Daycare center encourages child development through new sensory garden
SALISBURY, Md. – A local daycare wanted to create an environment where kids can learn and even explore future career options.
That and then some is what owner of Night Watch Childcare, Dr. Amy Stewart, got with the facility’s newest outdoor sensory garden. The space helps immerse kids in various sensory activities, from gardening to water games.
“They just get to get the fresh air and see all the colors, instead of us trying to recreate it in the classroom, and now we have the flexibility to do that,” Dr. Stewart said.
On the Eastern Shore, agriculture is everywhere. That’s why Dr. Stewart wanted the kids to have the ability to get their hands dirty, learn new skills and maybe even develop a love for the industry.
“I think it opens it up to not just having opportunities for our little ones who are meeting those little milestones with crawling and walking and fine motor, but also our school age kids that we work with; maybe just possible entrepreneurship and working in the garden,” Dr. Stewart said.
And no matter the age, manager, Sury Boa, said there’s a new skill to be learned in the garden for each kid, they just have to be willing to find it.
“All our sensory items that we have outside work for their brain development and their motor development, so we want to make sure all the little ones are having the same opportunities when they go outside,” Boa said.
The care facility also held a Dia Del Nino event day for the kids.
Boa said she wants families to be on the lookout for more of these events to engage the community and learn about all of the different opportunities at the daycare center.
“We are planning to open these events more often on weekends for the families to come in, so I just want to invite all the families if they want to come in, if they want to interact, if they need that time, if they feel like, ‘Hey, I’m working so hard, I haven’t had that time to enjoy with my child.’ Come over,’ Boa said.
For more information on upcoming events, you can visit www.TheNightWatchChildcare.com
