Maria Montessori was known to be deeply impressed by the harmony she discerned in the natural world, the ecology of existence that gives every living thing a meaningful function in the larger system. She believed that it was inherent in each child to have a deep connection with nature and the natural world and that this connection could not be omitted from the education process. There is a wide body of current research that demonstrates that children who have regular access, movement, and discovery in natural environments develop better concentration, self-discipline, show more advanced motor fitness, have improved cognitive development, observational skills, better language acquisition and more diverse imagination, creative play, and collaboration skills. Likewise it has been identified that the single most important factor in an adult developing conservation values and environmental ethics is a direct relationship with nature as a child. Children first must learn to love the Earth before we ask them to save it. Riverside Montessori is set on five pristine acres that has a playground, nature walks, children's organic vegetable and flower gardens, and many opportunities for discovery and outdoor education. We have structured outdoor activities as well as unstructured free play outside every day. It has been shown that access to free play time outside in the preschool years is actually critical to learning, wonder, and discovery, and socialization and we prioritize it as such.
- Gardening
- Nature Detectives
- Plant, Insect, Animal Identification
- Leaf Collecting
- Signs of Life
- Bird Calls and Feeding
- Life Cycles
- Habitat Awareness
- Outdoor Art
- Imaginative Play
- And much much more