Several 18-month-olds at Little Forest Playschool give their school a good scrub. Courtesy/LFP
George Ortiz, 2, and Evelyn Tharp, 2, playing outside at Little Forest Playschool, which caters to 6-week-old infants to 5-year-old children. A fundraising effort is underway to purchase playground equipment for its infants and toddlers. To learn more, visit https://www.littleforestplayschool.org/. Courtesy/LFP
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Playtime is a serious business at Little Forest Playschool. Firstly, there are no tech devices and secondly, children are encouraged to take their interests and energies outside. There are no boundaries to the curriculum, which shifts according to children’s interests. If a child wants to put a pinecone in a flowerpot to see what happens then a greenhouse will be made available to conduct the experiment. If children are interested in insects, then a garden is planted to attract them.
“We really value following the children’s interests inside and outside,” Little Forest Teacher Aryanna Tovar-Mallon said.
Executive Director April Wade agreed, adding that cognitive skills and creativity are encouraged. Students are taught there is no wrong way to do something, she said.
“We really value that kind of play,” she said. “We are not like any other school.”
This philosophy has been with Little Forest Playschool, a co-op childcare, since its inception and seems to be successful; the playschool will celebrate its 75th anniversary in February.
To mark the major milestone, Wade said a Fall Fiesta event is being planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 20; it will feature games, food, activities and live entertainment provided by Clan Tynker and the Hillstompers.
“It is just a fun event for all ages,” Wade said.
She added Little Forest Playschool alumni will hopefully attend the event.
The Fall Fiesta also will kick off Little Forest’s fundraiser for an infant/toddler playground. The goal is to raise $75,000.
The celebration is more than just acknowledging the playschool’s longevity; Wade said it also marks how Little Forest has returned to its roots.
She noted that Little Forest was started by a group of moms who wanted to learn how their children developed.
“I think one of the coolest things that I really appreciate is that we have come full circle with how Little Forest started,” Wade said.
For instance, Wade noted when looking at the school’s materials – they are plastic-free. She said the school was “gutted” of all plastic in favor of wood, metal, etc. Children are encouraged to see any item as having unlimited capabilities – they can use anything for any purpose. Some of these materials, such as a set of wooden blocks, have been utilized since the playschool first opened its doors.
Another example of things moving in full circle is when alumni return to work as teachers.
“We have had a lot of students become teachers,” Wade said, adding that “seeing students come back to teach is really special.”
Other things have stayed constant such as the school’s location at 3880 Villa St. Wade said that the school has always been there and even before moving into the building, it was an elementary school.
Another thing that has stayed fixed is the school’s programming.
Play, Wade said, is an incredible learning tool for young people.
“The best way for children to learn is through play,” Wade said.
For instance, young people learn about community, relationships and problem solving, she explained.
Tovar-Mallon added that by bending activities to the students’ interests, “really makes them be in charge of their play…”
Plus, by encouraging them to see unlimited possibilities in different materials, children are thinking outside the box and being creative, she said.
The school is not only opening the eyes of their young students but also exposing the students’ families to the importance of play.
“(We are) teaching families the power of play and that play is learning,” Wade said.
Even something as simple as stacking blocks introduces students to math and science, Tovar-Mallon said.
“We are all learning something,” she said.
Not only is play emphasized but the idea “to meet children where they are,” is too, Wade said.
She explained it is important to not solely focus on the end goal but to be present in the moment and allow a 4-year-old, for instance, to be 4 years old.
“(Kids) need to crawl before they walk. That’s always been our position,” Wade said.
The school will hopefully provide its students with a good foundation so when they enter the school system, they will be ready, she added.
While Little Forest has stayed true to its roots in some ways, it has evolved in others. For instance, Wade said now the school admits infants as young as 6-weeks-old to children as old as 5-years-old.
She explained that nowadays, families need to get back to work sooner, and Little Forest wants to accommodate them.Another evolution is that Little Forest earned a spot on the state’s quality rating system; it is the only childcare center in Los Alamos that has a five-star rating, Wade said.
Despite the accolades, “the one thing Little Forest is very proud of is something we value, which is the children’s social-emotional skills … that is something we really nurture here,” Wade said.
Being a co-op, the parents are an important part of the program; Tovar-Mallon said the school enjoys a lot of support. She noted that the parents have contributed in other ways; for instance, one of the playground apparatuses was built by parents. Parents are also active volunteers and will take part in lessons.
The support and the school’s embrace of nature is what attracted many of its staff to the school. Before coming to Los Alamos, Wade said she was a director for a childcare center in Washington state and when she came to town she fell in love with Los Alamos’ outdoor scene.
“I grew up outside and I wanted that for my children to have that experience,” she said.
Wade was hired as a teacher in 2010 before being promoted to Executive Director.
“I love it here,” she said. “I love the families. We are extremely attached to our families … those relationships are very complementary to the school. That is what kept me here.”
The childcare center seems to have a lasting effect on everyone; Wade said her youngest child went to Little Forest and the friendship she forged there continues now even in high school.
“It is so awesome to have that relationship maintained all these years,” she said.
Little Forest has a staff of 18 and serves 75-80 students. It offers year-round enrollment. While the school is currently full, there is a waiting list. For more information about the school and its anniversary as well as how to donate to the new playground or support Little Forest, visit https://www.littleforestplayschool.org/.
People also are encouraged to visit Little Forest Playschool’s Facebook page where staff are posting current happenings at the childcare center. There is a second page, too, Little Forest Playschool Alumni, where photos, articles and memories of the last 75 years are being shared.
One of the classrooms at Little Forest Playschool at 3880 Villa St., which is celebrating a major milestone: the childcare center will turn 75 years old in February. Courtesy/LFP
Two 4-year-olds have some fun in the rain at Little Forest Playschool. Courtesy/LFP