Sowing greatness one child at a time
Farm to Preschool
Serving local foods and offering related hands-on activities can increase children’s willingness to try new foods. In fact, farm to preschool is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an opportunity to increase access to healthy environments for improved early eating habits and obesity prevention in early care and education. With daily opportunities to serve local products through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), farm to preschool benefits local and regional farmers, ranchers, fishermen, food processors, manufacturers, and distributors by providing another market for their products. Incorporating seasonal and locally produced foods is included as a best practice in the CACFP meal pattern final rule.
Arts and Crafts
Art is a natural activity that supports free play in children. The freedom to manipulate different materials in an organic and unstructured way allows for exploration and experimentation. These artistic endeavors and self-directed explorations are not only fun but educational as well. Art allows children to practice a wide range of practical skills for life and learning. Art helps with mastering their fine motor skills. Through art, children can begin to grasp concepts related to size, shape, counting, comparisons, and spatial reasoning, all of which will be important as they enter kindergarten.
Yoga
Yoga is a powerful tool that improves children's concentration with renewed focus. Yoga introduces mindfulness: aligning their bodies and minds. It teaches controlled breathing techniques that work well for minimizing feelings of stress and anxiety, which helps with self-regulation that empowers the child.
