“Hello, how are you!” greets Melissa Thompson as a family rolls in for her Nature Tots class. “I love seeing your big smile every time.”
It’s a brisk, windy spring day at the nature center. But adults with toddlers in tow are ready for a morning outside at Nature Tots.
Launched in October 2024, Nature Tots is a six-week-long program for ages 16 months to 3 years old. The program helps families gain confidence outdoors and offers strategies to support their children’s development.
A toddler engaging with the coloring station.
Melissa recognized the need for toddler activities in the community—and right at home. “During pick up time at the Preschool, I saw toddlers waiting for their siblings,” Melissa explains. Now substitute teaching after welcoming her daughter in 2023, she missed being full-time at the Preschool. “I had my 1.5-year-old daughter Beverly and still wanted to be involved in the Dodge culture.”
As families trickle in, self-guided stations are ready for the kids to explore at their own pace. Melissa intentionally developed simple, yet engaging activities that foster motor and social skills.
The sensory bin station. This week's bin is bird themed with tiny nests and eggs.
A space for coloring supports fine motor development, introduces a beginning writing grip, encourages creativity, and serves as a calming activity that aids emotional regulation. A sensory bin filled with dried beans and other small trinkets encourages language development—and because it’s a favorite for the children, it also helps them practice sharing and communication.
“Come on over and hold a handle!” Melissa sings to gather the full group as she unravels a colorful parachute. Every Nature Tots session starts (and ends) with a song—this helps kids understand routine and transitions.
Parents and toddlers holding the parachute together.
“We’re going to sing our wind song! Do you feel the wind today?” Melissa leads. Adults grab the parachute handles as it balloons into the air. Toddlers teeter under, jumping and dancing beneath the billowing chute.
Mid-program, a preschooler hiking with his class spots his mom and sibling at Nature Tots and sprints over. After a quick hug, he rejoins his class.
Melissa leading the group through a song during parachute time, with 2-year-old Henry and mom Tori standing to her left.
“When we moved to Minnesota, we found Dodge and loved it,” shares his mom, Tori Sadofsky. She’s at Nature Tots with her younger son, 2-year-old Henry. “Nature Tots gives Henry the ability to feel like he’s involved, too. He sees how much his older brother loves the Preschool. This is a great bridge for him to experience it on a smaller scale.”
Now in its 25th year, the Preschool is a trusted provider of high-quality, nature-based early childhood education. Melissa hopes Nature Tots will introduce more families to Dodge and give them a look into life at the Preschool.
Molly Lauth sitting with her daughter Clara during a walk to the pond.
“This is her first experience with any kind of school,” shares Molly Lauth with daughter Clara beside her. “It puts her out of her comfort zone in a good way. It’s a gentle way to be exposed to other kids and experience a group environment.”
After a short walk to the pond, snack and story time, and more time with activity stations, the program wraps up. “We had a big day at Nature Tots!” Melissa says as she gathers everyone for the closing song. “We gotta go now, bye, bye! See ya later, alligator, in a while, crocodile, see you next time.”
This article was originally published in the Nourish Your Need for Nature Newsletter, Spring/Summer 2025.