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How to Teach Your Child about Sustainability

With resources dwindling and the population growing, leading a sustainable lifestyle is more important than ever, especially when it comes to our children. Teaching them how to live sustainably early in their life can help them make more environmentally conscious choices as they grow. At Bartram Academy, we believe in expressing sustainability in childcare to help young children develop into innovators for the future. Below are a few tips on how you can incorporate sustainability into your child’s life at home.

Be the example: Children learn by mimicking what the people around them do, which makes it important for the parents to set an appropriate example. If you want your child to grow up with an understanding of a greener lifestyle, you will need to make the switch and commit to it. Even simple acts such as recycling, turning lights off when you’re not in the room, and conserving water can have a lasting effect on how your child chooses to live their life as an adult.
Get them involved: Not only should you be practicing what you preach, but you should find fun ways to get them involved in these everyday tasks. Make a game out of sorting the recycling or dedicate some quality time to plant a garden together and watch as it grows and provides food for the family.
Volunteer together: A great way to get out of the house and help establish a real connection with the world is to volunteer together. Bring your kids to a park cleanup day, help them serve food at a shelter, or take them to the local ASPCA to care for the animals. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities that can help show young children the joy of helping others.

The Best Back-to-School Supplies for Reggio Emilia Students

Purchasing back to school supplies can be an exciting and stressful time. New supplies mean a fresh start for your children, but it also means that as a parent, you need to be certain you’re purchasing everything they need. When it comes to Reggio Emilia preschools in Jacksonville, FL, many of the supplies are already provided to students. However, it’s always a great idea to purchase additional supplies to supplement your child’s learning at home. Below is a list of what we recommend your child have on hand.

Expo markers/dry-erase boards/laminated tracing materials: Reggio Emilia schools are all about making sustainable choices. In an effort to go green in the home, provide your child with dry-erase boards and markers. This allows them to write and draw as they please, but does not use up a large amount of paper.
Art supplies: Reggio Emilia schools put a lot of emphasis on a child’s creativity and expression. Ensuring your child has a variety of art supplies means they can get to work at any time throughout the day. These supplies include glue sticks, crayons, watercolors, markers, sketch pads, etc. We also encourage the use of recycled materials for home projects.
After-school art box: A great way to encourage your child’s creativity outside of school is to have an after-school art box ready to go when they get home. Fill it with a variety of art materials, switching them up every now and then to keep things interesting, and encourage your child to create something each and every day. This can also help keep children occupied during meal prep or when you’re in need of some downtime.
At-home “work” area: Creating a space for your child to work and play at home can help encourage them to expand upon their interests. Giving them a place to sit down and craft, play pretend, or read can help keep them occupied and engaged in learning long after the school bell rings.

Benefits of a Reggio Emilia Daycare

When it’s time to enroll your child in their very first day care, researching all of the local facilities and their level of care can be stressful. When you enroll your child in a Reggio Emilia daycare in Jacksonville, FL, you’ll be allowing them the freedom to choose how they want to learn and be encouraged to pursue the areas they excel at the most.

With a focus more on personal development and less on exams, a child’s early education experience can be much more rewarding for the long-term. Being educated in this way allows for children to understand their creativity and feel comfortable expressing it, allowing them to be better writers, speakers, and artists. The Reggio Emilia approach can also positively impact social skills and behavior. In some studies, many children educated under this method have been more likely to interact in a positive way with other children.

At Bartram Academy, we have a wonderful staff full of teachers dedicated to helping your child succeed and meet key developmental stages in their early life. We encourage cooperative play both in the classroom and outside on the playground by allowing the children to guide their daily activities. If you’re interested in enrolling your child in our daycare in Jacksonville, FL, contact us today at (904) 419-7563.

