Greenhouses come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges: from simple hand-built plastic-covered frames to dazzling geodesic domes. Some child care centers install greenhouses as a part of their outdoor garden space. Other centers have incorporated a greenhouse into the building itself. Greenhouses provide a great opportunity for children to grow…

There has been increased interest in recent years on gardening with children and a variety of programs have been started to support different types of programmatic goals. Goals of gardening programs include environmental stewardship, personal growth/social skills, an integrated learning environment, nutrition/health, science education, practical…

This article presents a step-by-step "how-to" guide on the basics of living willow hut construction. While there certainly are time-tested techniques for building willow structures, the best advice the author has is to experiment. He also suggests that varieties of "salix vimnalis" can be an ideal type of willow to be used for constructing a…

In this article, the author shares some of the ideas from 10 programs that make change happen in their community. Among others, the Sunshine House in Greenwood, South Carolina has implemented a program in selected markets that they called "Families First." This program is geared for families who have experienced a lay-off or reduction in work…

The author shares a story about the positive power of nature in the lives of children, particularly those children who are at-risk for school failure. The setting for the story is the Central Child Development Center (CCDC) in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a public preschool with four-year-old kindergarten students (4K) and preschoolers with special…

In the May 23, 2007 "ExchangeEveryDay" e-newsbrief, readers were asked to submit great design ideas from their early childhood programs: (1) pathway, garden, sound, or texture features; (2) elements that invite exploration, physical challenge; (3) special places for social interaction; (4) solutions to a challenging problem; and (5) ideas for…

Planning and tending a garden can be a great deal of fun. The opportunity to act as creator can be very appealing. However, anyone who has gardened for long has learned the necessity of accommodating nature and has developed a sense of humility in the process. Growing a center takes time, skill, and patience. In this article, the author presents…