Nurture Wildflowers
True Play-Based Learning for Ages 2-8
Join our Reggio-inspired homeschooling program
Led by Jerrica Sannes - child development specialist, former preschool teacher, and homeschooling mom of 3 with an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction
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Upon completing Mother Wildflowers, deepen your knowledge of play and early brain development in this virtual child development summit so that you can equip yourself to make empowered decision’s about your child’s education.
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Learn how to support and assess true play-based learning for ages 2-8 and how to design a custom curriculum tailored to your unique child.
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Help your 6-8 year old complete their early learning milestones with our Waldorf-inspired literacy and Montessori-inspired math curriculum. (Coming August 2024)
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Access our ever-growing archive of seasonal activities, seasonal recipes, and favorite children’s books organized by topic.
Plus: Option to purchase our member-only homeschooling journals: The Learning Journal
To play or to learn?
You’re totally on board with, or at least intrigued by, all of this talk about prioritizing free play and minimizing screen-time in the early years… but you can’t seem to find a clear answer to one very important question: When and how will they learn? Won’t they fall behind?
Early Brain Development 101
To fully understand the answer to this question, we first need to understand what learning actually means in early childhood. Unlike older children and adults, 0-7 year olds acquire information using all seven senses. The young child’s brain is hard at work building the highways of the brain and strengthening neural connections in response to sensory input.
As a result of lots and lots of unstructured play and free movement (and minimal screen-time) through age 7, the young brain organizes sensory input, builds a healthy sensory processing system, and integrates or forms smooth connections between the different parts of the brain - which is absolutely essential for future academic success as well as living a happy and healthy life.
Okay, let’s make learning “fun”!
Not so fast. Research finds that children who have direct academic instruction before age 7 (including adult-led activities, workbooks, and educational technology), even if it’s “fun”, score significantly worse than their peers later on in both academics and overall life success.
Early academics including reading, writing, and arithmetic require left brain processes which a child doesn’t have access to until about age 7. Meaning, in order for a child to learn these skills early, the brain has to rewire itself - interrupting natural child development.
The Research
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One study found what they called “robust and significant positive effects on educational outcomes” when children begin formal schooling at age 7 compared to age 6, finding that the children who entered school at age 7 were 12% more likely to continue on to the highest level of secondary school compared to those who entered at age 6.
Puhani, Patrick & Weber, Andrea. (2008). Does the early bird catch the worm?. 10.1007/978-3-7908-2022-5_6.
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One study found that by the end of their 6th school year, children whose preschool experiences had been academically directed earned significantly lower grades compared to children who had attended play-based preschool. They summarized that children’s later school success was enhanced by more active, child-initiated early learning experiences while direct instruction slowed academic progress.
Marcon, Rebecca. (2002). Moving up the Grades: Relationship between Preschool Model and Later School Success. Early Childhood Research & Practice. 4.
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Another study found that by age 8, children who attended an academic preschool performed worse academically and otherwise than their low-income peers who stayed home during their preschool years. Those who attended the academic pre-K program were 46% more likely to be diagnosed with a learning disorder and 43% less likely to be labeled as intellectually gifted.
Lipsey, M., Farran, D., & Durkin, K. (2018). Effects of the Tennessee prekindergarten program on children’s achievement and behavior through third grade. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 45, 155-176.
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Another study found that early reading was associated with early academic success, but less lifelong educational attainment and worse midlife adjustment. Early school entry was associated with less educational attainment, worse midlife adjustment, and earlier death, even after controlling for a host of personality and developmental variables.
Kern, M. L., & Friedman, H. S. (2009). Early educational milestones as predictors of lifelong academic achievement, midlife adjustment, and longevity. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30(4), 419–430.doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.025
What else does research tell us?
Young children need 5+ hours of daily free play, lots of free movement, time in nature, child-led learning experiences, and unstructured social play.
Academic scores generally even out around age 8, regardless of early academic instruction.
Direct academic instruction before age 7 may actually hinder future academic progress.
Early reading and schooling may place children at a disadvantage socially & emotionally later in life.
Educational screen-time is deceptive and ineffective, disrupts early cognitive development, and may permanently damage a child’s brain.
The School Dilemma
Childcare programs and education systems around the globe (including the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia) are failing children, and society, by pushing early academics, introducing EdTech, and limiting free play as early as infancy.
Young children need to see, hear, touch, smell, MOVE, and experience - not draw lines on a worksheet, “play” with mesmerizing apps, attend “preschool” via YouTube, or participate in any sort of adult-led activities.
We’re seeing a worldwide trend towards early childhood pedagogies, including Waldorf, Reggio-inspired, and forest preschools, that successfully protect play while delaying academics and screen-time. However, many of these wonderful programs end at age 5, leaving 5-7 year olds without developmentally appropriate early care and education.
