Spring Program

Spring Gritty Explorers:  A 12 week drop off  farm to forest program designed for kids ages 4-7 years old

 Love & Grit Farm and Table Talk with Carmen in collaboration have developed an outdoor farm to forest program to enrich the children in our community. Our Spring farm to forest programs are designed  to expose children to the joys of the outdoors in all seasons, with its setting based on a small, regenerative farm. Children will experience a play-based program where days are lightly structured to incorporate learning and exploration while providing safe and engaging activities to get little hands dirty, in community with their peers. 

About the 12-week drop off program:

When: Tuesday and Thursday mornings  

Time: 9am – 1pm 

Dates: March 4th-May 30th (off for Spring Break the week of April 14th)

Location: Love & Grit Farm 22525 Wildcat Rd. Germantown, MD

Ages: 4-7 year olds 

Price: $1,465 (Tuesday AND Thursday) or $799 (One Day: Tuesday OR Thursday only) 

Payments: $100 non-refundable deposit upon registration

Three payments of $455  for the 2 day option or $233 for the 1 day option (Invoiced in March, April, and May)

**We offer a rolling admission option, please send us an email if you are interested in learning more or signing up after the program has started. 

**Upon completion of registration, you will receive a welcome and confirmation email within 3 business days.

Our mission with Gritty Explorers is to:

• Build community with children
• Foster social and language skills 
• Provide opportunities to develop motor skills through hands on activities
• Encourage observation and exposure to seasonal local flora & fauna, weather happenings, and farm activities
• Gain comfort in the outdoors, safely

Sample Schedule:

9-9:30- Drop off and morning gathering in the big red barn

9:30-10:30- Hands-on farm/nature educational activity

10:30- Snack & story (children are to bring their own snacks)

11-12: Free play, creek time, arts & crafts

12-1:00- Lunch (children are to bring a packed lunch), Games, Journaling, free time, clean up

**Sample activities include– learning about compost, picking vegetables from the garden, planting seeds, learning how to identify trees, plants and birds, making nature related crafts using items only found in the nature (pine cone bird feeders, leaf bracelets, bird nests, potato stamping), and exploring our big world from a smaller perspective using magnifying glasses. 

Registration links: 

Meet our Spring Gritty Explorer Leaders and Co-Leader:

Ms. Jessica comes to us with over 15 years of early childhood teaching experience. She is a mom of two teenage boys. She would describe herself as an educator by accident; she started her teaching journey taking over for her mom’s daycare program each summer while she was in college. She spent 10 years teaching preschool inside a classroom. 

 

After many years of loose parts, messy art and being inside she was inspired look for a nature school after attending a conference. Her passion for meeting each child where they are has led her to outdoor education. Jessica has spent the past five years working toward this goal and is currently working to complete coursework for level 1 Nature-Based Teacher Certification from ANBE (Association for Nature-Based Education).  In addition, she has a 90-hour Maryland Department of Education lead teacher certification in early childhood education as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from Towson University. 

Jessica’s connection to and love of nature started when she was a young girl spending every summer in the mountains of New York’s Adirondak Park. She goes back to visit her family every chance she gets. The hours exploring the woods, climbing trees, and picking wild flowers helped to create the connection she has to nature today. She loves to craft, paint, dance, find new nature trails to walk with her family and will never turn down homemade chocolate chip cookies.

She joined our Gritty Explorers team in the Fall as a Leader and is looking forward to the Spring.