New toddler garden takes early learning outside the classroom and into nature at Severson Dells
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Alignment Rockford and Severson Dells Nature Center on Friday celebrated the opening of the area’s first toddler garden, which takes early learning outside of the classroom and into a playful natural area.
The Basics Toddler Garden at The Grove is designed to help bolster brain development for young children through a series of tips and activities designed to build social, emotional and cognitive skills.
The garden is part of The Grove Nature Playscape at Severson Dells Nature Center, 8786 Montague Road, in southwest Winnebago County. The playscape, which was built in 2014 as the region’s first natural playground, has been equipped with new stations that provide science-backed parenting and caregiving tips.
“This garden is all about creating a welcoming, joyful space for little ones and their caregivers to explore, connect and play together,” said Larissa Currier-Brown, project manager for Alignment Rockford’s Ready to Learn initiative. “Early learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. It happens every single day through play, movement, conversation and care, especially when children are in environments like this that encourage exploration and connection.”
The Basics is centered on five principles designed to encourage healthy development and bonding. They are:
- Maximize Love, Manage Stress
- Talk, Sing and Point
- Count, Group and Compare
- Explore Through Movement and Play
- Read and Discuss Stories
The Grove naturally lends itself to incorporating those principals, said Andrea Wallace Noble, education programs manager for Severson Dells Nature Center. She said the nature center also shares suggestions on incorporating the principals through blogs and social media posts.
“Suggestions include counting flower pedals for ‘Count, Group and Compare’ or asking questions like, ‘where did those ants come from?’ for ‘Talk, Sing and Point,'” Wallace Noble said. “It is easy to incorporate basics into nature play.”
Friday’s celebration of the opening of the garden coincided with Readings from the Rookery, a free bilingual nature-themed storytime in The Grove that often incorporates a hike.
“It ties in well with The Basics principles because it’s reading and discussing stories. It’s maximizing love as we spend quality time together,” Wallace Noble said. “And then exploring through play as we go out and do the activities in nature.”
The garden was created in partnership with a planning team that included Schmeling Construction, Rockford Public Schools, Harlem School District, Severson Dells and Alignment Rockford. It was funded with the help of Illinois Action for Children and Woodward, as well as Alpine Kiwanis Club, which provided adventure backpacks. Young adults from YouthBuild, a vocational skills training program, helped prepare the space for the toddler garden.
“The Grove was designed for children and families to engage in different kinds of play, whether it is engineering with loose wood blocks and boards, making music with an old piano sound board and sticks or playing in the sand table,” said Ann Wasser, executive director of Severson Dells Nature Center. “All of these activities provide opportunities to use creativity, imagination and problem solving, which perfectly align with the Basics.”
Currier-Brown said she hopes the new toddler garden becomes a model for other parks, playgrounds, day cares and outdoor spaces across the community.
“We’ve created a model that can be adapted and installed affordably, complete with activity signage and personalized playbooks,” she said. “What we’ve enhanced here at The Grove can be recreated in parks, playgrounds, day cares and outdoor spaces across our community.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
