One Cool Earth reveals new early childhood garden enrichment program
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — One Cool Earth welcomes the public to immerse themselves in its new place-based garden enrichment program for 3- to 5-year-olds called the Play Grove. With enrollment beginning April 1, Open Houses are scheduled for April 5 and 13 at 10 a.m. at 875 Laureate Lane, San Luis Obispo. The whole family is invited for a fun day that includes a scavenger hunt on the land, opportunity to connect with the facilitators of the program, garden activities, singing songs, building fairy forts with loose parts, and relaxing in the tent with freshly picked herbal tea and story time together. The event is rain or shine so please dress accordingly.
Play Grove is a new outdoor enrichment program launching in August 2024 for 3- to 5-year-olds in San Luis Obispo at One Cool Earth’s central garden headquarters. Options for two, three, or five days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., are available. Play Grove is located on a beautiful piece of land with an olive grove, a lovely garden, a seasonal creek, woodlands, outdoor kitchen and earthen oven, sheltered tent space, and goats and sheep on the property. The space is nestled behind Bishop Peak and offers a magnificent view of the seven sisters. With One Cool Earth’s seasoned learning model paired with the location, this program will certainly provide children a place to grow through outdoor play and emergent learning in a beautiful garden setting.
With a low playworker-to-child ratio of 1:5, all Play Grove children will receive high-quality care and attention as they engage with the outdoors. Serving as facilitators and co-learners, playworkers view children as the experts in play, will be trained in early childhood education skills and will be CPR and mandated reporter certified for the children’s safety and wellness.
For more information regarding Play Grove and its enrollment process, visit onecoolearth.org/play-grove.
The enrollment period will begin on April 1, and the first semester of the program is set to start Aug. 19.
About One Cool Earth
One Cool Earth is a SLO County nonprofit that partners with 25 local schools to teach science education in outdoor learning laboratories. Its mission is to create thriving school gardens that grow happy, healthy, and smart youth across the Central Coast. The community can connect with One Cool Earth at onecoolearth.org and sign up for newsletters for more information.
Feature Image: Kids play Garden Bingo during a past One Cool Earth session. The nonprofit is taking enrollment next month for its new Play Grove program for 3- to 5-year-olds. Photo courtesy of One Cool Earth
