The Bumblebees & Blue Jays share the Garden Room. The Bumblebees and Blue Jays are our younger preschoolers, Bumblebees are children ages 2 to 2.5 years .Blue Jays are ages 3 to 3.5 years. This class offers a gentle introduction to preschool and school routines. For Bumblebees this is their first time away from home, therefore, mindful transition plans are put in place so that separation is smooth. Home visits are offered as an optional part of the program for first-time preschoolers to ensure a successful and joyful first school experience. Children do not need to be potty-learned to start this class; potty-learning is seen as a naturally occurring process in the development of young children. Children who show signs of readiness will be given the proper support and encouragement. Because Bumblebees are our younger toddlers it usually takes half a semester to be out of diapers. However, sharing a mixed-age environment with older children sometimes accelerates the potty learning process as children also learn by observation.

Children spend most of their time outdoors enjoying nature and engaged in activities of interest. As children transition, focus is placed on developing social connections with peers and teachers as well as developing autonomy and independence through daily classroom routines and intentional curriculum planning.

The teaching staff continues to scaffold the children’s development in their second year of preschool as Blue Jays. With one year under their belt, the Blue Jays are ready for a wider scope in the curriculum. An age-appropriate curriculum is developed using a combination of emergent and teacher-proposed themes.The thematic topics are woven into the context of what is happening in the world around them. The emergent curriculum continues to be developed alongside the teacher-proposed one according to the interests of the children.

This classroom setup serves as a model for our educational framework which comprises a community of learners whether it is peer-to-peer, teacher-child, or child-teacher. For Blue Jays, a natural boost of self-confidence and autonomy emerges organically from the coexistence and relationships built between peers. By sharing space in a mixed-age environment, older children develop compassion, tolerance, and social responsibility toward younger children. While younger children look up to older counterparts as peers and people they can learn from in addition to their teachers.