JUNIOR NATURE Explorers

OUTDOOR Facilitated Playgroup

ECM’s Play-and-Learn Explorers group is for younger toddlers ages 15-24mo + their parent/caregiver and meets in the Golden Gate Park Botanical Gardens. It’s led by Alexis Buckley.

If you have an older toddler (22mo-3yo) please check out our Explorers group here.

FALL 2026: Tuesdays, September 1-November 3 (10-weeks), 9-10:30am with Alexis Buckley near the GGP Botanical Garden, $430 REGISTER HERE

WHY Should I take this class?

• Opportunity to connect to nature in a meaningful way each week. Children will learn about and explore insects, worms, leaves and fauna, mud, sticks, trees and using nature in art!

• Opportunity to challenge their bodies and receive the crucial sensory and movement experiences children only receive in the natural world--balance on uneven surfaces, strength, climbing skills, and positive risk taking to name a few!

• Opportunity to connect with the teacher, where she'll guide children as they learn to follow directions, routines, and group expectations

• Opportunity to connect, talk, observe, interact with and learn from other children their age. Children learn so much from being around and watching peers!

  
  

  MORE ABOUT OUR NATURE PLAYGROUPS

  The latest in research shows that spending time in nature is not only intuitively a good idea, but essential for healthy brain development. Play-and-Learn Explorers is a parent-child participatory playgroup for two-to-three-year-olds and their caregivers. Each week, the group meets in a variety of outdoor locations, taking advantage of open spaces and the natural world that surrounds us in this amazing city. Destinations include Glen Canyon Park, Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, Crissy Field, and more. The Junior Explorers group will meet each week in the GG Park Botanical Gardens.

  During the group, the teacher will guide families through child-directed exploration of nature, using children's inherent curiosity to create excitement about learning. Each weekly session will also include circle time, yoga movement and stretches, puppet shows and weekly readings/discussions on important toddler topics. This is a great opportunity to offer your child some consistent peer socialization, facilitated by an expert Early Childhood Educators, before or while your child begins preschool.

  The group is led by Alexis Buckley. More on Alexis here.

  What Past Participants Have Said:

  “I still have such fond memories from our days spent… exploring nature throughout SF!  Your classes (you) helped our family so much in those first years, to which, I will always be thankful!  

  It's still astonishing to me given he was/still is a bit slow to warm in personality but I attribute much of his self-confidence stemmed from what he learned in his very early years. Thanks for a "gift" that keeps on giving.” 

                 - Former Play-and-Learn Explorers parent of a now elementary aged child

  "We absolutely loved Explorers! We did several sessions with Rebecca in SF and my son still talks about Teacher Rebecca several months later, especially when he spots an interesting bug. I initially signed my son up for Explorers to get him more social interaction with other kids as well as to get outside and explore - although my son went to a great daycare, he was developing a significant speech delay. Rebecca was so wonderful at helping the kids form relationships with each other, and my shy son was soon very comfortable with other kids and LOVED going every week. The pace and structure of the class was perfect. I personally really enjoyed the articles Rebecca shared, connecting with other parents who were also interested in getting outside and developing their parenting skills, and just slowing down to a 2 years old's pace. Although I lived in SF off and on my entire life, I learned various new hidden corners great for kid exploration from Rebecca that we have returned to many times. Very highly recommended!!!"

  Email info@earlychildhoodmatters.org if you have any other questions.