Dogwood Nursery
18 Months+ Drop-Off Nursery Program
Our new Dogwood Nursery Program has been created to meet the development of the growing toddler with a gentle daily rhythm, small class sizes, and an individualized approach that introduces each child to care outside of the home.
We provide a beautiful, nature-inspired and homelike space that is child-centered and nurturing.
Led by an experienced early childhood teacher, the rhythm of the day is balanced between lively and quiet activities that reflect the child’s need for active play, and meaningful social interaction.
Please Note: Children and families entering the Nursery Program should be ready for a rapid transition into small group care as this program is designed as drop-off only with limited presence of parents/caregivers in the classroom.
Our Dogwood Nursery Program centers on hands-on activities that transform a child’s sensory experiences into an intimate knowledge of themselves, and the world around them. By participating in creative play and practical work, children develop fine and gross motor skills, social-emotional skills, and the executive functioning and concentration skills necessary for academic and social success in life.
In the Dogwood Nursery Program, there is a focus on learning practical life skills through imitation. These practical skills support children in many of the daily activities that they observe adults doing, such as chopping vegetables, stirring, sweeping the floor, folding laundry, scrubbing and polishing, and setting the table. Through imitation the children also learn to become deeply involved in their own self-care, such as dressing themselves, learning to zip, button, and snap, putting on shoes, washing their hands, and using the bathroom.
The curriculum for the year also focuses on creating a rich classroom environment full of music, with many of the transitions and changes in the day being sung, building language familiarity and knowledge. Artistic activities include painting, sensory exploration, and textile work throughout the year.
Dogwood Nursery Program Prerequisites: In order for a child to be ready to participate in our Dogwood Nursery Program, these are some developmental benchmarks we will look for:
Walking with a sturdy gait and limited support needed
Eating solid foods and beginning to self-feed
Being able to sit in a toddler size chair at a table to eat (not a highchair)
Napping once a day and able to participate in class from 8:30am - 11:00am daily (naps will occur after 11:30am)
Program Offerings
*This program is a year-long enrollment, not a drop-in program.*
Full Week Dogwood Program
18 - 24 months | 8:30am to 3:15pm | Early Dismissal 11:30am
Three-Day Dogwood Program
18 - 24 months | 8:30am to 3:15pm | Early Dismissal 11:30am
It is highly recommended that the three-days be consecutive.
Daily Rhythm
Morning Rhythm
8:30 - Welcome & free play
9:30- Morning activity
9:45 - Morning Circle time
10:00 - Morning snack
10:30- Outdoor play in the courtyard, a neighborhood walk, or play in the garden
11:00 - Dismissal for morning children
Afternoon Rhythm
11:30 - Lunch
12:00 - Nap Time (staggered based on individual children's needs)
2:00 - Indoor free play (with sensory activity)
2:45 - Afternoon snack
3:00 - Goodbye circle
3:15 - Dismissal
Meet Our Teachers
Aspen Dobbins
Aspen Dobbins has been caring for children for as long as they can remember. They first started working with children as a natural progression from being an older sibling. At a young age they became the co-director of an urban gardening program for children in West Philadelphia, they were also a farmer, bread kneader, seamster, and futon maker. They didn’t know at the time that they were laying the foundations for their path to becoming a Waldorf Educator.
In 2003, Aspen joined their daughter, Eden, for their first parent-child class together at the Susquehanna Waldorf School. They were eager to attend again after their second daughter was born. It was then that Aspen understood that this path was not just for their children. Aspen began working at the Upper Valley Waldorf School in Vermont as a kindergarten assistant in 2008. After taking a week-long course at Sophia’s Hearth, Aspen knew it was time to begin a full early childhood training. Aspen became a lead teacher in the Nursery and Morning Garden at the Upper Valley Waldorf School in 2012 and was a Kindergarten teacher with Lake Champlain Waldorf School in 2016. Most recently, Aspen worked as a teaching artist with Inclusive Arts Vermont to work with providers to bring arts and foundational movement into their home programs as a way to bring accessibility and social and emotional learning for all students with a focus on creating space for children with disabilities.
Aspen is also a yoga teacher, a writer, a toymaker and a former paraeducator and is certified in the State of Vermont to provide professional development for childcare providers. They received their Bachelor's degree from Champlain College in writing and their diploma in Early Waldorf Education from Sunbridge University. Along with their life experience both in and out of the classroom, their training with Sophia’s Hearth and various WECAN Conferences have also greatly supported and influenced their work as a teacher.
Leah Morgan
Leah Morgan has had a dual-career trajectory: both in early childhood education and in digital design. Leah spent a gap year prior to college as a pre-k teacher assistant, then nannied for several years. Leah studied psychology in undergrad, including developmental psychology, at The New School, and enjoys learning about early childhood education. Leah is particularly drawn towards the Waldorf emphasis on natural materials and learning through outdoor play. After a bountiful product design career primarily focused on web applications for education nonprofits, Leah is enthused to be back in the classroom. Leah spends her free time running, doing yoga, and taking her dog to Tompkins Square Park.