Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: April 28 - May 2, 2025

May 2

Dear Joyful Beginnings Hummingbird Families,

There is nothing quite like springtime at The Garden School. Last week, the students witnessed a King snake (a harmless friend of the forest) eat another snake, saw a family of geese with their goslings slowly make their way around our tea party and down to the pond, and heard the croaks of a bullfrog. With honeysuckle thick in the air and snails and bright blooms adorning every path, we are savoring these last few weeks together in the forest.

In step with the season of growth and expansion, it has been amazing to see how the children’s play has come to life. The Hummingbirds have been diving deep into imaginative, group play. If several of the students decide to play “puppies” in the forest, for example, the rest of the students work hard to prepare and deliver puppy food to the pack. The children have even begun to organize their own games and races! It is a wonder to witness.

Last week, we brought our story, “Father Sun and the Dandelion,” to a close with a special tea party. We sipped dandelion tea and enjoyed fresh bread with homemade “honey fluff” (whipped honey) at the pond overlook. This was a great opportunity to begin teaching the children about the healing power of plants and responsible foraging. We briefly discussed how the dandelion root and leaf can help to clean (detoxify), protect (immune system support), and strengthen (provide vitamins and minerals) our bodies. We also discussed the importance of never consuming plants without a grown-up to safely identify “helping” plants and their origins (pesticide exposure, etc.).

This week, we look forward to working on a multi-step project involving rocks, painting, and beading. The children will bring these projects home at the end of the week!

Announcements and Reminders for Hummingbirds:

Please start packing insect repellent and sun hats in their backpacks.