Wildflower Early Learning Center has received national recognition as a certified Nature Explore Classroom by Nature Explore. 

At Wildflower ELC, we are committed to providing learning opportunities for children that are rich in natural resources. Our school sits on 8-acres of forest, wetlands and grassy habitats. Our outdoor classroom and playground are a result of both teacher and child collaboration. Our entry features are intentionally placed to signify the special space being entered.  

The multiple gardens on the property have been created with both perennial and annual plants, flowers and vegetables, in a variety of shapes, colors, scents, and textures. Children take part in the planting of our seasonal gardens and enjoy harvesting fresh veggies to be eaten during school lunches and snacks.  Perrenial flowers planted around the perimeter of our fenced-in playground lend their beauty as natural materials for take-home art projects like crowns, bracelets, bouquets, dolls, and more! 

We use natural materials whenever possible for both constructing playscapes and for play materials. In our sandbox kitchen we use real pots and pans and metal shovels to allow the children to explore and create with real tools that their grown-ups use every day. Our signs are made of old rustic wood from our beautiful historic red barn on the property. We have climbing spaces on our playground where children can explore being up high and down low and moving their bodies in many ways. Our Wildflower River is a gorgeous natural-looking space for water play and water flow experiments. Cut logs, tree cookies, and natural blocks are used in our Construction Area while rocks, twigs, pine cones and twine are used in our Maker Space. 
 
Carefully selected monthly themes guide our research and provoke child exploration and learning outside and inside. Birds, seeds and plants facilitate conversations and projects around flight and spring and summer foraging. The changing color of leaves in the fall spark conversations around hibernation, seasons, harvesting and gratitude. Snow and ice provoke conversations around arctic habitats and animals. 
 
Wildflower Early Learning Center believes all people should be good stewards of the earth and we are proud to provide children with a safe place to explore the world around them and to facilitate a stronger connection to nature.  
 
Nature Explore is a division of the non-profit Dimensions Educational Research Foundation.