Boxerwood Gardens: Nature Center and Woodland Garden
All Fall Down - Ages 2-3 September - October
Legend of the Giant Acorn - Ages 4-5 September - October
Winter Detectives - Ages 4-5 January - mid March
Color Hike - Ages 2-3 April - May
Meet the Maples - Ages 4-5 April - May
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60 minutes: During their very first visit to Boxerwood, children gather leaves, acorns, seeds—what falls from trees in Fall. They’ll learn an acorn song, create autumn art, and play on our Play Trail.
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Ages 4 - 5 90 min.
Preschoolers learn how plants and wildlife need each other to survive in the natural world. Our program begins under the Great Oak, where Chatter the Squirrel will enlist your students in his quest to find the Giant Acorns—and get out of having to gather food for the winter. As we trek through woods and meadow, we’ll sing a squirrel song , hide acorns, and wend our way to the Play Trail.
Science Blocks Block 1: Observing properties of objects, sorting them by attributes, using pictures and words to describe them Block 4: Developing language to describe colors, shapes, textures, relative weight, position of objects Block 5: Describing what living things need to live and grow Block 6: Observing and classifying the shapes and forms of common natural objects including seeds, cones, and leaves; recognizing stages of plant growth
Physical and Motor Development Blocks Block 1: Practicing locomotor skills outdoors, balancing, manipulating objects Block 2: Opportunities for drama and imagery, imitation of animals and their movements, music Block 4: Demonstrating safe and cooperative behaviors in physical activity settings
-----------------------Ages 4-5 Jan-March 60 min.
Invite Boxerwood naturalists and a chatty woodpecker to your classroom to set up a window bird watching station. If weather permits, we’ll take a winter walk around the school yard to discover signs that birds and other animals are out and about, and come up with ideas for making your school or center a habitat that will attract more wildlife.
Science Blocks Block 4: Identifying colors and textures; describing relative size and weight Block 5: Describing what living things need to live and grow Block 6: Making weather observations; recognizing stages of animal growth
Physical and Motor Development Blocks Block 2: Opportunities for drama and imagery, imitation of animals and their movements, music Block 4: Demonstrating safe and cooperative behaviors in physical activity setting
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Ages 2-3 April-May 60 min.
Like All Fall Down, this spring season basket walk is designed for very young children who are exploring Boxerwood for the first time. Hikers bring along crayons and find plants with flowers, stems or leaves that match the crayon colors. After a small art project, they’ll have a chance to play on our Play Trail.
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Ages 4-5 April-May 90 min.
Our program begins with a story about Boxerwood’s own “roots.” Then our tree guide, Ms. Maple (just call her “Sugar”), will take your students on a hike to meet her extended family. In the process, they’ll walk through the life cycle of a tree from samara (winged seed) to decomposing log. They’ll also sing about the parts of a tree and review what trees need to live and grow. FYI—Ms. Maple will ask each class to adopt one of her seedlings and give it a good home on the school grounds. Of course, there will be time to make friends with a Maple or two on the Play Trail!
Science Blocks Block 4: Recognizing that plants start as “babies” or seedlings and grow, and need food, water and air to live. Block 6: Observing and classifying the shapes/forms of natural objects (seeds, cones, and leaves); recognizing the order or stages of animal and plant growth Block 7: Recycling - recognizing that some objects can be reused (e.g., paper)
History and Social Science Blocks Block 1: Recognizing ways in which people (and trees!) are alike and different
Physical and Motor Development Block 1: Practicing locomotor skills outdoors, including skipping, and non-locomotive skills such as balancing and manipulating objects Block 3: Participating in activities that promote physical fitness Block 4: Demonstrating safe and cooperative behaviors in physical activity settings