As the season shifted toward warmth and light, the children at Acorn School embraced every moment of play, creativity, and connection. With our summer session now held at the Climbmax Rock Gym, the children enjoyed new opportunities to move their bodies, stretch their imaginations, and grow together. Each class brought its own rhythm and joy, and the month was full of hands-on projects, sweet moments, and laughter echoing off the climbing walls.
From Crafts to Rock Walls
The hummingbirds, cardinals, and finches had a wonderful start to their time at the gym. One of the highlights was rock climbing with the help of friendly belayers during free play, something the children looked forward to each week with a lot of excitement. Climbing gave them a chance to build confidence and strength while having fun together.
The craft table was always buzzing too. From tie-dyed hats and colorful sand art to rain sticks and baking cookies, each project brought out a different spark of joy. Cookie baking, in particular, was a favorite activity. Little hands measuring, mixing, and creating delicious treats that filled the space with warmth and pride.
“I was so impressed with how well the kids did with the baking project. It was a great month!” - Ms. Olivia
Stories, Stitching, and Solstice Light
The Bluejays dove into a month of creativity and fun, with a beautiful mix of crafting, climbing, and language play. They practiced stitching and needle felting with quiet focus, made bright tie-dye bucket hats, and worked together to bake chocolate chip cookies that disappeared almost as quickly as they were made.
As the solstice approached, they crafted beeswax candles adorned with dried flowers—each one a gentle nod to the season’s light and color. Spanish vocabulary was woven into weekly storytelling, where the children worked in teams to build playful, imaginative tales and then shared them with the group.
“The kids also loved rock climbing and spending time playing together. We’re excited to see what August has in store!” - Ms. Pati
Letters, Sounds, and Growing Confidence
The Hawks wrapped up their first 13-week literacy session with so much to be proud of. They learned the names and sounds of the letters J, K, L, and M this month and continued building their pre-writing skills through gentle form drawing.
By the end of June, these young learners could identify the first 13 letters of the alphabet and confidently produce their sounds—clear signs of growing phonological awareness.
Each week brought steady progress, and it’s been so inspiring to watch their confidence bloom.
"So proud of them all! Can’t wait till we start back in August with our second session focusing on the back half of the alphabet" - Ms. Emilirose
Brave Mice, Beautiful Art, and Thoughtful Discussions
The Owls spent their month immersed in storytelling, nature, and classic art. Together, they read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, diving deep into the story and sharing thoughtful narrations filled with insight. Open-ended questions encouraged meaningful conversation, like “Who showed a lot of courage in this chapter?” and helped the children connect personally with the characters.
They also studied some of Vermeer’s most well-known paintings, including The Girl With the Pearl Earring, and created their own interpretations using watercolor—each one a quiet reflection of the child behind the brush. Nature study continued with selections from the Burgess Animal Book and Albert by Donna Jo Napoli, while poetry time wrapped up with our focus poet James Whitcomb Riley.
"...the children certainly had their opinions about [James Whitcomb Riley] but overall they enjoyed most of his poems!" - Ms. Emily
Tiny Climbers and Colorful Creations
The Little Acorns and Little Chestnuts had a month full of hands-on discovery and gentle growth. They continued exploring beeswax and clay, warming it in their hands, stamping patterns, and feeling the textures change beneath their fingers.
Watercolor painting gave them a chance to learn new techniques—rinsing their brushes between colors became a fun little ritual, full of giggles and swirling bowls. At the gym, they explored the bouldering area designed just for little ones, climbing with determination and wide-eyed joy.
These simple moments of exploration and movement made the month feel full and rich in the best way.
“A few worked with belayers too and got to try rock climbing! It’s been a wonderful month!” - Ms. Sofia
Outings & Celebrations
Summer Solstice Festival
We came together to celebrate the Summer Solstice with light, laughter, and seasonal crafts. The children helped create summer-inspired crafts and enjoyed stories, songs, and time together that honored the turning of the season.
Sedona Outing to Buddha Beach
Our trip to Buddha Beach in Sedona was peaceful and beautiful. Families explored the red rocks and the cool river waters, enjoying a slow-paced day in one of Arizona’s most breathtaking landscapes. It was a sweet way to begin the season.
A Pause for Rest
Acorn School will take a short break in July to rest and reset. Classes will begin again in August at Climbmax Rock Gym as we continue our joyful summer session. We’re already looking forward to the adventures ahead!
