Outdoor Sensory Play Programs for Ages 1.5 - 6
Park Slope, Brooklyn
About Us
Background
Backyard Explorers was created out of a need for Brooklyn kids to have more outdoor play. In a city that's go, go, go, kids need a place they can get away from our sensory-overloaded city and just play freely. After many years of learning and exploring outdoor education and finally having a backyard, it only seemed right to share it with my community!
Philosophy
Backyard Explorers is a Forest school-inspired program that is play-based, child-led, messy, and filled with sensory experiences. Kids experience the wonder of childhood in which the outdoors becomes a play lab where they connect with nature, experiment with art/science projects, and get wet and messy.
Playgroup
Children are whole, capable human beings. By allowing them to create their own experiences through play-based, child-led learning, we are allowing them to follow their own personal joy and, therefore, become intuitive, self-expressed, confident people who are in touch with their own guidance system and can, therefore, flourish into generous, collaborative, grounded members of society.
A Day as a Backyard Explorer
Sample Day
9:00 | Arrival
9:15 -10:30 | Mud kitchen, Painting, Digging area, Sand Table
10:30 -11 | Hand washing, Potty, Snack
11-11:45 | Bug hunt, Gardening, Potion experiments, Story time
Activities
Examples of our activities are potion making, finding and observing bugs, sprouting beans, planting flowers, making slime, spontaneous dance parties, interactive storytelling, baking soda and vinegar projects, giant bubble creations, sand and water table, ice painting, and mud play.
Learning
As we play outdoors, it directly impacts early childhood development such as using fine and gross motor skills, problem solving, building nerve connections in the brain through sensory play, language development, social emotional development and empathy building through interactions with teachers and friends, and building independence through self-led activities.
Upcoming Programs
(click Camps/Events below to view and sign up for our summer camp)
What Parents Are Saying
“Cyndi is a unique combination of a person who openly loves (and is so wonderful at!) playing with young children and a person who has a grounded, strategic child-development mindset; she is able to support young people's social-emotional needs and growth at the same time as she deeply engages with them in fun, silly, active play.”
— Avni, Surya’s Parent
“My son attended Cyndi’s playgroup for 2 years and she is one of the most incredible teachers I have ever met! Cyndi is kind, funny, and creative, but what makes Cyndi even more special is her ability to be incredibly present. You can tell that Cyndi loves what she does and she always has a big smile at the end of each day. If you’re considering her program, hurry up and sign up! You won’t regret it.”
— Kirsten, Nel’s Parent
“As an occupational therapist, it was refreshing to see Cyndi incorporating activities that include physical movement, fine motor skills, and sensory play in a fun way that is so engaging for the children. She includes imaginary play, music, dance, and body awareness in her daily routines. She is also an intent listener, patient and calm.”
— Rebecca, Xavier’s Parent
Contact us
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. In the meantime, please check out our FAQS page for more information.