Sprouts: A Wild and Wonderful Day

Today at Sprouts, we embraced the wild energy of nature—and our furry friends! Parents are on board with my dogs being part of our sessions, so they joined in the fun. The kids absolutely love interacting with the dogs. They ran, played, and got so much from that special connection. It was heartwarming to see how much joy and excitement this brought to the day.

Morning Check-In & Gratitude

We started the day by gathering together and checking in with everyone. We took a moment to share what we’re grateful for, something that always helps ground us. Then, we had a great chat about the changing seasons and what we’ve been noticing in nature—especially how squirrels are busily collecting nuts and acorns for winter.

Storytime: Because of an Acorn

We read a beautiful story called Because of an Acorn. This simple, sweet book takes us through how one thing leads to another in nature—because of an acorn, a tree grows, then a bird finds a home, and on and on. It’s a wonderful way to show children the interconnectedness of everything in nature.

What else happened because of an acorn?

Squirrel Game

After the story, it was time to get moving! I scattered pine cones throughout the space and set up baskets under trees. The kids pretended to be squirrels, collecting “acorns” (pine cones) as quickly as they could before winter arrived (signaled by a two-minute timer). They loved racing around, gathering as many as possible to ensure their squirrel families survived the winter. We counted the “acorns” at the end, and I’m happy to report that every squirrel family made it through!

Snack Time & Dog Fun

Next, we had snack time together, spreading out on a blanket in the grass with the dogs joining us. The kids got silly, asking if they could put a hat on Garth. They showed good understanding of Greet, Ask, Listen, and Thank. They asked Garth if he was okay with it, checked his response (via body language), and then thanked him for playing along. It was a sweet example of our ongoing lesson in respect and gratitude.

Pond Dipping Adventure

In the afternoon, we headed down to The Flats for some pond dipping—an immediate favourite activity! The kids were beyond excited to search for and collect creatures from the pond. One child caught his very first fish, which was such an exciting moment for him! We even gave the fish a name—Fred—and said goodbye to him with well wishes before releasing him back into the water.

Tree Climbing & Nature Mysteries

Last week, the children wished to climb trees, and today we made that wish come true! They were thrilled to get up into the branches and experience the world from a new perspective. When we got back from The Flats, we noticed that something had left tracks all over the notebook I left out under the maple tree. What do you think it was?

So proud of himself!

It tied into our theme nicely 😂

Journaling, Leaf Rubbing, and Relaxation

After lunch, we took some time to relax and wind down. We flipped through field guides, did some leaf rubbing, and wrote in our journals about the day. It was a peaceful end to a busy and fun-filled day.

We had such an amazing day, filled with adventure, curiousity, and connection. We can’t wait to do it all again next week!

Sunshine and smiles!