Nursery school, for most, is a grab bag of murky memories. Peanut butter and jelly on Ritz crackers, finger paint, the odd brawl over who got to drive the toy firetruck– these are the recollections we maintain from our earliest years as members of social society.
The kids at Beginnings might have a different set of memories when they grow up. A nursery school program that began in the fall of 1983 in an East Village apartment, Beginnings is known for its progressive educational philosophy and– best of all– its dedication to the principles of green living.
How does this manifest? Take The Materials Center, for one. Located in the attic of the nursery school, the Center is packed with recycled and found objects that kids can use for problem-solving, play and art projects. Some of the options include seed pods, pinecones, abandoned birds’ nests, keyboards, cardboard tubes, cellophane, lamp shades, clock parts, sponge foam, wood chips, spice jars, spools and egg cartons.
“From the perspective of young children, with their strong inclination towards symbolic play and their tendency to transform objects based on their own interests and imagination,” the school explains, “these materials are ripe with possibility.”
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