Explore how simple nature activities enhance a child’s developmental and pre-reading skills.

This workshop for adults includes:

• Simple nature and pre-reading activities
• Stories and a review of children’s storybooks
• Videos/DVDs
• Discussion
• Family resource materials

In this workshop parents, caregivers and educators are invited to explore how simple nature activities enhance a child’s developmental skills.

Together we will plant seeds, experiment with bubbles and watch videos/DVDs. Each of these activities will be linked to appropriate children’s story and picture books. There will be an opportunity to share information and ideas about how simple nature activities help children develop pre-reading and pre-math skills, based on standard guidelines for what children need for a successful kindergarten experience.

Everyone will leave this workshop with a list of suggested family activities, a bibliography of appropriate books available through your local library, and suggestions of places to visit locally.

For more information contact:

Diane Gordon at (408) 955-0773 or diane@childrenandnature.org

Since the inception of this program in Fall 2004 over 900 teachers, in-home care-givers and parents have attended Plant a Seed: Grow a Reader workshops in Santa Clara County. These workshops, facilitated by Hooked on Nature, have been offered at conferences, pre-school parent-education classes, and in libraries, parks and recreation departments, and adult education classes.

Hooked on Nature has also provided workshop training to early childhood educators from Vermont, Michigan, North Carolina and Florida.

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County Americorps members have engaged families in the Plant a Seed: Grow a Reader Program at over 200 events reaching 5000 children 0-5 and families. This program has been incorporated into FIRST 5 Santa Clara County outreach at farmers markets, community picnics, family resource centers and community events.