Frog Song Preschool

A Community for Mindful Learning

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Let’s Go Outside

January 28, 2025 by Claire Lundy

Hello parents and caregivers! First of all, we’d like to thank you all for your support as we spend our in-service days cleaning, preparing the environment and doing professional development. In-service days are an integral part of schools as it gives teachers and staff some time without children to process and address community needs on a deeper level.

One of the topics I chose for professional development was Playing Outdoors. Frog Song Montessori is rich with outdoor opportunities and we feel so fortunate to have access to it every day. From the naturally fun playground to the property walks to the ravine hikes, we feel that the outdoor environment at Dharma Rain meets so many developmental and holistic needs of children. A beautiful quote from Maria Montessori states, “When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength.” We observe this over and over again in our daily lives with children.

Of the many benefits that outdoor play offers young children (brain development, emotional regulation, communication and language skills, math skills, ability to plan), physical health is a very important one.

A few noteworthy physical benefits of outdoor play include:

–Children engage in sustained active play that strengthens muscles, lungs and hearts. Fresh air and physical activity strengthen immune systems.

–Research from Professor Christopher Lowry at University of Boulder showed that playing in dirt exposes children to a helpful type of bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae. (Article here: https://www.colorado.edu/today/2024/10/09/curiosity-why-does-playing-dirt-feel-so-good) Inversely research out of Tufts Medical Centre has shown that ultraclean conditions prevent exposure to organisms that help children develop appropriate immune regulatory circuits.

–Sun exposure has many benefits, namely being the most efficient way for the body to produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for a healthy nervous system, immunity system function and bone health.

As the cold weather continues in the PNW, please remember to send your child to school with layers, ideally a sweatshirt and a warm outer coat, cozy pants, wool socks, a winter hat (or coat with hood) and either mittens or a pair of socks for their hands.

Finally, in recognition of Black History month and in the spirit of being in nature, here is a link to a local organization called PDX People of Color Outdoors. They are doing wonderful things in the community. Consider donating or connecting in some way. https://sites.google.com/pdxpocoutdoors.com/home/home

Until next time,

Elizabeth

Outside time – by Elizabeth

February 21, 2024 by Claire Lundy

Ahh, the great outdoors! Rain or shine the children spend some time outside each day. On a comfortable pleasant day some of the older (non-napping) children spend up to 3 hours outside, eating lunch, playing, moving in big ways, snacking, socializing…repeat.

One of their favorite games is chase. The thrill of the run is irresistible for most. We check in often about who wants to play chase, asking permission to chase, and redirecting the game if chase becomes too much for an individual or group. Sometimes the game becomes “run around as fast as you can.” Every day is new and different. But there is always running.

Another popular activity is “kitchen time”. This can become a very collaborative process where several groups of children open up several different kitchens at once. One kitchen might be making ice cream, another cooking up a batch of soup. I was once offered a cheese plate! They will use what’s on the playground as ingredients – rocks, grass, bark chips, actual herbs – and it can be quite an imaginative process to behold.

On exceptionally windy days, we get out the parachute and turn it into a warm shelter. It’s both practical and fun. It is often turned into a bedroom and we play “sleeping time/morning time” with it.

We build shelters with tires, splash in puddles, collect worms, create worm homes, sing songs, form bands. We play catch with various sized balls, bird watch, cloud watch, dig in dirt, climb ropes, spin and fall down. We have outdoor reading time, we sketch together, have conversations. It’s a place of freedom of movement and negotiating social exchanges. It’s a beautiful environment in which to witness children develop and it is a joy to spend time outside together.

Finally, here is a short TedxTalk, presented by Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist, about the importance of outdoor movement for child development: tedxportsmouth.com/speakers/angela-hanscom/

Hard at Work

January 29, 2024 by Claire Lundy

The children at Frog Song have been busy, busy bees learning about themselves, each other, and the world around them! At Frog Song we create space for daily open-ended work periods where children are given the freedom of choice and freedom of movement, and are allowed to make their own choices of what to do as they move through their morning. In doing this we show them that we respect them and they learn how to meet their own needs, exist within a caring community and learn how to make choices (a skill that will come in hand for the rest of their lives!) After all, they have a way better idea of what choice will best fit their ever changing needs than we do. We never interrupt a child who is fully engaged in “work,” which is anything a child might be engaged in that serves them in their development. This could range from putting a sock on their foot to tying an apron to making a book complete with pictures and words that match. Check out the pictures below to see what some of the children been up to!

This child is scrubbing his boots after a muddy nature walk!

Here is a 2.5 year old doing a flower puzzle and a 4.5 year old doing the map of South America. It is building skills with small puzzles that helps older children work on larger, more challenging ones!
This friend needed to do something with his body and decided that getting out the yoga mat and trying all the yoga poses would help him get his physical needs met.
Here an older child is making a book of all the different bones in the human skeleton.
A young child is fully engaged in painting with watercolors.
This young friend is learning about the water and land formations of gulf and peninsula. She is currently using the water baster to transfer the water back into the pitcher to clean it up.
This young child is learning about the water and land formations of gulf and peninsula. She is currently using the water baster to transfer the water back into the pitcher to clean it up.
Here an older child has made soap by grating soap and using a mixer to mix it in warm water. Now she is wetting and wringing out a cloth so she can clean dirty floor tables with it!
This child is grading colors from darkest to lightest!
Here a child has noticed that some plants are dry and need some water! This activity is very popular after a long break or a weekend.
Here a child is getting a lesson how to make a badge. She has already mastered how to thread and tie a large needle and is now working on sewing a button onto two fabric shapes. This is the first activity in the sewing sequence that allows the child to use basic skills to create something using aesthetic choice!
This child noticed she was hungry and decided to make herself a quesadilla!
This young child wanted to try typing her own apron after watching teachers tie it slowly many times! She may not have this skill yet, but it is these little moments of attempting that help her build the skills to do it herself one day.

The beginning of something new!

September 26, 2023 by Claire Lundy

Bees have been buzzing, the sun has been shining, birds have been chirping, squirrels have been digging and children have been busy laughing, smiling, singing, balancing, collecting, digging and conversing! It has been a busy little start to the school year over here at Frog Song Montessori Preschool. Over half of our class graduated in August and we have been joyfully welcoming many new faces into our little community this year. Some younger friends have become exuberant, helpful leaders, showing our new friends how things are done in the classroom. Although the start of school is especially busy for us teachers as we orient new families and their children, it is always a good reminder to sit back and watch what the children are capable of without our help. It is a gift to get to be a “fly on the wall” in a classroom of socially cohesive children and we are soaking up these moments as often as we can!

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For more information:
info@frogsongpreschool.org
503-475-9257

Here's a beautiful video of the Frog Song class taking a nature walk around the Dharma Rain property.

Interested in enrolling? Email us to be placed on our prospective list for fall 2026 and beyond. We are currently full for fall 2025.

info@frogsongpreschool.org · (503) 475-9257

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