Lower Elementary Play Date

The first play dates of the school year have been great successes! From playgrounds to picnics to get-togethers out in nature, the Villa di Maria kids have been enjoying each other's company outside of their school environments. Here, photos from Mrs. Schwind's Lower Elementary class play date at Shaw Nature Reserve this past Saturday afternoon. The weather was perfect, the company even better!The younger (and older) siblings of the Lower Elementary kids had just as much fun as their brothers and sisters! It is a joy to see these budding friendships and to observe the older students taking care of and including their friends' little brothers and sisters. It really does take a village, and that village is made of all different age groups!Outdoor natural climbing structures allow for this age group to test and challenge their bodies, and to create elaborate pretend games that often focus on group and social dynamics. This group quickly formed small packs and ran through the nature's classroom space and the surrounding woods together.A few of the older siblings brought nets and containers and successfully caught fish from the large pond. "There used to be two fish in this container, but the big fish must have been hungry…"Let's hope for more of this glorious weather!