And, even if you do happen to have a high-quality, play-based school in your area that accepts school-aged children, these schools are often unattainable for most families.
So, what’s the solution?
Be the Change
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem likely that an an education revolution will happen anytime soon, which leaves us with only two options:
1) Take early childhood education into our own hands.
2) Advocate for our children in our local school systems.
Either way, with a common sense understanding of child development and the power of play disappearing from our societies, all parents and educators of young children need to equip themselves with research-backed information about early brain and whole child development so that we can begin to make empowered decisions for our children.
Reggio-Inspired Learning at Home
Rather than following a predetermined curriculum, The Reggio Approach utilizes an “emergent curriculum” - a flexible and responsive teaching strategy tailored to the current interests and abilities of your child.
Parents and educators prepare the child’s play environment to support different types of learning and play, plan outings and child-led activities based on seasons and interests, take time to answer questions, follow thoughtful reading routines, and track and assess academic progress through observation and documentation.
Although Common Core State Standards in the US push academic instruction far too early, the learning milestones a young child is expected to achieve by Grade 3 (or age 8) actually aren’t unreasonable. The problem lies in our approach to teaching young children and the rate at which we expect children to (simultaneously) progress.
The key to developmentally appropriate early learning is to allow young children to meet most early learning milestones through unstructured play, naturally and at their own pace, and then to provide materials and experiences as questions and interests arise.
Nurture Wildflowers will teach you exactly what your young child needs to learn by age 8, and how to support their learning without any sort of flash cards, workbooks, apps, drills, quizzes, or adult-directed activities.
Whether you’re planning to homeschool your school-aged child, hoping to best support your toddler or preschooler’s learning at home, or simply wanting to learn more about early brain development, this course will empower you to confidently support and assess true play-based education.
Essentially, Nurture Wildflowers is “Level 2” of Mother Wildflowers - we’re talking rhythms and play, just with a bit more intentionality.
There seem to be endless homeschool programs — why choose Nurture Wildflowers?
More and more families are opting to homeschool for a multitude of reasons, but simply homeschooling is not a solution.
Traditional homeschooling mimics a broken education system with apps, worksheets, and direct academic instruction. And, although a growing number of preschool and kindergarten curricula are marketed as “play-based” and “hands-on”, the lesson plans are often academically focused, adult-directed, and not developmentally appropriate for young children.
Nurture Wildflowers is the ONLY homeschooling program that will empower you with child development knowledge and teach you how to help your child meet early learning milestones without worksheets, apps, or flash cards.
Learn how to support true play-based learning at home, screen-free
(No teaching experience required)
Learn How To:
Prepare a literacy-rich and numeracy-rich home
Purchase hands-on learning materials
Take your child's creativity to the next level
Choose high-quality children’s literature
Organize your homeschool environment
Establish a peaceful and practical homeschool rhythm that prioritizes free play while maximizing learning
Jumpstart your child’s literacy skills with a quick, easy, and enjoyable morning language routine
Introduce nursery rhymes, poems, and chapter books
Involve your child in seasonal baking
Plan interest-based outings and activities
Balance planned activities and free play
Track your child's academic progress through documentation and observational assessments
Organize photos and create portfolios of child’s work
Organically support child-led learning in the day-to-day
Assess when your child is cognitively ready for phonics instruction, workbooks, and formal schooling
Teach reading and writing in a stress-free, tear-free, developmentally appropriate, research-backed way
Foster a love for reading and for learning
What’s Included:
12+ hours of YouTube videos and podcast episodes carefully selected to help you deepen your understanding of whole child development
Quality Childcare and School Readiness Checklists
7 in-depth learning modules to help you set the foundation for play-based learning at home
A breakdown of learning materials & a complete shopping list with budget-friendly alternatives
Our recommended chapter book list by age
A list of our favorite interest-based learning books
Bonus printables to help you design your homeschool rhythm and plan your curriculum
A tutorial for creating children’s art portfolios
A complete list of early learning milestones
Option to purchase The Learning Journal (members-only) for $39.99 + shipping
What you will not find in Nurture Wildflowers:
Overwhelming daily to-do’s
Generic, age-based lesson plans
Complicated play invitations
Time-consuming activity prep
Inflexible, age-based learning standards
“Playful” adult-directed learning activities
A pre-made curriculum that doesn’t take into account your unique child’s strengths, interests, or level of development independent of their age
At Raise Wildflowers, we believe that young children learn through unstructured play. While Mother Wildflowers focuses on how to support independent play and create connection-filled rhythms, Nurture Wildflowers will help you understand, document, and assess what your child is learning through unstructured play and authentic moments of connection.
