Core Programs offered by Seaside Playgarden

Seaside Playgarden currently offers 2, 3, and 5-day programs for children ages 2½ to 6. Is your child not quite ready to be away from you? Consider the Seaside Family Playgroup: Parent-Child Meet Ups! (More information for this can be found below our additional programs in the right column.)

Our early childhood programs nurture imagination and respond naturally to the child's developmental needs. Future conceptual and academic learning is nurtured through a rhythmic program rich in puppetry, song, poetry, movement, bread-baking, gardening, and artistic activities. Every daily activitiy contributes to the children's appreciation and respect for nature, their environment and one another. Al programs are inspired by Waldorf and/or Lifeways philosophies.

Natural, seasonal or organic, snacks are provided during each program.

Re-enrollment Time! Re-enrollment for 2011-2012 school year will begin in mid-February. Please return your re-enrollment promptly so we may plan accordingly. Open enrollment will begin in mid-March for families that are not currently attending.

Butterfly Garden

ages: 2½ to 4

This early childhood program provides a nurturing home environment, with natural toys and play areas to nourish healthy play, simple circle time with singing and movement, artistic activities and stories with puppets.

The program is specially designed for the younger child’s first experience away from home, allowing the parent and the child a time for transition. For the first 4 weeks, the child attends only one day per week with a parent or caregiver. After this transitional time, the child attends two days without the parent. Although children do not have to be “bathroom independent” to attend this program, they should be in the final stages of toilet training.

Hours offered:
    2-day morning program: Thu & Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

    2-day afternoon program: Thu & Fri: 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Hummingbird Garden

ages: 3½ to 5

This mixed-age program provides creative play (indoors and outdoors), artistic activities, (watercolors, bread baking, coloring, beeswax modeling, handwork and gardening), circle time, stories, and puppetry.

Hours offered:
    3/4/5 day program: Mon thru Fri, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dragonfly Garden (VPK - Limited enrollment

age: 3½ to 5

Like the Hummingbird Garden, this program provides creative play (indoors and outdoors), artistic activities such as watercolors, bread-baking, coloring, modeling, crafting, and gardening. In order to meet attendance requirements for the Duval VPK program, while allowing us to have child friendly school hours, Saturday festivals are also considered schooldays for VPK children.

Our VPK program will follow our existing developmentally appropriate emergent literacy rhythm with a circle time rich in music, movement, and poetry, stories, and puppetry. Children must be 4 years old by September 1st to participate. The initial VPK application process goes through the Early Learning Coalition of Duval. Once accepted to the state program, parents are welcome to apply to The Seaside Playgarden for 4 year old preschool enrollment. (Our VPK, like all our programs, has a teacher/child ratio of 1:10.)

VPK liaison is Janice Walton, janicewltn@gmail.com.

Hours offered:
    3-day program: Mon thru Wed, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Note: 5-day program is available.

Additional Programs

Seaside offers additonal programs to complement our main programs:

Early Morning Care
Do you need extra time in the morning? Seaside Playgarden is now offering morning care from 8-9 a.m. Fees will be billed at the beginning of the month. We ask you to make a monthly commitment and pay upfront with your usual tuition. See the Enrollment page for fees.

Extended Day
Seaside Playgarden also offers extended hours in a one or two hour block during the hours of 1-3 p.m. Fees will be billed at the beginning of the month. We ask you to make a monthly commitment of 1 or 2 hours and pay upfront with your usual tuition. See the Enrollment page for fees.

Fairy Ring
This is a 1-hour program three days a week to serve as an intermediate step for a child who will be transitioning from Seaside Playgarden to first grade. Fairy Ring is a Waldorf-inspired introduction to language arts and arithmetic for students who are 5-6 years of age.

Our day will begin with a short story and walk to the beach. Please pack a healthy lunch, free of peanut products, for your child. Each student will work in their own main lesson book and receive a small snack during our time together.

Hours offered:
    3-day program: Mon thru Wed, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Parent-Child Meet Up

Parent-Child Meet Ups are being held at the homes of Seaside Playgarden students. The purpose of the Meet Ups are for children to enjoy 2 hours of play, snack, and circle time and for parents to connect and share their experiences and insights.

Babies, toddlers, siblings and children are welcome with their parents or primary caregivers. There is no fee; bring your own wholesome snack. Families with children not yet attending Seaside are welcome! Please contact Miss Jamie at the Seaside Playgarden for more information at 904.247.1314.