It’s never too early to set one’s child on the road to more sustainable and healthy living, whether it’s establishing an early appreciation for caring for the environment, becoming a young activist like Greta Thunberg or simply forming healthy life-long habits. Indeed, a recent University of Florida study of 1,351 college students showed them more likely to eat vegetables if they had gardened as children.
Andrea Melendez
Maxwell David enjoys climbing trees at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
In Southwest Florida, there are many options for children to experience green education and related activities, including a nature-based preschool.
In her third year as owner, director and lead teacher of the Woodland Nature Montessori School (239-896-3662, woodlandnaturemontessorischool.com) at the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium in Fort Myers, Karen Cichy sees the benefits of environmental learning in her young students, ages 3 to 6.
Andrea Melendez
Karen Cichy instructs Forest Gariti during inside play at the Woodland Nature Montessori School on the grounds of the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers.
“Kids from the previous year walk around and call out plant names to me,” she says in an interview before the coronavirus pandemic led to the temporary closing of the school in March. “They remembered them.”
A key to forging such memories is focusing the intensive, hands-on curriculum on one native plant and animal per week for them to “see, touch, learn and write about.”
“We also teach them empathy and compassion as all of the animals (including a raccoon, tortoise and skunk) have been rehabilitated. Bonding with animals provides a different demeanor, and plants connect them with the earth. They are also learning social and many other life skills,” she says.
Karen, who has spent nearly all her 21 years of teaching in Southwest Florida with the Montessori method, also offers programs during school breaks and in the summer. Kids can attend by week or on a spot basis, and the many features of the entire facility are incorporated into the learning, including the planetarium.
With April marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Lee County Public Schools environmental education resource teacher Susie Hassett is providing materials and guidelines for specific faculty representatives at all schools, K-12, that “emphasize how reductions in food waste can have a huge impact in reducing climate change.” During the week of April 20, the plan calls for students to experience Meatless Monday, receive tips on packing no-waste lunches with sustainable containers and spend more time outside than usual.
“It helps them realize they are part of nature,” Susie says.
Andrea Melendez
Cami Panetta makes a flower arrangement during inside learning time at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers.
She’s also the adult advisor of Sea Scouts (239-229-7189), a Cape Coral-based, co-ed program for ages 14 to 21 that studies water quality and the environment in “giving many opportunities to get out on the water that they may not have had before.” Activities include learning to operate sail and powerboats in collaboration with the Edison Sailing Center, Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society and the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron; diving in the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves to help the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with surveys of sea life in the harbor; and using nets while wading in shallow water at various Lee County beaches to monitor “diversity of marine life. We can compare and contrast year by year,” she says.
Youngsters perform service projects for each organization and entity that helps facilitate their experiences, which “provides foundational value for them and complements scouting ideals,” she adds.
Andrea Melendez
Tina Dashner reads to Forest Garuti during inside learning time at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers.
School mascots take on green roles on many Collier County Public Schools campuses to add even more enthusiasm for related programs. Gulf Coast High School teacher Tammy Chabot takes marine science students to Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park beach one weekend a month for observing and cleanups in the Sharks on the Beach program. Most county middle and high schools have environmental-related clubs, many named for school mascots like the Bio Bears of Palmetto Ridge High School.
Having earned a Golden Shovel Award by the Florida Department of Agriculture last year, the Garden Club of Cape Coral (gardenclubofcapecoral.com) continues to work with Trafalgar Middle School to help maintain a 30,000-square-foot vegetable garden, two smaller vegetable and flower gardens, and a hydroponic and butterfly garden. About 300 children also have their own plant containers that they maintain at the school. Fruits and vegetables grown onsite are fixtures of the school’s lunch offerings, and extras are donated to local organizations. Students take fresh flowers they’ve grown to area nursing homes.
The 100-plus-member garden club usually donates $200 to $300 annually to the school. Last August, the cafeteria installed an aeroponic (no soil) garden and another one earlier this year that’s transported to classrooms.
