Tiny Green Trees follows a daily rhythm, that allows for flexibility in the day based on individual child needs and incorporates our goal of being outside 4-7 hours each day. Drop offs occur from 7 am – 9 am. Our morning snack takes place around 8:30 am. After snack, the teachers typically implement their intentional lesson plans for that day. Children come inside around 11:30 am for lunch and a quiet rest time. Afternoon snack takes place around 2:30 pm and the afternoon ends with pick ups, often from our backyard, outdoor classroom.

With the right planning and preparation, almost anything that we do inside can also be done outside! Outdoor experiences include dramatic play, stories, and songs, as well as sorting, building, and experimenting. Children regularly engage their senses, taking in the vast array of sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the outdoors. 

For our youngest children, outdoor experiences are nurturing and comforting. They include time to rest and be held. For older children, there are opportunities to use tools, science equipment, books, and art materials; to challenge themselves by trying new things; to pursue personal interests; and make discoveries. 

Children of all ages learn with their whole bodies. Being outside allows them to strengthen their physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being by running, touching, observing, asking questions, and developing connections to the living, breathing, changing world that nature provides on a daily basis. What do children do outside? There are as many options as there are days in a year. We are never bored!

Based on the typical schedule above, we are able to support individual child needs (bottles, naps, etc.) with the flexibility of our daily rhythms. We have teaching staff in place to allow for children that nap 2-3 times per day to nap uninterrupted or eat based on their own schedule. Children are able to nap and eat outside as well, weather permitting!

Tiny Green Trees runs under the belief that anything done inside can be done outside, with planning and preparation. Young children enjoy the sensory experiences of being outside and older children get to explore, investigate, and learn through play. Relationships with teachers, caregivers, and peers are created through being held, stories, fingerplays, songs, lessons, and dramatic play. Being present with nature at any age has numerous mental and physical benefits, and allowing children to witness the changing world around them allows them to create those connections and be passionate about our world later on in life.

There are three circumstances where it is considered “inclement weather” and we do not go outside with the children. The first is if the “feels like” temperature is under 20 degrees for children under age 2, or under 0 degrees for children over age two. The second is if the “feels like” temperature is above 90 degrees. The last circumstance is extreme weather, like thunderstorms or a blizzard.

Tiny Green Trees actively works to be outside 4-7 hours each day with the children. Proper gear helps with reaching this goal. We ask parents to supply their child with rain gear, snow gear, and sun gear. We provide a list of recommended gear in our Parent Handbook, that is sent out at the time of enrollment.

Our Infant/Toddler Nurseries are held at a 4:1 ratio, with a maximum group size of 8 children and 2 teachers each day. Our Nature Preschool classrooms are held at a 6:1 ratio, with a maximum group size of 12 children and 2 teachers each day. Our Forest Kindergartens are held at a 8:1 ratio, with a maximum group size of 16 children and 2 teachers each day.

Every member of our teaching staff adheres to state licensing requirements for paperwork, training, and continuing education. Our teachers complete background checks, fingerprints, CPR/First Aid/AED training, SIDS training, Abusive Head Trauma training, Mandated Reporter training, and a health report/TB test. Each staff member completes 20-30 hours of continuing education per year, depending on their position and hours of work.

We are unfortunately unable to give an exact answer for this question. Our enrollment shifts unexpectedly at times and our enrollment depends on many different factors. We do tend to see a shift in our enrollment come the summer and fall months. We can give an estimate on your family’s spot on the waitlist at any time. Full time spots will always be given priority.

We cannot give an exact answer on your spot on the waitlist but we are able to give an estimate. We enroll children based on when they submitted their waitlist form, when they are looking to start care, the age of their child, if they have siblings that need care, and availability for enrollment needs.

We are unfortunately unable to accommodate alternating/flexible schedules at this time, but it is an option we are exploring for a future offering at Tiny Green Trees as we continue to grow! We do offer the option of adding days to your child’s current schedule or utilizing a “drop in day” for a currently enrolled child based on availability of our current enrollment.