Blending Early Childhood Education and Nature Based Learning:
Children are spending less time being outside in nature, playing, imagining, and learning about their surroundings. Instead, they’re spending more time with tablets, televisions, and overly structured routines. Preschool Beyond Walls shows practical and strategic ways educators can create rich, explorative, and interdisciplinary learning through extensive outdoor experiences.
Learn how to develop and implement a nature-based curriculum to support children’s optimal learning, from start to finish. Whether you’re creating a new curriculum or transitioning from a traditional approach, you will learn how to:
- Create a program philosophy
- Infuse nature into all aspects of your program
- Prepare teachers for a nature-centered approach
- Implement curriculum and pedagogy that emphasize inquiry-based learning through play and hands-on discovery
- Maintain high-quality early childhood practices that support children’s development
English Language Arts
Week-by-Week Phonics:
Recommended Grade: Grade K-3
Recommended Age: 5-8 Years
These easy-to-manage, ready-to-reproduce practice packets are a perfect way to target the phonics skills children need to master. Activities include word-shape recognition puzzles, fill-in rhymes, riddles, and stories, word searches, scrambled sentences, word sorts, and much more. Children can work through the packets independently and at their own pace. Perfect for in-class use or homework. An effective tool for supporting second-language learners and RTI instruction.
Garden Alphabet Activity Cards: These vibrant garden-themed cards are the perfect way to learn through play! No matter your child’s learning level, this card deck can be used for a variety of different activities, such as letter matching, a scavenger hunt, or art inspiration. They are printed on sturdy, premium 120 lb coated paper, and measure 4×6″. Though the main purpose is for hands-on learning, the printing is very high quality, so these cards would be lovely displayed in a playroom, school room, or around the home! This listing includes 26 double-sided cards (image on the front, name + information on the back) + a “learning ideas” card to spark creative ways to teach and play.
Magnaphonics Level II:
Recommended Grade: Grade K-3
Recommended Age: 5-8 YearsChildren love magnets, and MagnaPhonics is the new, comprehensive phonics program that builds basic phonics skills through hands-on sorting and word building activities. Students work through a systematic sequence of step-by-step activities using the colorful magnetic tiles and any magnet board or magnetic surface. Two-sided, color-coded magnetic tiles allow for sound sorting using picture sides and sorting by spelling patterns using the word side. 56 magnetic picture tiles and 36 magnetic letter tiles teach:
- Rhyming
- Soft and hard c and g sounds
- CVCe and other long vowel spelling patterns
- Consonant digraphs
- Vowel Pairs
Let’s Find Out Animals and Nature Readers: Get your child excited to read with this colorful collection of 20 titles correlated with guided reading levels A, B, C, and D. Each book features clear photos, very simple text, and nature-related topics kids love including butterflies, frogs, baby animals, sunflowers, eggs, weather, shapes in nature, and so many more. Comes with a parent guide, mini-workbook, and motivating stickers. A great way to build important background knowledge.
Letter Tiles: Eureka Manipulatives are great for teaching early childhood learning and a great tool in helping students recognize connections within each educational topic. Each pack includes 176 one-inch square plastic tiles with lower and upper case letters of the alphabet in a plastic storage tub. Teaches letter recognition and spelling. Plastic tub measures 3.75″ x 5.5″ x 3.75″. Not for children under 3 years of age.
Handwriting Practice Workbook: Sharpen hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills with this fun workbook! These important skills set the foundation for learning—this product helps children develop and hone these skills. Children practice writing letters, words, and sentences. As children progress through the activities they’ll develop dexterity and strengthen their spelling and reading skills. Help your little skill seeker build a strong foundation for academic success.
Movement Exploration, Vestibular Input and Gross Motor Development
It’s the Kinderfeets Pikler Balance Beam! This versatile platform functions as a seesaw, bench, magical walkway, and so much more. How will your little one’s imagination direct them?
The Balance Beam is handcrafted using responsibly-sourced birchwood and features two mounts with an adjustable beam designed to support a child’s exploration of balance and coordination. Assemble the beam at two various heights using the holes in the mounts to suit a child’s size and comfort. Through play, kids gain self-confidence, balance control, physical strength, and gross motor skills every time!
Lightweight and easy to handle, the Balance Beam is easily assembled and can seamlessly flatten for storage or transportation. Enjoy both indoors and out, but always store inside after use to maintain quality.
