Harmon Oaks Nursery School

07/17/2026

We buried a ladybug today, and here’s why:

When we slow down to notice and support children in their discoveries as a partner, facilitator, and cheerleader instead of being the fact giver, the checker, or offering a surface response like “Oh, amazing. Good job,” we create opportunities for so much more.

We create opportunities for growth, for curiosity, and for experiences that support development across all areas.
Children don’t need us to have all the answers. They need us to be present, to wonder alongside them, and to trust the process of discovery.

That is where the real learning unfolds, and all through an experience not a worksheet and not because “it was assigned”. It was not assigned, but supported:

🐞 A child shared the experience with a friend.
🐞 A child represented the day (July 16) with a drawing a a ladybug. The ladybug represented ten.
🐞 A child named a ladybug and shared the stone and spelling with a friend. We sounded out the name.
🐞 We noticed the count of legs and dots on the ladybug as they drew on the stone.
🐞 We read a book.
🐞 We wondered how we knew things were alive.
We spent meaningful time together.

inquirybasedlearning

05/21/2026

What’s the hardest part about “having”, partnering with and working, with children?
Watching them grow up. 🤍

At Harmon Oaks, many of our children begin with us in our toddler program and spend four years growing alongside us. Four years sounds like a long time... until suddenly, it isn’t. Somehow, it always feels fleeting.

In our field, growth eventually leads to goodbyes. Yes, our alumni come back to visit, and those reunions mean everything to us, but it’s never quite the same. Their tiny voices change. Their little hands grow bigger. The early memories fade, but they stay in our hearts forever.

And of course, this is exactly what we hope for. We know pieces of us remain with them- in their love for books, in the way they stop to care for a bug, in their curiosity, kindness, and confidence.

Still, I’ve yet to meet a who doesn’t feel this deeply.

Goodbyes are so, so hard. We wish we could keep them with us forever. ✨

, we are not ready for goodbyes.

03/13/2026

Seedlets, Sprouts, Bloomers, and Blossoms… that’s Harmon Oaks. 🌱
Kids and grown-ups alike are a little plant-obsessed around here. You could say we’re all growing together in one happy “seed pod.” 🌿💚

12/31/2025

08/16/2024

When young children are seen as capable doers, investigators and learners, they are given the opportunity to DO so much independently. This allows them to not only develop a strong self image, but it also gives them the opportunity to make mistakes and try again, growing their persistence and resilience. And just look at all the focus and collaboration is harnesses as well. 💛
It’s a win in every way!
Young children are so so so capable.
Share it- !
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05/16/2023

Last month we discovered land biomes and lands animals around the world. It was so difficult choosing ten photos of favorite areas! Here are some highlights. Lots of discovery, observation, self-directed play, loose material fun, small worlds, sensory bins, books, print, microscopes and magnifies & talk.

05/11/2022

We’ve seen so many variations of this invitation, but just love the simplicity of this one with Ms.Hillary.

❓What to do with flowers from mother’s days and teachers appreciation that begin to wilt, we’ll here are a few of our favorites:

🌸 These genius cardboards with literally just holes punctured atop and a vase shape drawn in or no shape at all depending on age/development.

🌺 Have the children pull apart the flowers (or don’t) and place them with you in ice cube trays to add water to and freeze for outdoor fun, sensory tray fun, etc etc.

🌹 Add the flower to a large bin of water, add some pots, water color, and ladles for hours of fun.

🌻 Flower nature press art is always fun!

🍃 Leave the flowers out with scissors, tacky glue, paper and paint (or markers) and let your littles have at it 👩‍🎨

🌷Create table mats or sun catchers with contact paper. Take out scissors and have children place how they desire on the contact paper. When they’re done, add the second layer on top or fold it over and viola. Table mats are perfect & such a confidence booster! Clear contact paper rolls are 6-10 bucks online for plenty for multiple projects at home.

Like, share, repost. Share ideas and don’t forget to with your creations!
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04/19/2022

We just love this collage presentation of pollinators and the different ways our children at used the same paint set, writing tools, shapes and loose materials to represent pollinators in very different ways.

Open-ended invitations present a wholistic & developmental-NOW look into each child through their work and that is what is most important- for children’s work to be a representation of their work, their development and their thought process and for that to be perfection in the eyes of adults and peers who love them. each time. 🤍


meets meets

04/13/2022

Inspired by & the Audubon Insectarium & Butterfly Gardens once in . So disappointing to hear that they’ve closed due to the financial burdens & impact of covid.
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Here Mr.Chris brainstormed various ways to execute this meets . What makes it a success is the engagement with the felt board, observational/drawing materials and overall simplicity. It’s certainly a provocation that engages all the senses.
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Children can play and clean up independently. Everything is labeled, integrates literacy & math, reinforces all we’re learning and also invites children to collaborate in , and .

What we love most about the area is that it’s not a stagnant. New bug specimens are added to the collection as well as work.

This photo does not do it justice as there are also pollinators hung above on a canopy, and much felt insect play to the left to explore.

Loving all the this month! ❤️❤️