Nounou's Garden

Best friends!

Nounou’s Garden – Where Friendship Grows

As a teacher at a Quaker school for over 28 years (Carolina Friends), I've had a lot of practice talking with children, working out issues with them, and listening to what they think. When I first started working with younger children, two 4-year-olds were having a hard time getting along, so we had a town meeting to talk about it. The children came up with two important rules that we agreed to honor: Listen and Be Nice. I thought their plan was brilliant, actually.

I believe in the primacy of play not only to learn new skills, but also how to interact with others in a peaceful manner. I provide a variety of toys and books so children have lots of choices. I also support each child's curiosity. My job is to be by their side, helping them to manipulate the toys and learn how to share. I rotate the toys and make certain that there is always something new to catch their interest. One day, one of my two-year-olds decided to be a butterfly and hunt for nectar, so we read a book about bees and talked about why insects love nectar. Then we went online and ordered a book about butterflies so we could learn more!

For older children, they help me plan the day: games, Play-Doh, painting, outdoor activities, puzzles, free time and lots of reading.
And we listen to lots of children's music, sing a lot, and accompany the songs with rattles and musical toys. My older kids especially love what we call "Dance Party," when we listen to more current music and (of course) dance.

Outdoor time is very important. So I've designed and built a play area in my backyard. There are swings, a sand box, lots of slides, an obstacle course and a path through our “Bamboo Forest.” We also spend a lot of time on my porch or at one of three local parks – where we hunt for pirates and pools of water to splash in. We also look for animals in “The Jungle,” a small path in the trees where we explore and can often spot a hippo or crocodile or monkey.

As much as children are encouraged to be active, they are also encouraged to rest and make time each day for a nice nap or a quiet time reading books. And there are plenty of books to choose from, on bookcases and in small containers in each room.

I am very excited about sharing Nounou’s Garden with you! Please don’t hesitate to call should you have any questions.