The Play Garden

An Outdoor

Parent-Child Group

for Children Ages 1-6

Come spend time with me and other families in my beautiful and adventurous Play Garden. Get your hands in the dirt, explore with your child, or sit and drink iced tea with other parents while your children play, clamber, explore, and sit amongst the flowers.

The Play Garden also serves as a demonstration site for natural playgrounds, and is available for visits workshops for staff and administrators of schools, parks and museums. It is also available for school field trips; Please contact me to arrange a visit.

A Waldorf-Inspired Curriculum Includes:

Eating a healthy snack together
Seasonal songs, ring games, and puppet shows
A trained early childhood teacher to support children’s play
Space for children to experience nature
Support for your early childhood parenting
A copy of my book, Joyful Toddlers & Preschoolers: Create A Life that You and Your Child Both Love

What Each Day is Like

Each morning starts at 9:30am. You and your child walk through the gate into the Play Garden and come say hello. You help your child settle into play or, if they are interested, they may join in the weekly activity of gardening, water play, crafts, or baking. There is always work for adult hands weeding or setting the table, or you can sit and chat. Once everyone has arrived and had some time to play, we gather up for Circle Time to greet the day, sing some songs and act out seasonal rhymes together. Then we head over to the picnic tables, wipe hands, and settle down for a delicious snack of fresh fruit, oat cakes, and hibiscus tea (except on baking days, when we’ll have bitty-buns and home-made butter). Children clear their plates and cups and go off to play once more.

At the end of the morning we gather once more for a sweet, simple puppet show, and then we wave goodbye as we sing our way home at 11:30am.

The space is available for families to arrive early or stay late if they wish to prolong their morning.

DATES for SUMMER 2020:

Wednesday Mornings, June 3rd through July 29th (9 classes) FULL!

All classes run 9:30am-11:30am. (families are welcome to arrive early or stay late if they wish.)

COST:

One Child: $260

Sibling: $160

*Babies under age 1 are always welcome for free. Non-enrolled siblings over 12 months, grandparents, and visiting relatives are welcome to visit once or twice per session, with prior notice.

*I can offer half-price tuition to several families, in exchange for help with set-up, clean-up, or snack preparation. If you are interested in this, please contact me at faith@joyfultoddlers.com.

Summer 2020 classes are FULL! If you’d like to be put on the wait-list, send me an email at faith@joyfultoddlers.com with the subject line “Wait List.”

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where is it located? The Play Garden is a half-acre garden behind my home in north-west Arvada, near 80th and Quaker (it’s on W. 79th Place in Arvada, CO 80007 if you want to map search). I’ll send you the exact street address once you’re registered.

Do we go inside at all? Nope! This is an outdoor playgroup: rain, shine or snow. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. Put on your rain pants, or get out your sunscreen and jump in the sprinklers with the children. If you or your child needs to use the restroom you are welcome to use the one in my house, then come back out.

Who is Miss Faith? I am a parenting coach with years of experience in the classroom. I have taught at Boulder Waldorf Kindergarten as the toddler teacher, at Rainbow Bridge LifeWays Program as lead teacher for children ages 1-5, and at Shepherd Valley Waldorf School (now Boulder Valley Waldorf School) as the parent-child class teacher. Play Garden classes started in 2017. My book, Joyful Toddlers & Preschoolers: Create a Life that You and Your Child Both Love, was published in autumn 2017 by Hohm Press. Click here or go to the Joyful Toddlers homepage to learn more about me. My daughter Sophie is six years old and participates in the program. I will also have a new baby this summer, my estimated due date is March 10th, 2020!

Can I come visit to meet you and see the space? Yes, I’d be happy to arrange a time to chat and show you around; you are also welcome to come visit a class if we are in session. Send me an email at faith@joyfultoddlers.com and give me your phone number. I’ll give you a call and we can set up a time for you to come over.

What is the space like? The Play Garden takes place on a fully fenced half-acre behind my home in rural Arvada, with horse properties behind. A dry creek runs through the middle with a flagstone bridge, stepping stones, and a log bridge to cross. On one side is a big play hill with two slides and a tunnel running through it, and on the other side is a sand/gravel pit with lots of buckets, scoops, wheelbarrows, and other toys. There is a play-house with a sturdy three-rung ladder leading up to it, and a large veggie garden of raised beds with arches running between. There are flowers blooming all around. It is a place with lots of nooks and crannies to explore, and parts are well-cultivated, while others are left a bit “wild.”

How big will the classes be? I will cap the class size at 12 families. The yard can certainly support more people, but I want the children (and parents) to really get to know one another over the course of the session.

My child’s grandparents are visiting from out of town. Can they come too? Sure! Visiting relatives and un-enrolled siblings are welcome to come once or twice per session. Just be sure to give me some advance notice, so I can make enough snack for everyone! Pets, however, should always stay home.

Who is responsible for my child while we’re there? I am here to run the class and I have lots of experience helping children navigate the social realm, but you are completely responsible for your child’s safety while you are here. There are hills, boulders and short bridges over the dry creek; if your child is a wobbly toddler or a reckless preschooler, you may need to stick pretty close. Regardless, please always make sure that your child stays within your view.