Activities

Fostering a love of reading is essential for a well-rounded education. Pixie Nursery School's staff reads from hundreds of works of classic and contemporary children's literature to our kids. We select books in Portuguese, English, and Spanish daily, so that children can learn new languages at an early age, skills that are invaluable as they get older. From simple board books and classic rhymes to songs in three languages, books are a crucial part of childhood development. The stories children hear when they're young are the ones that they remember later. Reading together with a parent, caregiver, or teacher makes these stories even more memorable.

We take pride in providing multiethnic, multicultural, and other diverse experiences for children throughout the year. Activities such as field trips, celebrating holidays and activities with other ethnic groups, and encouraging children to bring visitors to school enhances their growth. The more varied experiences children have, the wider their range of creative expression. We have seen the positives first-hand that come out of allowing a diversity of artistic expression in our classroom. Children draw upon interactions with people and situations outside of their own environment and incorporate them into their play. 

At Pixie Nursery School children are encouraged to spend several  hours daily playing outdoors. Why? Playing outdoors gives children an opportunity to learn about nature and promote all areas of development. Thinking, feeling, and being open to learning are basic concepts a child develops during free play activities. Nature provides unparalleled benefits. From childhood through adulthood, we are all fascinated by listening to birds, watching the movements of flies, butterflies, shadows, and leaves. Air circulation, temperature changes, and the playfulness of sun spots and shade are stimuli to the skin, eyes, lungs, and metabolism. This supports gross motor coordination and overall development. We are always amazed to witness infants and toddlers eat better, sleep better, play better, and are more confident being on their own when offered the freedom of movement and of playing uninterruptedly outdoors. Playing is natural to all children and being outdoors breathing fresh air supports strong, healthy bodies.

All children are valued members of the Pixie Nursery School community! Each child is loved as a precious member of our little family, and is respected for being unique. We welcome families that are truly happy being a part of our community.  Research shows that parent involvement is crucial in the early childhood education process.  We know you have to work, but we truly appreciate and encourage parental volunteers for select activities!

At Pixie, we follow baby-led weaning (BLW) from infancy through toddlerhood. Nothing is puréed: babies are offered soft, safely prepared whole foods they can explore and feed themselves at their own pace. Mealtimes are calm, unhurried, and respectful, and children are trusted to listen to their own hunger and fullness.

Adriana prepares fresh, homemade meals every day, cooked simply with classic techniques and no added sugar, artificial sweeteners, flavors, or food coloring. Our meat, chicken, and fish are free of antibiotics and added hormones and arrive at our door from Butcher Box. We use pasture-raised dairy, only non-GMO ingredients, and local produce we hand-pick weekly at the farmers market.

Each day, children are offered breakfast, two homemade organic hot meals, and two healthy snacks. Our menu is inspired by Adriana's Brazilian and Manu Raj's Indian heritage, with Italian and American dishes as well.

Pixie Nursery School provides multiple opportunities for our children to do sensory play daily. Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways. This stimulates a child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks. Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, gross and fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and social interaction. It aids in developing and enhancing memory and is great for calming an anxious or frustrated child. This type of play also helps children learn basic sensory attributes (hot, cold, sticky, dry). Children are encouraged to cut vegetables, then wash and place them in the pot to be cooked. They may help serve what they will eat for lunch. Sensory play opportunities contribute to children's developmental stages in a highly positive way.