A Blank Slate
I felt a return of the hopefulness. The frustrations, the tangles of to-do lists, the navigating of relationships between builder, architect, and our own school community all melted away. Our building, not just the physical structure, but our intentions had been seen.
Branching Out
At the end of the school year, we celebrate with a family potluck (the food is always good). This shared food is lovingly prepared and bought with careful for others in the community. Children run and play, circling back to the picnic area like little bumblebees, humming along. It is a great way to close the year. This is the Director’s speech marking the ending of one year and looking forward to the next.
Our Little Red Wagons
What is the best wagon? For us, it has to be this wagon. The Town & Country Little Red Wagon that can! The wagon’s stability, its familiar painted wood, knobby tires, and long metal handle—with just the right amount of resistance and maneuverability—make it more than a tool. It’s a forever item, not for transporting children but for handing them the reins.
Water (and Mud) Studies
The children are playing, imagining, and living outside and all the while the gaining real-life skills. Realia (thank you Froebel) refers to real-life objects, environments, or experiences used in education to make learning more meaningful and tangible. In early childhood, realia goes beyond pictures or simulations—it means children engage directly with the physical world to construct understanding.
Raising Storytellers
At Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School, we are raising storytellers who learn to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be. Through stories, our children connect to language, peers, and the natural world, gaining the tools to navigate life with creativity, empathy, and confidence.