Treehouse Learning children gather in the Big Room each morning at 8:45 am to begin our day through a school-wide community singing event that lasts about 10-15 minutes. We sing songs supporting the development of literacy, language, and mathematical concepts, fine and gross motor skills, and community-oriented, peace-based songs about nature and caring for ourselves, each other, and the world around us. A truly joyful way to begin our day!
Children gather on a classroom blanket with their classmates (or join their siblings on their blanket). Infants and toddlers are fascinated by their older peers, and our older preschool and Kindergarten children love to be the leaders!
Children and adults alike join in the familiar ritual with an original community-focused welcome song, Welcome to Treehouse…
Big Circle helps begin our days in gratitude! The children practice deep belly breathing as they think about something they are thankful for, often inhaling the delicious aromas emerging from the Kitchen and together we thank Ms. Mary for the day’s lunch she has begun to prepare. The children then dance and self-express their gratitude as we repeat the simple-yet-profound lyrics of our song, “We’ve got so much to be thankful for.”
Our daily combination of Big Circle songs encourages literacy and language development through catchy rhyming words, counting and math concepts, musical techniques and rhythms practiced through call-and-response, large body movements (i.e. songs like Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes), fine-motor movements and sign language (i.e. singing and signing the A-B-C’s), songs in Spanish, and more!
Our daily song list includes a rotation of familiar repeated songs, new songs, and classic songs children love, and our song list is intentionally curated to engage children’s bodies, hearts, and minds
Advertisers have long known that information is easily memorized and retained through a catchy jingle! We intentionally leverage the same brain-pathways to introduce the self-regulation and mindfulness tools of intentional movement patterns through Brain Gym via multi-sensory and movement-based songs.
We end our gathering with a dismissal song to the tune of “This Little Light of Mine”, dismissing each group classroom by classroom from infants on up, where children recognize they are both part of an individual classroom community as well as a larger school community at Treehouse Learning.
Our kitchen, located at the top of the Big Room, is the heart of our building. Every day as we gather at Big Circle, our daily community gathering, we take a deep inhaling breath and practice gratitude as we smell the delicious scents of lunch and thank our beloved Chefs for making lunch!
Treehouse Learning provides all children with chef-prepared lunches as well as morning and afternoon snacks every day.
Chef-prepared meals and snacks featuring local & organic ingredients, plant-based options, and internationally-inspired dishes
Children expand their palates to enjoy a large variety of nutritious and delicious meals!
Food allergies and special dietary needs may also be accommodated (i.e. Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian, etc.).
Partnerships with local Boulder County Farm-to-Early Childhood programs and curriculum for educational outreach visits as well as our own garden-to-table and nutrition curriculum.
Embedded support from occupation and speech therapists and early childhood professionals to support feeding challenges, picky eaters, and food-related sensory needs.
Shared meal experiences with teachers and peers are an important part of our curriculum, incorporating math, language, and social skills. Children also receive food demonstrations and cooking lessons, enjoy culturally-based food experiences, and participate in community events, such as our annual Stone Soup celebration.
Scroll below for a representative sample menu of meals served at Treehouse Learning
Children learn about food systems, build relationships with our kitchen staff, and practice serving their food, clearing their places, tuning into their body’s hunger cues, and composting food scraps.
For the last four years you have created hot, healthy, adventurous meals for both W. and T. you have introduced many new flavors and textures into their diet. Thank you for the love and care you give every day. You have made a big positive difference in my children’s lives.
Thank you,
C.B.
We wanted to thank you for all that you do for Treehouse Learning and our sons A. and A.! We know that each day our boys are in such good hands- and will be nurtured in both mind and body. You are truly a gift to all of us and amazing at your craft. Thank you so much!
The P. Family
We cannot begin to express how grateful we are to you both for feeding our children so well every week!
Thank you,
The M. Family
We are so grateful for you and all that you provide at Treehouse. Not only are the healthy meals critical to the kids learning and playing. The healthy thoughtful ingredient, the diversity of flavors are teaching the kids so much about good food. So many parents say their kids only eat mac & cheese. But kids eat and love so much more when given the chance!
Thank you!
A. & S.