The club also supports gardens at and provides annual scholarships for students at Cape Coral High School to continue horticultural and environmental studies and helps send youngsters each summer to the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs’ Wekiva Youth Camp in Apopka, as does the Estero Island Garden Club.
Andrea Melendez
Karen Cichy oversees the children at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers.
During the school year, ECHO Global Farm (239-543-3246, echonet.org) docents, who are trained to help youngsters understand the farm’s mission in assisting growers worldwide to reduce hunger, lead school group tours at its complex in North Fort Myers. These same experts are expected to be guides during two special Family Fun Farm Tours on June 20 and July 18, making “the experience particularly appealing to youngsters in obtaining a greater understanding with tailored, hands-on activities,” says Danielle Flood, public relations and communications manager.
Touching on recycling do’s and don’ts in each session, the Rotary Park Environmental Center (239-549-4606, capeparks.com) in Cape Coral hosts annual Eco-Adventure Nature Camps in the summer, encompassing nine separate, week-long experiences. Wizards & Wonder Week, June 15-19, is to inform on growing one’s own food with native plants, and Wet & Wild, July 27-31, includes instilling appreciation for water quality.
The city of Bonita Springs partners with the Bonita Springs YMCA for the annual Healthy Kids Day event, which was slated for Saturday, April 25 at the YMCA facility but has since been canceled due to the pandemic. Plans included a poster contest for students in grades K-8, a tree-planting ceremony, Tree City USA flag raising and free milkweed for butterfly gardens. (239-949-6262, cityofbonitasprings.org).
Special to SW FL Parent & Child
Little Explorers
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida (239-262-0304, conservancy.org) in Naples offers its Little Explorer Play Zone from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day that its Nature Center is open. Here, kids ages 18 months to 5 years can participate in multi-sensory, interactive activities, stories and crafts. They are exposed to topics that relate to the Conservancy’s mission of protecting our area’s water, land, wildlife and future. “Little Explorers” also meet ambassador animals and explore the greater campus. Special programs are conducted on select days beginning at 10 a.m. and no pre-registration is required.
The Conservancy also offers summer day camps for children entering grades 1-10. For younger kids who have completed kindergarten, Seahorse Camps are available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. All other camps are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with before- and after-care available. Students entering grades 8-10 can join the Junior Naturalist program, which offers hands-on activities and ecosystem exploration, and allows participants to complete 10 hours of community service. Weekly camps are June 8 through July 31; camp fees are discounted for Conservancy members. Registration for the camps is on hold due to the pandemic, but families can take advantage of the Conservancy's resources with its new virtual learning program.
While he marvels kids with an array of science and chemistry demonstrations, Glen Beitmen, president of Super Science & Amazing Art (239-682-2780, supersciencefl.com), also integrates environmental and sustainable elements into his wizardry in after-school programs, special events and summer camps. He helps maintain a hydroponic garden at The Village School of Naples, brings considerable environmental focus to the Mound House on Estero Island, is developing water-related projects for youth programs at Fleischmann Park in Naples, and is expanding his presence to nearby Lowdermilk Park this year.
“We might start with a biology activity and end up with the importance of clean water; use batteries but end up talking solar energy,” he says.
The 12th edition of Super Science’s eight, week-long summer camps for ages 6 to 12 at Four Freedoms Park in Cape Coral are scheduled to begin in early June.
With so many opportunities to learn, how youngsters apply their green sensibilities are limitless. “Some will grow up to be environmentalists!” Karen enthuses.
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Andrea Melendez
Henry Temkin and Connor O’Neal play on the grounds of the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Forrest Edwards and Michelle Albelo play on a fallen tree at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Henry Temkin loads up a wheel barrel at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Karen Cichy works with Henry Temkin at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Michelle Albelo and Rocco Reyes-Jobsky work on collages at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Maxwell David and Nora Logan work on their collages at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Hazel Garuti has fun with blue sprinkles at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.
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Andrea Melendez
Connor O’Neal, Nora Logan and Cami Panetta play on a fallen tree at the Woodland Nature Montessori School, a nature-based preschool based in the Iona House at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers. Karen Cichy, the owner, director and lead teacher, created the school to embrace indoor and outdoor learning.