Farmer's Helpers at Chip-in Farm
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Little Farmers Program

Little Farmers Program

Ages 2.5-5
Mondays, Tuesdays, and/or Wednesdays 9-12 in the Fall, Winter,Spring & Summer.
Registration is through the Bedford Recreation Department, but is not limited to Bedford residents! Everyone welcome!
Email chipinfarmclasses@gmail.com with questions.
Register Online
Registration for Little Farmers Winter Session open NOW! 

Winter Sessions

Mondays

Winter Session 1: Jan 6 - Feb 3
Winter Session 2: Feb 10 - Mar 9
Winter Session 3: Mar 16 - Apr 6

Registration open NOW!

Tuesdays

Winter Session 1: Jan 7 - Jan 28
Winter Session 2: Feb 4 - Mar 3
Winter Session 3: Mar 10 - Mar 31

Registration open NOW!

Wednesdays

Winter Session 1: Jan 18 - Jan 29
Winter Session 2: Feb 5 - Mar 4
Winter Session 3: Mar 11 - Apr 1

Registration open NOW!

Spring Sessions - Registration Opens March 8th!

Mondays

Spring Session 1: Apr 4 - May 18
Spring Session 2: May 25 - Jun 15

Registration opens in March 8th!

Tuesdays

Spring Session 1: Apr 14 - May 12
Spring Session 2: May 19 - Jun 16

Registration opens in March 8th!

Wednesdays

Spring Session 1: Apr 15 - May 13
Spring Session 2: May 20 - Jun 17

Registration opens in March 8th!

Little Farmers is a full-sensory farm and nature program for your child! At Chip-in Farm, we aim to connect children to the outdoors and their community through outdoor play and meaningful farm work. Children will help us care for the animals each day before we explore the surrounding fields and forest. We will spend the majority of each day outside and in the barn no matter the weather for a first-hand experience of the shifting seasons and natural changes throughout the year. This means that we will be outside in the sun, the rain, and maybe even the snow! This hands-on farm and nature experience will gift your child a deeper connection to the natural world while developing resilience, self confidence, and independence. This drop-off program is for children ages 2.5-5
Winter Registration Open NOW!

Each Session (4 weeks)
​$178

Options to sign up Mondays, Tuesdays, and/or Wednesdays
Register Online
Or call the Bedford Recreation Department at (781) 275 1392

Why Farm & Nature-based Learning?


“I sincerely believe that for the child, and for the parent seeking to guide him, it is not half so important to know as to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. 
    -Rachel Carson (1965)
Benefit for children
Connecting to ourselves, each other, and the outdoors

The farm and surrounding nature are a complete sensory experience for children. We often spend time trying to manipulate and build the ideal environment for a child’s early learning, yet that learning environment is already readily available in the outdoors. Outdoor play develops creativity, confidence, and realistic risk evaluation while allowing for complete sensory immersion and physical movement. While outdoors we also are able to experience changing seasons and natural rhythms first-hand which helps to build a child’s sense of place in their environment and builds their ability to understand larger scale systems thinking. 

  • Connection - Children connect to the outdoors, each other, and themselves, building a more connected community.
  • Creativity - Children play more creatively in the outdoors, where objects and materials don’t yet have prescribed uses and meanings. A stick is not just a stick!
  • Confidence - Provides the space and challenges for children to build confidence in their abilities.
  • Cognition - Being outside in nature helps build focus, problem solving and planning skills, and begins to establish a sense of cause and effect. Farm work helps teach the benefit of working for an end goal and planning for a desired outcome. 
  • Integrated sensory experience - Learning while moving, learning while doing! Children need a chance to move, to feel, to smell, to taste, to see, and to hear (all at once!) as they learn. 
  • Teaches Systems and Cycles - Experience first hand how the world is interconnected, and the changes that take place throughout the day, the season, and each year.

Read more about the benefits of nature-based education for children:
http://naturalstart.org/resources/benefits-connecting-children-nature​


Benefit for nature
Connecting to our environment

In building a connection to our natural world at a young age and developing a sense of place within the child, we ensure a lifelong relationship with nature. In an ever changing world where we often view nature as “other” or separate from us, nature-based early childhood education helps us to rewild and reconnect. Children who have felt the connection to nature from an early age are more likely to make decisions later in life that lead to a healthier planet

Read more about the benefits of nature-based education for nature and our environment:
A Literature Review of Connectedness to Nature and its Potential for Environmental Management



Benefit of a farm learning site
Connecting to our food

As adults, we often have a disconnect from our food and where it comes from. Oftentimes it comes from far away with the nutritious value compromised in order to get to us. Sometimes we don’t understand where it comes from at all, or what it took to get it to us. Allowing our kids to experience a farm and learn through real, hands-on farm work helps to better connect them to their food and understand the importance of healthy farm systems at an early age. An early farm and food connection can set the stage for healthier food choices, leading to better health and learning. 

The CDC states that healthy eating and exercise can lead to better learning, focus, and memory. On the farm, we work hard to grow good food!

Read more about the benefits of farm-based education for health: http://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdf

Read more about the effect of healthy eating and movement on academic achievement:
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-achievement.pdf

Little Farmers Staff


Sandra Couvee
​"Farmer Sandy"

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Sandy has been connecting kids to Chip-in Farm for over 15 years. She knows that the farm offers a unique full-sensory experience, which makes it the perfect classroom for kids! Sandy has a Massachusetts EEC infant/toddler and preschool certification and has worked as a preschool teacher. Her favorite farm animals are the cows!

Julia Latady
​"Farmer Julia"

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Julia is excited to be back at Chip-in Farm, a place she absolutely loved visiting as a kid! She is passionate about getting kids outside and connected to the farm, nature, and their community. Julia is completing a certificate in Nature-based Early Childhood Education at Antioch New England. Her favorite farm animals are the goats!

Teaching Style


Our primary focus is on laying the foundation of connectedness to ourselves, each other, and the outdoors through full-sensory experiences to prepare for later academic learning. ​The farm and nature are our classroom and often act as an additional teacher. The farm and environment have quite a bit to teach us about beneficial risk taking, self-confidence, and cooperation!

Child Led

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We observe each child’s interests and shape our learning to the interests of individuals and the group. Children are given time and space for free play each day.

Seasonally Inspired

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Teacher-directed activities are seasonally inspired. We often find that the children's interests and seasonal changes create unexpected and delightful detours along the way! 

Role of the Teacher

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Our most important job is to make space for each child to build a connection to themselves, each other, and the outdoors. And of course to join in on the fun!
Documentation of Learning
We will be exploring different methods of documenting your child’s learning throughout each session. We take photographs to share with parents, but we will also be encouraging the children to produce their own documentation through drawings, group artwork, lasting farm projects, and collected quotes. Parents/Caregivers of children in the program will have the option to join our private Facebook group with photos and updates from each session. 
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We are looking forward to making mud pies, creating mouse houses, caring for the animals, and building our farm community - we can’t wait to explore the farm and surrounding environment with your child!

~ Farmers Sandy, Beth, and Julia


​

Farmer's Helpers, LLC
​Bedford MA
Copyright © 2018
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  • Home
  • About Us
  • Calendar
  • Contact
  • On Farm Events
    • Goat Yoga
    • Goats & Giggles
    • Farm Drop-Ins
    • Family Farm Fun
  • Virtual Events
  • Now Hiring!
  • Birthday Parties
  • Private Farm Visits