Toadstools and Pollywogs

 

It's no secret to my local mommy friends that I am absolutely in LOVE with Ben's preschool.    After last year, I managed to talk two of them into sending their boys there too!  The program is called 'Toadstools and Pollywogs' and is one of the only nature-based programs around (certainly locally, but I doubt there are many like it even nationally).   As it's name suggests, it's an earth-friendly and eco-aware program.  Teachers and students practice the reduce-reuse-recyle lifestyle in everything they do, from upcycled crafts to vermicomposted snacks.  But more than that, they get those kids outside in the fresh air to learn from the best teacher on earth - Mother Nature!  Rain or shine, snow or fog, unless there's lightning or it's below 25 degrees, they are outside every single day.  Stomping in puddles, rolling giant snowballs, collecting leaves, counting birds and drawing letters in the mud.

 

This is what I saw when I pulled up to pick Ben up last week.
 They had been outside playing in the snow and were forming the letter of the week, letter 'O', with their bodies on the hill.

 

 And to me, that's the best gift you can give a child.  Not addition and sight word flashcards before they even enter kindergarten, for heaven's sakes!  I want my kids to squish mud between their toes and wonder why the sky is blue and marvel at the sounds of birds chirping all around them.  They have the rest of their educational career to be trapped indoors doing worksheets and drills - my heart says let them PLAY and develop their inner curiosity as deeply as they can, while they have the luxury of the free time to enjoy it.

  

The fact that this program is run by the park district and is the cheapest program in the city might lead people to believe that it isn't as good as some of the more expensive programs - and in Naperville there are plenty of those.  One costs nearly as much per year as my college education did!  Those students will likely graduate preschool academically ahead of their park district peers, but at what cost I wonder?

 

I am thoroughly satisfied that Ben has had the best preschool experience I could ask for, and the fact that it's only $100/month and in a one-room schoolhouse that is so close we can ride our bicycles when the weather is nice?  Well that's the best kind of bonus!

 

If you'd like to see what a typical day at Toadstools and Pollywogs is like, check out their blog!  Yes, they have a blog, and take videos and pictures on the school iPad each week to show parents and friends what the kids are learning.   Just scroll down on the right side and click on Miss Janet and Miss Michelle's 4's class.