Weight & dimensions: 8.7 kg (19.14 lb); 175 x 19.5 x 27 cm (69″ x 7.7″ x 10.6″). Weight limit: 45 kg (100 lb). Suitable for children ages 18 months to 8 years.
Get ready to conquer some radical waves! The Kinderfeets Balance Surfer supports active and adventurous little ones in their development of balance and coordination, mind-body connection, physical strength and logical thinking ability. Depending on your skill level, use the provided small cork roller (7 cm diameter) or large (10 cm diameter) to surf both indoors and out. See how your balance evolves during play!
Crafted from bamboo and finished with a water-based varnish. To keep the board and rollers in prime condition, always store them indoors after outside play.
Weight & dimensions: 5.4 kg (11.88 lb); 99 x 38 x 3 cm (39” x 15” x 1.2”). Small cork roller: 45 cm x 7 cm diameter (17.7″ x 2.75″). Large cork roller: 45 cm x 10 cm diameter (17.7″ x 3.93″). Weight limit: 100 kg (220 lb). Suitable for children 3 years and older.
Nature Inspired Circles of Play
Natural Exploration Starter Pack: This selection includes 14 different types of natural materials: 2 willow balls, 60g branch chips, 60g ovular branch offcuts, 60g circular branch offcuts, 60g rattan slices, 3 bark squares, 250g river pebbles, 250g small polished stones, 60g small gemstones, 125g small seashells, 125g large seashells, 60g assorted pine cones, 5 bodhi leaves and 4 colored (red, green, yellow and blue) seagrass bundles. Exploration Naturals have limitless decorating and crafting possibilities! Children will enjoy the tactile stimulation of these natural materials. Add Exploration Naturals to sand play, sensory stations and loose parts kits. For ages 3+.
Playfoam Naturals Sensory Exploration: Squishable and shapable, Playfoam Naturals is the sensory-satisfying, plant-based learning compound that’s perfect for preschool learning! Non-toxic Playfoam Naturals is kid-safe and earth-safe, rooted in nature for a totally tactile experience that’s both stimulating and sustainable. Simply squeeze, squish, and squash the all-natural compound to build fine motor skills and encourage creativity or sculpt shapes, letters, and numbers to reinforce early learning. Playfoam Naturals never dries out, reducing waste and ensuring that the fun – and learning – never ends.
Playfoam Naturals Letters and Numbers: Preschoolers can practice letters, numbers, and shapes with Playfoam Naturals Shape & Learn Creativity! This all-natural, non-toxic creativity set offers fun you can feel, rooted in nature for a totally tactile experience that’s both stimulating and sustainable. Simply squeeze and squish the Playfoam Naturals to match the letters, numbers, and shapes shown on the reusable nature-themed practice cards or squash Playfoam Naturals into your own custom creations, building fine motor skills and creativity as you play. Playfoam Naturals never dries out, reducing waste and ensuring that the play and learning never ends.
Scenery Stones Story Play:
Children will enjoy inventing stories using these nature-inspired stones – leaves, log slices, and pine cones. The engaging stones will inspire play and promote creativity, immersing children into imaginary language-rich woodland worlds. Each sensory stone is engraved on one side and smooth on the other to encourage open-ended small world play.
Easy to set up and easy to pack away. Set contains 18 stones – 6 each of 3 designs. Size approximately(1-3/4″ x 2″).
Play Silks and Scenes:
STEM
Implementing Guided Math: This 6-page guide helps you provide a learning environment that fosters mathematical thinking and understanding while meeting the needs of all students. With ready-to-implement strategies centered on seven instructional areas, you can maximize the impact of your mathematics instruction. Promote a classroom environment of numeracy and mathematical discourse with this essential instructional resource for K-12 math teachers!
Counting Bears and Cups: Eureka Manipulatives are great for teaching early childhood learning and a great tool in helping students recognize connections within each educational topic. Great for match prep! Plastic tub measures 3 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ x 3 3/4″. Each set includes 50 plastic bears (10 each of five different colors) plus five cups in the colors that match the bears for extra sorting fun.
