Live and Learn Childcare experiential learning through creative play

comes to our local library once per month to lead the littles. This month, we're focusing on communication and reading signs! They loved this craft.

Thursdays are for the local library, Ms Tish, and friends

We have several swings indoors. This one is low enough to the ground that they can practice their balance and coordination while managing their risk. They are doing great! They can now use the taller swings like this at the park.

This week, we're promoting wonder 🤩 this is my friend, and fellow Tinkergarten teacher's "wonder basket". I love it! One of the little's is having. Rougher week than usual but we have friends, water, and dirt, so what could be better?

I want to do a separate post just for this victory because I'm so proud of this kid and, more importantly, he's so proud of himself. He's been able to do everything else at this playground for a while, including get to the top of this slide another way.But climbing this way was a challenge. He tried, strategised, tried again, kicked off his shoes for better grip, tried again. He was scared. Twice, he almost turned back.
We encouraged him, reassured him he could do it, and stood on both sides to let him know we'd catch him if he fell, but ultimately, the bravery came from him.
He did it! He was so excited! I heard him whisper, "YES!" to himself. We celebrated and ran around for a victory lap, and then, he climbed it again, and again, and then climbed down in reverse. He really did it! Confidence built!
See why I love my work, I get to see this in real time. Fear, doubt, courage, strategy, problem solving, drive, focus, skill, confidence, pride, unlocked future potential, and joy 😀🤩 I'm so proud of this kid 🥰

We were happy and curious in play all week.

We created our own yurt!

This is my favorite picture. 😍

Autumn harvested apples and outside exploration 🥰🥰

Writing in sand and chasing butterflies. This is childhood 🥰🥰

This was a challenge and a victory 🥳

We stop yo smell all the flowers! This guy has grown so much in his curiosity, love for learning and exploration.

They we so happy to paint but they had no idea they were learning so much. They were learning about mixing colors, noticing the details in the leaves, using small paint brushes and so much more!

We helped Mama with a flat tire,this week, and then rested after a hard day's work 😍😍 We live a d learn.

We LOVE the ducks! "Chicken Party" is a favorite spot of ours; learning through play.

He walked all the way home from the park with his hands in his pockets. Why? Why not? He set his own goal, tried something new, something he associates with grown-ups, and he was so proud of himself when he made it. That's a win! Go little-man!

Continuing our study on wellness and our connection to the Earth, this week, we found leaves and did a little tree-identification. Then, we laid the leaves on a sheet and sprayed our paint on them to create beautiful, negative-space leaf art.

Sometimes, we don't ask questions. We just sit back and enjoy the creativity.

We went for walks and enjoyed the weather.

We searched for (fake) worms in this gorgeous dirt. This IS preK.

Backyard exploration at our favorite 🤩🤩

Friendship 🥰🥰 core memories 💯

We played at Nature Play Studio , fed ducks, jumped on trampolines, swung on swings, colored in boxes walked on walls, had pops with friends, and learned so much. This is childhood 🥰

About 1x per quarter, The Alliance Theater For the Very Young, comes to perform for the library kids. And they LOVE it!

C'mon, Let's play!

We adore each other. We shared, and were generous and kind, and understaning. We nurtured. We grew in emotional health. We played in dirt, paint, swings, bikes, and nature 🥰🥰🥰

MARCH--Old friends and new. The Zoo, bubbles, and, of course, the wonderful Nature Play Studio , which one of the kids coined "chicken party"

February--we Lived and Learned. Do you recognize anyone special at the end?

January--We Lived and Learned 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Re-introduction since I stopped posting December '22 🤩 I'm Lojo. I run Live and Learn Playgroup. We are an outdoor, nature-focused, homeschool-playgroup.

Classes led by me, Lojo, a veteran homeschooler, mom of 4 grown-ish children +one grandbaby, homeschool consultant and backyard explorer who is passionate about exploring the world with children.

A little background--
I've been a nanny as long as I can remember but I have a lot of life that adds to my experience. I was in the military for six years, was a homeschool teacher for 15 years, went to school for Elementary and Special Education, and am an Education Consultant choosing education plans for homeschoolers ( Consulting).

What I love most is seeing the world through children's eyes, watching their curiosity and discovery; I love to recognize their gifts and teach them through those gifts. We focus on learning through play and nature. We always stop to smell the roses and read ALL the books. Let me know if you're interested in joining.

Curriculum--
There are 5 domains of early childhood development: Physical, Cognitive, Communicative, Socioemotional, and Adaptive. Everything we enjoy at Live and Learn is focused on nurturing the whole child, fostering their natural gifts, and growing their skills in preparation for kindergarten. We use the Tinkergarten curriculum to lead our learning through play.

Tinkergarten is a well-known outdoor early childhood education program that focuses on play-based learning in nature. Their curriculum is designed to foster creativity, exploration, and social interaction among young children while utilizing the natural environment as a learning resource. Some key elements are typically included in the Tinkergarten curriculum:

Outdoor Exploration: Tinkergarten emphasizes outdoor play and exploration, encouraging children to connect with the natural world around them. Ours will be used primarily in the yard with other local parks and attractions as alternates.

Seasonal Themes: The curriculum often incorporates seasonal themes and activities, allowing children to experience natural changes throughout the year.

Hands-On Activities: Tinkergarten activities are designed to be hands-on and engaging, promoting sensory experiences, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Social Interaction: Children have the opportunity to interact with their peers in a natural setting, promoting social skills and cooperation.

Creative Arts: Tinkergarten often includes arts and crafts activities inspired by nature. These activities encourage creativity and self-expression.

Life Skills: The program may focus on building life skills, such as teamwork, communication, and resilience, through outdoor play and group activities.
Join us
M-Th
9-12
Ages 2.5- 6
Drop off in a private backyard in the Adair Park neighborhood, Atlanta.
Session 1: 9/5-12/15
Session 2: 1/3- 5/23
You can sign up for 1 or both