Enroll Your Child in our Holiday Break Programs

Back-to-school can be a great time for children; a fresh start in a new school year, new supplies, new teachers, possibly even some new friends. However, many parents find themselves stressed about the start of the school year. Since many schools let out for winter breaks, spring breaks, & summer breaks parents struggle with finding a suitable solution for their child’s care while they’re still working. Fortunately, Bartram Academy’s day care in St Johns offers a variety of programs for children as young as six weeks old.

Bartram Academy follows the Reggio Emilia approach, which promotes a focus on the child’s interests and how they can help them learn. Our staff is extremely friendly and will help your child grow in whichever way seems best. We also offer a variety of organic food options, so you can be sure that your child is receiving only the highest quality meals while in our care.

We have a winter break, spring break, and summer break program at our preschool available for children, and you can enroll them in our full week or part-time week daycare. Rest assured your child will be in good hands at any time of the year. If you’re interested in enrolling in any of the holiday break programs give us a call today at (904) 419-7563.

The Perfect Back-to-School Snacks for Your Children

With the kids back in school, parents are shopping for supplies, making after-school sitting arrangements, and planning out lunches for the weekdays. Many parents stress over the quality of food that their child eats and are wary of the overly processed and sugary options available to them. Below are three healthy back-to-school snacks that are both satisfying and sustainable to send with your child every morning.

Trail Mix: If your child does not have any major food allergies, putting together your trail mix can create a healthy snack the entire family can enjoy. Rather than purchasing pre-packaged bags full of highly salted nuts and sugary candy, you can put together your own full of your child’s favorite ingredients. Mix in natural almonds, coconut shavings, and dried fruit to create a truly enjoyable blend. You can even add some extra fun to it by incorporating popcorn, pretzels, or cereal.

Healthier Baked Goods: Sending your child to school with a muffin may seem like an unhealthy option, but homemade baked goods can be a great way to sneak healthier foods into your child’s diet. By making them yourself, you have complete control over what ingredients (and how much) are used and your child would never tell the difference. By baking a batch of healthy banana bread or zucchini muffins, you’ll be creating at least a week’s worth of healthy breakfast options for your child.

Fruit & Vegetable Cups: Fruit and vegetable cups can be the perfect healthy and delicious snack for your child. Put together a fruit salad full of cherries, blueberries, grapes, and strawberries and pre-pack them for easy grab and go snacks. Chop up cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and cauliflower for easy to eat mid-day veggie cups. You can also incorporate other foods like cheese, hummus, or peanut butter for a more filling option.

Bartram Academy serves children only the highest quality foods, and we ensure that it is fresh, sustainable, and catering to a child’s diet. If you’re interested in enrolling your child in one of the best preschools in Jacksonville, FL, call us today at (904) 419-7563.

Why Enroll Your Child in a Reggio Emilia School?

Reggio Emilia schools can be a fantastic way to educate your child in their early years. The approach that Reggio schools take focuses more on the child’s own interests instead of a standard state-enforced curriculum. This allows for children to develop interests, creativity, and skills that can build the foundation to who they will be throughout their entire life.

Every child is unique and the staff at Bartram Academy will work with every student on an individual level. The Reggio Emilia approach fosters social and emotional growth for children and allows them to develop a love for learning. Through pre-school classes and seasonal day camps, Bartram Academy will help your child discover the world at a pace and style that benefits them.

The Reggio Emilia approach originated in Italy after World War II and the philosophy quickly took on throughout the rest of the world. The model was developed to teach children respect, community involvement, and responsibility at a young age so they can utilize these skills throughout their life.

If you’re interested in enrolling your child in a Reggio Emilia schools, contact Bartram Academy today at (904) 419-7563. We’ll provide even more information on our programs and you can schedule a tour of our building to see the wonderful environment your child could be learning in.

Why Choose the Reggio Emilia Approach?

If you’re interested in the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, Bartram Academy has a variety of camps and daycare programs for you to enroll your child in. The key principle of this education method is the recognition that children have the right to choose how they want to learn. Early childhood is a crucial learning time for your son or daughter and our goal is to ensure that they learn social skills and educational lessons in a way that suits them best.

