Seedling FAQs
General Information:
- Program runs July 9th through August 17th
- For children ages 3 to 4 years of age (at time of program)
- Arrival time is 8:45-9:00 am
- Pickup time is 2:30-3:00 pm
- Small teacher/camper ratio (1 teacher, 1 CIT plus additional activity staff)
Questions:
1) What is the indoor classroom like?
The sun room of our rustic farm house has windows on three sides and will remind your camper of other child-centered spaces she or he knows: a preschool classroom, the library’s children’s section, or a play room at home. The Seedlings’ home base offers a quiet reading corner with books, pillows, and blankets; a block area full of opportunities for constructing and deconstructing our experiences on the farm; an art shelf stocked with open-ended materials and accessible tools for creative minds to discover; a dry erase board where we plan our days, sign up for choices, and document our findings; shelves and hooks to store our belongings; and several clotheslines to hang our wet wool crafts and other sticky concoctions as they dry. Think simple, cozy, vibrant - and this is just our inside space. At Farm and Garden Camp, most of our time will be spent outside!
2) In what kinds of activities will my child be participating?
Gathering eggs from nest boxes before boiling, peeling, and slicing them for snack time, bottle-feeding the calves, cutting flowers with child-sized scissors and arranging bouquets for the lunch table, running through sprinklers while watering the garden beds, grooming the angora bunny, mixing and kneading dough for pizza and then harvesting herbs and vegetable toppings from the children’s garden while it rises, giving treats to the goats, going on sensory hikes, learning new songs, and much more!
3) What should my child wear?
Work clothes! Second-hand clothes! Clothes with stains and holes! We will be getting dirty and wet at camp most every day. Your camper will need an extra (or two) of everything (sneakers or boots, socks, underwear, shorts, pants, shirts, swimsuit, hat, and sweatshirts) to stay comfortable. And sunscreen!
4) Does my child need to bring a lunch and snack?
Yes. A water bottle is also necessary since we may get hot and thirsty. We will prepare snacks together from the food grown on the farm or we may have a nibble in the garden but children will appreciate having additional food from home to fulfill their farmer appetites. The majority of our ingredients are produced on the farm, organically grown, and as fresh as can be.
5) Does my child need to be out of diapers/pull-ups?
No. We will be making frequent use of our outdoor facilities (trees) as we tromp through the woods searching for blackberries or assist the farm crew in the upper fields for potato digging! Little potties will be available inside the farm house.
6) Will the children be napping at the farm?
There will be rest time each day. Children will nap or play quietly on their mat during this time of day. A special blanket, pillow, and/or stuffed animal may be sent along each day or be kept at camp.
7) Can my child attend half-days?
If you wish to pick up your child before afternoon rest time, you may, however, the price for the program will remain $70 per day or $350 per week.
8) Can we visit the farm before the program begins?
There will be a parent/child farm orientation before the program begins to meet the Seedlings teacher (and the animals!)
9) How do I register and hold a spot for my child? A $200 registration deposit is due at time of enrollment to hold your child’s spot in the Seedlings program and your tuition balance is due before the program begins.
Other questions? Please call 413.695.4645. We look forward to hearing from you!
