hopes to aid in developmental research and continue working at nature-based preschools. She loves the beach, art, yoga and working with kids. She believes in CNGF’s mission to teach children about the importance of our local native wildlife so that they will grow up to protect and advocate for it.

Monica Vega

Monica Vega

Monica was born and raised in San Jose, CA. She graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor's degree in child development, and a master's degree in elementary education. While in college, she tutored English and philosophy, worked at Sunday Friends as a volunteer coordinator, and co-founded Veggielution Community Farm. After graduating, she served as the Education Director at VCF for six years working with youth from toddlers to adolescents. She went on to teach 1st and 2nd grade at McKinley Elementary School for seven years. Currently, she's homeschooling her son and teaching at CNGF part-time. As a multiple subject credentialed teacher with a strong background in nature-based education, Monica loves to explore and learn with children of all ages. She also loves to sew, scrapbook, cook, bake, garden, hike, journal, and read.

Interested in Early Childhood Education Training - Certificate Coursework and Practicum?

Through our year-long certification program, teachers will learn the 26 physical and pedagogical components of an ELSEE (The Environmental Lab for Sustainability and Ecological Education)- and USGBC-certified outdoor classroom; they will learn to build, maintain, and teach 50 “Playing with Intent: Nature Immersion + Food” lesson plans in an ELSEE-certified outdoor classroom, and will learn how to attract community volunteers and funding to help create and maintain their teaching garden. Teachers who complete the certification will have the skills to design, create, maintain, and teach in an ELSEE-certified outdoor classroom.

Learn more here.