This approach means that educators focus in on and listen to what the child is saying. Children are extremely creative and we want to encourage their interests and skills at a young age to help them develop into the person they truly are and want to be. The Reggio Emilia approach encourages children to be the researcher of information and for teachers to set supportive materials for this environment. It also focuses on the importance of expression through art and allowing children to express what they learned in a variety of different ways.

At Bartram Academy, we believe that a child’s environment has everything to do with their development and we strive to provide a creative and nurturing place for children to learn in their preferred ways. Give us a call today at (904) 419-7563 to discuss enrollment options today.

How your Child will benefit from the Reggio Emilia Approach

The Reggio Emilia approach is an alternative way to teaching a wide age range of children from infants to six years old. By adding teaching and structure to a child’s adventurous activities, they will be learning about things that interest them in ways that most benefit their personalities.

Below are examples of how your child will thrive with the Reggio Emilia Model at Bartram Academy:

Self-Expression- Art is the best way for children to express themselves. We use art as a learning tool for linguistic, cognitive, and social development. We believe in letting your child’s imagination run wild in order to allow their truest form of self-expression to come forth.
Team Work- The teachers and students work together as a team at Bartram Academy. We want to ensure your child is learning by working together in an environment where children help the teachers and the teachers help the children.
Experience- Children learn through their own experiences, which is why their environment plays a huge part in their learning. Our staff at Bartram Academy works with your child to ensure they are experiencing education in the best possible way for their interests.

Prepare your child for success by starting them off in a great learning environment filled with self-expression and team work. They will be able to explore and learn at their own rate. Discover more about our play-based approach to learning by calling Bartram Academy today at (904) 419-7563.

Child-Friendly Gardening Projects Part 2

Summertime is the best time to watch plants grow and create crafty projects with your children! Now that summer is in full bloom, Bartram Academy has even more child-friendly gardening projects to share with you.

Garden Stones- Your child can design their own decorative stone for the garden. They can decorate it with gemstones, paint, pebbles, and more. When they are done, they can sign it with their handprint and name. They can also write the year on the stone, so you can always remember how old they were when they created their own garden decor.
From Seed to Plant- Let your child pick out a flower or plant seed they want to grow. You can help them plant it in the ground or a pot and let them tend to it while they watch it flourish. Your child will learn responsibility by caring for their very own flower or plant. You can even take pictures of the different stages, so you can document the progress for your child.
Bird Feeder- Your child can make their very own bird feeder from a recycled milk carton. All you have to do is cut out holes for the food and let your child decorate the carton. Once the paint and glue dries, fill it with bird feed and place it outside.

When you are looking for the best preschools in Jacksonville, FL, you can trust Bartram Academy. Contact us today at (904) 419-7563 for more information about our enriching programs.

Child-Friendly Gardening Projects Part 1

Spring is a great time to get your children outdoors for a variety of activities. Gardening can help teach them care, patience, and about the environment, making it a great learning experience. Below, we’ve listed a few ideas for child-friendly gardening activities to get your kids’ hands dirty this spring.

Herb Terrarium – Terrariums are a really popular decoration at the moment. Whether it’s real or fake, you’re sure to see one decorating a friend’s home or the café around the corner. Terrariums make a great vessel for growing homemade herbs. With a few simple items you could find around the house and the herbs you want to plant, you can create attractive, fresh herb plants in under an hour. These have an added bonus of giving you some yummy cooking ingredients that you and your child can use in a recipe later on!

Garden in a Glove – Using a clear plastic glove, kids can plant different seeds and watch them grow! Preparation time is minimal, kids can pick the seeds and use different varieties for each finger, and in a matter of days they’ll be able to watch and the seeds begin to sprout. This is a great way to teach kids about the process of germination. In addition, to make this super eco-friendly (and to glam it up a bit) you can use a clear glass container as the vessel.

Check back for more child-friendly gardening project ideas and learn more about our Daycare in Jacksonville, FL at BartramAcademy.com!