Math Manipulative Kit Grades K-2: Make hands-on take-home! These manipulative kits are perfect for individual student practice at home. Each kit comes in a resealable bag and an easy-to-follow guide that explains to parents how each manipulative is used and gives example activities for each. Activities are appropriate for students in kindergarten, first, and second grade. This math kit gives kids a hands-on tool for learning and reviewing math concepts: sorting, patterns, pattern block relationship, pattern block fraction, counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, geometry, measurement, number sense, place value, decimals, probability, make ten, one more and one less, and practice time concepts. All the basic math manipulatives for K-1. Comes with 6 of our most popular and versatile manipulatives: 74 foam Cuisenaire rods, 20 foam base ten units, 20 green foam base ten rods, 10 green foam base ten flats, 40 foam color tiles, 27 foam pattern blocks, 1 plastic geared clock, 100 plastic snap cubes, and manipulative guide. For over 50 years, hand2mind has encouraged hands-on learning and discovery, driving deeper understanding and helping children unlock their full potential. With products designed to enhance learning in the classroom and the world around us, we strive to find new ways to encourage hands-on exploration and discovery.
BIG 400 PC Plus-Plus is a whole new class of construction toy! One simple shape contains endless possibilities and hours of fun. Each piece easily connects to the next and lets your imagination create colorful flat mosaics or work in 3-D to make more intricate builds. A perfect on-the-go STEM toy for your budding builder! This Plus-Plus BIG size is perfect for smaller hands or bigger ideas. Well-suited for preschool and early learning environments, this set brings endless fun to kids who are developing their motor skills and recognizing colors, patterns and sorting —all while mixing play and creativity! This 400 piece set contains Basic Colors, including Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Purple and more. Pieces come in a clear, reusable storage tub. Also includes an Idea Guide Booklet for building. Suggested for ages 18 months and up. BPA-free and phthalate-free. Designed and made in Denmark.
STEM Challenge Jr. Learning Cards:
Help students go full STEAM ahead with grab-and-go activities! STEM Challenges, Jr. for grades PK–1 provides a fun way to enhance STEM learning in the classroom. This boxed set includes 30 full-color challenge cards that are designed to capture a student’s attention with diverse, simple, and easy to complete activities. These engaging cards cover essential science topics for young learners such as plants, animals, insects, weather, transportation, and more. Students will complete challenges where they make a seed carrier, design a squirrel-proof bird feeder, build an igloo, and more!
Each exercise found in the box of STEM Challenges, Jr. Learning Cards uses common materials and can be completed individually or during whole-class instruction, and is flexible enough to fit STEM learning into any curriculum. Each challenge card features two sides—the front side includes the challenge and a visual list of materials needed to complete the challenge. The back of the card is ideal for extended learning and includes hints, questions, and explanations of the science behind the challenge. Challenges feature picture directions to support early readers. These sturdy, durable cards are perfect for early finishers, centers, and indoor recess.
Learning Center Game All About Plants:
Recommended Grade: Grade K-2
Build your students’ understanding of plants as they study their basic parts, as well as their need for growth and development. Packaged in a durable pouch, the game can be used in the classroom, after school programs or home practice and are perfect for differentiated instruction. Designed for either teacher-directed or independent play in groups of 2-4 students, each game includes a Laminated, Hands-On Board game with 30 illustrated, self-checking cards and game materials for up to 4 students; two sets of 30 Flash Cards printed on heavy 4″ x 5.5″ stock, providing matching activities to challenge students to correlate up to 3 associated attributes; and a Teacher’s Guide with step-by-step instructions as well as recommended, additional skill-building activities.
Nature Learning Bird Egg Matching Cards: Included are 24 cards (12 sets of matching cards) and a card with instructions for playing + ideas for playing with younger children. These cards are printed on premium, sturdy 24 pt matte paper (about as thick as a credit card). Each one looks like a tiny original painting, and are so lovely to play with. Each card measures about 3 x 4.25 inches.
Social Studies
Puzzle Globe: Spin your way into geography with this Puzzle Globe, which highlights landmarks and animals. Each puzzle piece (continent) fits into one hole on the globe to make it easy for little ones to place. All 7 continents are represented (6 continent puzzle pieces plus stationary Antarctica). Globe measures 8″ in diameter; largest piece (Asia) measures 5.75″L. Includes 6 continent puzzle pieces, 6 continent labels, and a sheet of blank label stickers. Age 3+/Grade PreK+.
The Book of Cultures w/Stickers and Map:
A picture book created for young readers to discover the world and embrace diversity, alongside stickers with all the characters and a pop-up map of the world.
- 30 fictional stories featuring buddies from different countries, followed by a snapshot on each culture, with fun facts and engaging activities.
- 120 pages of fun!
- Stickers featuring all the buddies of the book.
- A pop-up map of the world.
- The 7th most backed/funded children’s book project on Kickstarter.
- A 2021 Family Choice Award and a 2021 NAPPA Award winner.
- Made in Canada
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