Cost of Materials
While most homeschool curriculums cost at least a few hundred dollars per year, per child, our carefully selected material recommendations will grow with, and be loved by, the entire family - perhaps for generations to come.
Depending on which toys you already own and how much you're able to invest, the estimated cost of materials for ages 2-6 is somewhere between $400 and $1600 plus the cost of any children’s books you choose to purchase instead of borrow.
The materials (including budget-friendly alternatives) are divided into three levels to help you prioritize and customize your level of investment to best fit your family’s needs.
Courses & Resources
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Part 1: Learning through Play
Attend our carefully curated child development summit where you'll hear from a number of child development specialists, including myself, discuss the relationship between play, early brain development, academics, and school. You'll also learn about popular early childhood pedagogies and get tips for advocating for your child in the public school system.
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Part 2: Play-Based Homeschool Basics for Ages 2+
Learn exactly what your young child needs to learn by the end of Kindergarten (or age 6), and how to support their learning without any sort of flash cards, workbooks, apps, drills, quizzes, or adult-directed activities.
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Part 3: Hands-On Curriculum for Ages 6+
Further support your child’s learning in 1st and 2nd grade (ages 6-8) using our Waldorf-inspired literacy and Montessori-inspired math curriculum.
Coming August 2024
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Wildflower Resources
Access our ever-growing archive of seasonal (child-led) activities, seasonal baking recipes, and our favorite picture books by topic and season.
Additionally, get member-only access to The Learning Journal, a keepsake-quality journal for tracking your child’s learning and interests and planning your emergent curriculum.
The Learning Journal
Our keepsake-quality journals contain a breakdown of learning milestones in the areas of Language, Math, Science, and History for ages birth through Grade 2 (or age 8). In addition to helping you keep track of your child's academic achievements, this journal is designed to help you observe and document your child’s unique talents, strengths, and interests.
In the Weekly Observations and Reflections section, you'll journal your observations of your child's play, note their questions and interests, and use this information to plan your emergent curriculum. With 130 journal spreads, you'll be able to document your child's early learning in this journal for at least 2.5 years.
Part One Modules
IN SUPPORT OF PLAY
Play for Life Skills
Play for Executive Function
Play for Neuroplasticity
THE RACE OF CHILDHOOD
The Developing Brain
Early Academics
What About Sports?
RETHINKING EDUCATION
The Importance of Creativity
The Problem with Schools
Choosing a School
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
Reggio Emilia
Forest School
Waldorf Steiner
Montessori
Part Two Modules
WELCOME
Homeschool Requirements
Learning Journals
Picture Books by Interest
Seasonal Activities
Seasonal Recipes
RHYTHMS & CURRICULUM
Ideal Homeschool Rhythm
Planning an Emergent Curriculum
Homeschool “Subjects”
KINDERGARTEN GOALS
World
Communication
Self
Early Learning Milestones
OBSERVATION & DOCUMENTATION
Reggio-Inspired Documentation
Photo Organization
Child Portfolios
The Learning Journal
LEARNING MATERIALS
Complete Shopping list
Literacy Materials Overview
Math Materials Overview
Science Materials Overview
Books Overview
SUPPORTING LEARNING
ZPD
Scaffolding
Bloom’s Taxonomy
School Readiness
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Creative Play Essentials
Process Art Area
Playdough Station
Homeschool Hutch
Learning Library
LEARNING MILESTONES
Language
Reading
Writing
Math
Science & History
FAQs
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Nurture Wildflowers was designed for parents and caregivers of children ages 2-8. It is primarily geared towards Pre-K to Grade 2 homeschooling families, but is also beneficial for parents and caregivers who are concerned about early academics and eager to learn how to give their young children the best cognitive foundation possible.
Nurture Wildflowers is also appropriate for early childhood educators interested in learning about whole child development and The Reggio Approach.
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You can begin this approach to early learning at any point between ages 2 to 5.
2 to 4 year olds need unstructured play, not schooling. However, many parents feel pressured to support early academics in toddlerhood and worry about their littlest ones falling severely behind.
Whether using this course as a Kindergarten alternative or as a guide for toddler and preschool learning, this course will give you confidence and encouragement that your child is indeed learning and developing through play and day-to-day life.
Part One: Play-Based Homeschool Basics is ideal for preschool and Kindergarten (ages 2-6), but younger siblings will be welcome to join most activities.
Most children will be cognitively ready to begin the Nurture Wildflowers math and literacy curriculum in first grade, or age 6 turning 7.
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The information in Part One: Learning through Play is relevant to all parents, caregivers, and educators of young children. However, this approach to homeschooling is best-suited to primary caregivers who work less than 15-20 flexible hours per week from home, or those who can recruit another caregiver to help carry out their homeschooling efforts.
