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At the heart of the Den and Nest is play with purpose, where every invitation to play is designed to spark curiosity, nurture creativity, inspire joy in learning, and support each child’s natural growth and unfolding potential. As children move through the Early Childhood Program, we encourage their social, emotional, and academic development while nurturing independence and self-care skills. Our emergent curriculum builds on children’s interests, allowing their questions and discoveries to shape the learning journey. Teachers act as facilitators, creating opportunities for creative and collaborative play through dramatic play, building, art, sensory experiences, music, and read-alouds. By observing and listening closely, teachers use children’s play as a springboard to introduce new ideas, deepen understanding, and guide further exploration.

 

A strong emphasis on supporting and building social and emotional skills ensures that our children develop regulation skills and develop a deeper understanding of their role within the community at large. Inspired by the work of Vivian Gussin Paley, TCS follows the motto "You Can't Say You Can't Play," even for our youngest learners. In the Early Childhood Program, this looks like patient parallel play, incorporating a friend's ideas into an existing imagined world, and clearly defining a need for alone time in contrast to readiness for group time. Building these skills of inclusion and awareness early lay the foundation for collaboration built on as they grow through the years.

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A significant amount of time is spent learning outdoors, as children explore the varied terrain, wooded areas with a small brook, a frog pond, and the mud kitchens on our spacious campus. Through these daily encounters with nature, children begin to understand their own physical limits—engaging with and assessing developmentally appropriate risk, discovering how far they can climb or balance, and building spatial awareness and self-confidence. Our classrooms, both indoor and outdoor, are places of wonder—intentionally designed to invite children to create, collaborate, and discover. We value nature’s gifts and invite children to explore their world through a bounty of natural elements that spark curiosity and joy. Outdoor, play-based learning supports social-emotional growth, motor development, and cognitive resiliency. Studies show that unstructured outdoor play improves self-regulation, concentration, creativity, and working memory, while also reducing stress and enhancing well-being. In this child-centered environment, children develop a positive mindset, grow in independence, build self-esteem, practice communication through collaborative problem-solving, and experience the excitement of learning. In the fresh air, children move, experiment, take thoughtful risks, and thrive in ways that extend far beyond the classroom.