Nature
Welcome to SPARK Nature!
Our NEW Forest School program connecting children with the magic, wonder and joy of nature!
- Children need nature for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
-
Time in nature inspires creativity, concentration, character development
and critical thinking. - Playing and learning outside is an essential piece of a well-rounded education.
- The foundation for environmental respect and stewardship begins in childhood.
- Nature serves as one of the best sources for sensory exploration and development.
- And allows for a renewed sense of awe, love and appreciation for this Earth.
We can all agree
that screens have taken over our world. Through these ever present devices, kids are more anxious, depressed, overweight and unhappy than ever before, with a huge increase in attention disorders and difficulties. Screens have become a thief of time along with childhoods that are overscheduled and incredibly fast paced.
At SPARK PA, we believe it doesn’t have to be this way. We know the best and most powerful way to keeping our kids healthy, happy and thriving is….
Unstructured, imaginative, intentional, exploratory,
self-directed play outside.
Why? Because Nature:
Allows kids to be physically active
Enhances resilience against stress
Provides a soothing and restorative environment for self-reflection
Stimulates all the senses
Helps build the cognitive foundation for later intellectual development
Serves as a medium for inventiveness, problem solving and risk assessment
Nourishes the spiritual life of children with meaning, beauty and inspiration
Spark Nature provides kids with loose, unstructured free play interwoven with structured lessons, life skills, collaborative projects and the practice of living in harmony with the Earth under the guidance and support of mentoring teachers.
It is our way to help foster a respectful relationship with nature in the young, formative years to seal the bond for future generations. It’s our attempt to move away from device dependence and show children just how incredible, powerful, magical and awe-inspiring the world truly is!
Join us in our mission to reclaim childhood and the connection to nature worth preserving!
Location: Spark PA – Property – a sprawling 6 acre property where all areas are child centered and welcome to all to explore. Trails through the property invite you to the local stream where children discover the beauty found in nature up close. Also on the property a bamboo forest and a Zen stone sculpture garden.
INAUGURAL Forest
School Program:
Fall 2024 Semester
-
Mondays
10AM -1 PM
Art 2-3pm - 14 weeks - September 16th - December 16th
- Spark Studio - Kunkletown
Please note:
- If your child stays for art, there will be a lunch and recess break from 1-2pm.
- After registering you will be emailed all the details.
1 Child
2 Children
Drop in
Who will be teaching Spark Nature?
We are so excited to share that we have three teachers for Spark Nature, Sebastian and Amanda Alappat as well as fellow nature-loving father, Mr. Adam Swatsworth.
Sebastian
Artist & Founder of Spark, Sebastian has always loved traveling, the outdoors, spending many years of his childhood as a former Boy Scout. He loves building things with raw materials, from decks to firepits. He takes tremendous pride in his land and dedicates a lot of time to tending to it with yearly projects planned with thought and intention. He is so excited to share his home with all of you. Read More
Amanda
Amanda always knew she was going to be a teacher. She received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, she decided to pursue a career in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and yoga teacher for over twenty years. She then worked in birth as a doula for a decade before home birthing three of her own kids. Amanda has been a supporter of SPARK since day one, always behinding the scenes helping and supporting. But every year, her involvement has grown and she has fallen in love with working with children. Now she spearheads the yoga and meditation aspect of the business as well as being the full time forest school teacher. This was one of Amanda’s big dreams, to create a nature experience for children, and she is deeply grateful to be a part of it.…Read More
Adam
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