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Mother Wildflowers is a prerequisite to Nurture Wildflowers as independent play is foundational to this approach to early childhood education. For this reason, the two courses are no longer offered a la carte.
You’ll receive access to all courses and resources as a Raise Wildflowers member and you can begin play-based homeschooling once your child’s independent play is well-established.
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Yes, you’ll gain access to our archive of seasonal, child-led activities to help you plan your emergent curriculum. However, interest-based activities will require some Googing and creative thinking - have fun with this!
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In Play-Based Homeschool Basics, you’ll find a comprehensive shopping list and a thorough breakdown of our recommended toys and learning materials. The total cost of materials for ages 2-6 ranges from approximately $400-$1600.
This price varies greatly depending on which items you already own and how much you’re able to invest. Keep in mind that most homeschool curriculums cost at least $300/yr, per child. These materials will support all of your children, through the early years and beyond!
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I have compiled a comprehensive list of milestones for birth through second grade (age 8) in the areas of Language, Reading, Writing, Counting, Measurement, Geometry, Operations, Science, and History based on California, Arizona, and Common Core state standards for ages birth through Grade 2. These milestones will be applicable to you regardless of your state or country.
The goal is to help you understand exactly which skills your child should learn by the end of second grade (age 8), despite the likelihood of them hitting these targets later than their school-attending peers.
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Temporarily, yes! It's important to know that, in participating in Nurture Wildflowers, your child will likely be academically "behind" their school-attending peers until about age 8 or 9, especially in terms of reading. If choosing this slower and less stressful academic journey for your child, it's best to commit through second grade. Once your child has "caught up" and has proven to be cognitively ready for more academic schooling, you might consider other school options at that point (usually third grade, or age 8 turning 9).
Of course, this doesn’t mean that your child won’t learn how to read. Quite the opposite, in fact! It means they will begin phonics instruction in first grade, or age 6 turning 7, when they’re cognitively ready to do so. It means they’ll learn at a slower, less stressful, and more organic pace. And it means that, by age 8 or 9, their thirst for reading and knowledge will be only beginning, while many of their school-attending peers are becoming increasingly more burnt out.
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My personal belief is that having a neurodiverse child is even more of a reason to choose this approach to education - to prioritize free play and eliminate screen-time, both in the early years and beyond.
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You’ll plan a few weekly opportunities for things like messy process art, seasonal magic, and interest-based learning while following predictable and doable rhythms and routines that protect unstructured time - time for things like daydreaming, working with loose parts, building and creating, playing outdoors, and inventing games.
The goal with this approach to education will be to slow down, to make time for conversation, to ask open-ended, thought-provoking questions, and to let young children be little.
Through casual observation, you’ll be able to recognize what your child is trying to uncover or demonstrate through play, which will allow you to provide just the right amount of support and take their learning levels higher, without interfering in play.
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As per Dr. Kardaras’ recommendations in Glow Kids, I suggest delaying all interactive screen-time (iPads, video games, computers, etc.) until after age 10.
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This program is NOT meant to complement other homeschool curricula or programs. Nurture Wildflowers is designed to be a direct replacement for today's prevalent early childhood education options that are not developmentally appropriate for young children. The goal of Nurture Wildflowers is to slow down - to withdraw our children from the race of childhood, protecting the crucial stages of early brain development and allowing early academics to unfold at a more appropriate and organic pace.
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Nurture Wildflowers is 100% secular. Any discussion of religion, politics, or vaccination beliefs is prohibited in our community.
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I have over 15 years of professional experience working with young children as a preschool teacher, nanny, and early childhood research assistant. I hold a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction, a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Development, and an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
I am trained in assessing high-quality early learning environments as well as assessing developmental milestones in young children. Pre-pandemic, I proudly owned a thriving Reggio-inspired toddler school and I have also received training in Reggio-inspired documentation.
I have a unique understanding of child development and a genuine passion for protecting play and empowering mothers.
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You’ll take Learning through Play while completing the second half of your screen-free month and practicing what you’ve learned in Mother Wildflowers. The course is about 12 hours in total.
Play-Based Homeschool Basics can be completely within a week.
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Nurture Wildflowers is currently a digital product. You will not automatically receive any tangible products in the mail. However, you will have the option to purchase The Leaning Journal for $39.99 + shipping (available to members only).
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Raise Wildflowers courses moved to a subcription model so that you can invest in the courses for as long a they continue working for your family. Explore this option at a low up-front cost. If it isn’t right for you, simply cancel your membership.
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Due to the digital nature of this product, there are no refunds. All sales are final, but you can cancel your membership at any time.
If you aren’t sure if this course is the right fit for you, feel free to email info@raisewildflowers.com.