Grateful Grove
Welcome to
SUMMER of WONDER!
WEEK 1: The Shining Sun & The Giving Earth
We’ll be exploring the power of the sun and richness
of the earth. A week of shadow play, sun prints, sowing
seeds, mud pies and plenty of orchard fun in the sun!
WEEK 2: Water & Weaving our Worlds
Like the river, we’ll flow between water play and weaving
with natural materials. Fiber arts, bark rafts and fishing
poles, this week is sure to float your camper’s boat!
WEEK 3: Herbal Alchemy & Harvest Magic
The harvest is abundant! This week we’ll learn to
transform herbs and fruits from the land to heal and
nourish. Apricot jam, tea party, herb sachets & more!
Give your child the gift of Summer days on a ranch
filled with wonder, warmth, and play! ✨
Each camp week includes circle songs, stories, work & play.
We will provide a nutritious snack.
You will send your camper with a healthy lunch.
Grateful Grove serves to cultivate gratitude and nurture the individual will of each child
through the head, heart and hands. Thus nourishing the whole being through lovingly
prepared meals, purposeful work, developmental movement, storytelling and rich
imaginative play.
Our preschool enrichment program is an outdoor, teacher-led, child-focused, heart-
centered endeavor. Guided by principles of Waldorf education and operating in harmony
with the daily, weekly and seasonal rhythms of nature, we strive to create an optimal
environment for each child to live into their full expression.
Our Mission
Our Offerings
Preschool Enrichment
1 Class/Week ~ 10 week Sessions
We are Learning...
- Developmental Movement Circle Time
- Life Cycles of Plants & Animals
- Seasonal Earth Cycles
- Practical Life Skills
- Gardening
- Food Prep
- Baking
- Communication
- Handwork & Fiber Arts
- Painting and drawing
- Listening & Storytelling Skills
- Social & Emotional Awareness
We Provide...
- Homemade Vegetarian Meals
- Small group size, individualized care
Wednesday or Thursdays
9:30a - 1:45p
Ages 2.5-6
SPRING SESSION I Jan 8,9 - Mar 12,13
SPRING SESSION II Mar 19,20 - Jun 4, 5
$800/ Session*
*Plus $75 Deposit
Child & Guide Classes
9:30a-11a
Ages 1 - 3 + Adult
- Outdoor Free Play
- Circletime
- Seasonal Craft
- Homemade Snack
- Nature Walk
- Puppet Story
- Community
- Connection
SPRING SESSION Apr 11,18 & May 2,9,16
$150 - Session (5 Classes)
How to Enroll in Preschool Enrichment Days
- Fill out an Application or Email for more info
- Email to schedule a Tour & Interview
- Pay Deposit and submit Enrollment Forms
- Welcome to the Grateful Grove!
*We are a small secular program with limited spots available.
You must Contact us and come for a Tour before sending charter funds
Our preschool pod first started back in August of 2020 as a humble but
hopeful remedy to the isolation that we were collectively experiencing at that
time. With many years of Waldorf early childhood experience and a desire to
maintain a sense of normalcy, rhythm and connection for my youngest son who
was 5 at the time, I started meeting with local families in the park under a
lovely pepper tree. It was here that Peppertree Pod first sprouted. We shared
circle songs and puppet stories and made seasonal crafts together at a time
when gathering was frowned upon but so desperately needed. Peppertree
Pod soon grew and we moved our meetings to our property on an acre
avocado ranch in the foothills of Vista, where we continued our parent and
child style classes through the following Spring.
With the impulse of inspiration from a small but amazing group of families
wanting a more formal preschool enrichment experience for their little ones,
Grateful Grove Preschool Pod was born. Together with six families we created
a wild and nurturing space for children to explore and play. Honoring the
original pod vision, our community remains intentionally small and intimate,
allowing for freedom and flexibility in your early educational choices.
Our Story
Meet Miss Jill
Hello, I’m Miss Jill. I’m a single mother of 3, ages 9, 12, & 16, a dog, 2 cats and 4
chickens. I come from a large extended family and spent much of my childhood
alongside my mother who was also a preschool teacher. Being around young
children is truly second nature and I believe that it is a blessing and a privilege to
work with children. I met a Waldorf preschool teacher when I was pregnant with
my first child and so began my deep dive into Waldorf education. I have a BA in
Human Development. I’ve worked for over 10 years in Waldorf early childhood
and am currently working to complete my Waldorf teaching certificate.
I am dedicated to my own inner work and passionate about building supportive
communities for the families in my circle and beyond. My daughter and I dance
hula together. I’ve practiced Tai Chi for many years and enjoy all forms of dance
and movement. I bring ritual and reverence into all of my work. I love finding
magic in the present moment and sharing my wonder for nature and love of life.
I work with children of ALL ages and lovingly refer to my work with adults as
“Re-preschooling the People”. Developing the art of being human is a lifelong
practice. I also work directly with parents to bring more ease and joy and
confidence to the parenting journey.
Preschool Enrichment
Child & Guide Classes
Family Counsel
“Receive the children in reverence, educate them in love,
and send them forth in freedom.”
--Rudolf Steiner