Cultivating Wonder through Nature Exploration
What We Do
Our mission is to provide nature-rich early learning experiences in community for young children.
Mixed-Age Classroom
We create a mixed-age classroom space for children ages 3-6 to discover more about themselves and others, have adventures in community, and feel wonder, all within the surroundings of the natural world.
Authentic Experiences
We offer authentic, real-world experiences to develop the whole child, lay a foundation for future academic learning, and encourage children to know and care for our world.
Outdoor Exploration
We prioritize time spent outside in all-seasons, allowing children to be fully themselves and to freely move, experiment, observe, explore, learn, and create in a variety of natural spaces.
How We Teach
Teaching Philosophy
Nature-Based
Local nature is a core tenet of the program and we strive to use best practices of both early childhood education and environmental education. Wildsong aims to spend a majority of program time outdoors in all seasons and in a variety of safe weather conditions.
Child-Centered
Children’s interests and needs are considered in the emerging curriculum and there is ample time for child-directed pursuits and exploration. Wildsong uses the framework of the research-based HighScope curriculum.
Play-Based
Children learn skills, build knowledge, and develop social-emotional competence through play. While children will grow in many ways, rote academics is not the main focus of the program. Wildsong programming is intended to be supplemental to other early childhood programs or home-based enrichment.
Offering Programs 1 or 2 Mornings a Week
2024-2025 will be Wildsong’s first year. Families will enroll on a semester long basis and can choose for their children to attend Tuesday morning, Thursday morning, or both days.
Half-Day Program
Our program will run from 8:30 am until 11:45 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Small Class Size
Our initial classes will be capped at 12 children with 2 staff.
Program Space
Wildsong rents facilities and grounds at The Mishawaka Res, in Mishawaka, Indiana.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, Wildsong programming will take place at The Mishawaka Res property, located on the east side of Mishawaka. Wildsong will have access to natural areas such as the woods, creek, and meadow. We will also utilize the built environment through garden beds, a natural playground area, and access to the heated nature center as needed for the colder months.
Who We Are
Founder & Director: Janelle Phillips
Janelle Phillips has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education with a focus on natural science and environmental education. She is trained in HighScope, and in 2024 also completed Forest School Teacher and Director training with the Forest School Teacher Institute. Most of her 10 years of experience in education has been dedicated to teaching and directing environmental education programs for youth, including over 4 years of specific experience with nature-based early childhood programs.
Janelle has worked with a variety of ages in schools, at a zoo, on a boat, and at a nature center. Her most magical teaching moments have come from co-discovering the beauty of the natural world with young children. She also delights in sharing outdoor experiences and traveling with her husband and two boys.
Testimonials
What People Say
“Using the outdoors as a classroom, Miss Janelle gave our preschool children opportunities to explore and make discoveries in nature throughout each season. Her wide range of knowledge, thought provoking questions and facts were combined with intentional props and creative activities that fostered the children’s curiosity and provided for hands on experiences as they engaged in learning through the exploration of ice, mud, wind, seeds, acorns, flowers, leaves, sticks, etc.”
— Lead Teacher at 8th Street Preschool, where Wildsong teaches a weekly program.
“Miss Janelle truly understands kids and their developmental needs. Her calm leadership allows learning to be the focus. Always my child’s favorite teacher, Janelle designs immersive, sensory-rich learning experiences that spark curiosity and introduce kids to real scientific concepts.”
— Parent of child who attended a nature-based preschool where Miss Janelle taught
“Miss Janelle planned engaging learning experiences that had children problem solving and actively working together to better understand the natural world. The children loved learning about the seasons by pretending to be animals in winter. They searched for different types of homes the animals would be living in. Every child was engaged using their imagination in this pretend play.”
— Lead Teacher at 8th Street Preschool, where Wildsong teaches a weekly program.
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