Photos and text by Carol Lollis
This year, the Nature Preschool at Arcadia in Easthampton is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The school, which enrolls 18 students, and is situated on the 723 acres of the Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, was the first in the state of its kind.
At the core of the program is using nature as an “outdoor classroom” as a tool for learning.
“The fact that their playground is nature is pretty awesome,” said Brock McConkey of Northampton, father of preschooler Kona McConkey, 3.
Last Friday, the school held an exhibit, which was the culmination of a seven-month-long art project, during which preschoolers and teachers made art using items from nature, like bark sculptures, feather paintings and even a beaver lodge.
“The art show is a way to bring parents and community together to celebrate the kids work, said Ruthie Ireland, a teacher in the program. “Its a perfect beginning for these little people to develop a relationship with the outdoors in all kinds of weather.”