Quilted Yurt Classroom in the Forest

Well, it has been a few months hasn’t it! So much has been happening though.  We are now enrolling for September 2013 and are super excited about the coming year.  This is the first nature school in Charlottesville and I am so excited to see my dream unfold.  If you would like to know more about the school click here for the school website (or check out the tab for Ivy Forest School!)

Our other exciting news is that we are launching a campaign to raise fund for our new classroom.  It is a forest program, which means that most of the time we will be in the forest. However we do need some inside space to regroup and for rest time.  Our dream is to build a yurt and for the children to help in the designing of the quilted walls! It has been a long time planning but today the project was officially launched!  We need to raise $13,000 to make the project happen.  We think it is an awesome project and the children are super excited about it.  Please spread the word to anyone you think may be interested in supporting this endeavor.

Click here for the kickstarter campaign

Thanks so much

Off topic

Hello folks!

A little off topic today I am afraid.  I have been away from anything work related for the past couple of months.  My husband and youngest daughter (20 months) were diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  Oh my, we were not expecting that.  The little one had no real symptoms that we had noticed, it was just picked up on a routine screening following my husband’s diagnosis.  It seems my other daughter has escaped it for now, but we have decided it is simply easier for the whole family to go gluten free.

Well, I must say I had no idea how much wheat and oats* we ate in this house!  Whilst dinner seems to be not too much of a problem, breakfast and lunch are another story.  So, the last few months have been spent scouring the internet for good recipes and affordable ingredients.  All whole foods is wonderful but frustratingly it is more expensive and definitely more time consuming

Anyway, I have found a few basic recipes (bread, muffins, cookies) which I am playing around with now and I feel I am finally able to stop worrying about my little one ingesting a grain of wheat (my husband is better able to look after himself!).  So, I am finding myself spending small moments reflecting on this new phase of our life and what I want my role to be.

I have been working on updating the magazine.  Check it out and let me know what you think

Maybe we will start up a spring session of the playgroup.  We have all been missing it.

Spring is coming and I can feel new hope in the air!

 

It turns out Oats are controversial when it comes to gluten, and you can buy ‘gluten free’ oats.  However, we have decided to steer clear of anything that may be contaminated until the disease is under control.

Wabibito – the e-magazine to enrich children’s education with nature

My e-magazine is live!  I am so excited to share it with you.  It feels like it has been a long time coming!

So, what is it?

Wabibito is …. A magazine to enrich children’s education at home

….. Published as an e-magazine quarterly, with each edition having a seasonal theme and a focus on a particular material

….. A collection of accessible activities to explore and inspire

….. An encouragement to enrich children’s experiences with nature

….. Inspired by the schools of Reggio Emilia and Waldorf

….. An opportunity to explore and learn with children

Are you interested to know more?  Well, the sample edition is available absolutely free, so go ahead, download it and enjoy!  Volume 1 will be available in early December 2012.

http://www.wabibito.net

Fall Session

Registration for the Fall session of Little Saplings is open.  More information can be found here.