Flourish- a food and farming program for children believes that when children are allowed to explore the natural world, participate in nature activities, learn about food and engage in fun social interactions they can flourish.
Located in Birdsboro, PA , Flourish is a safe and supportive environment where children are allowed to fully be themselves. We offer hands on, experiential learning that fosters growth, problem solving, creativity and critical thinking.
Through an array of activities in the garden and in the kitchen, children are encouraged to develop skills that will foster lifelong habits leading to health and happiness.
Working in the garden, children develop senses of wonder and responsibility- seeding, planting, watering, caring for plants. They also learn about food- where it comes from and how it is grown.
When we harvest, we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor by creating simple dishes with our produce. Children learn basic culinary skills during our time in the kitchen and they are encouraged to experiment and be creative! They are also learning how to listen to their bodies and develop a sense of intuition about food.
We provide real life practical opportunities for children to learn science, math, team building, cooperation, writing and more. The program fosters empowerment, social interaction and self confidence.
The program is divided into 3 different levels :
Daily fees vary according to age group.
There is a 15 % discount for those who sign up for all classes
We offer a sibling discount as well- pay full price for 1 child, 2nd child receives $5 off daily fee and 3rd child receives $10 off
18 months to 3 years- Mondays 10-12:30
$35 per day
Children learn best when all of their senses are engaged- particularly the younger toddlers. This 2.5 hour weekly program incorporates movement, sensory play with nature items and food , digging in the soil, exploring insects, flowers and plants, simple garden activities like seeding and harvesting and preparation of simple dishes.
June 3, June 10th, June 17th, June 24
July 1st, July 8th, July 15th, July 22nd, July 29th
August 5th, August 19th, August 26th
4-6 years- Tuesdays 10-1
$40 per day
Sensory play continues to dominate our 3 hours together each week. Children are hiking in the woods, using all of their senses as we identify different birds, bird calls, insects, aquatic animals and plants. They engage in simple garden activities like digging, composting, seeding, watering and harvesting. And, we cook. Children use their ever developing fine motor skills to process foods in the kitchen to create simple and delicious meals.
June 4th, June 11th, June 18th, June 25th
July 2nd, July 9th, July 16th, July 23, July 30
August 5, August 19, August 27
7-10 years- Thursdays 10-2
$45 per day
In our 4 hours together each week, we focus on more garden and culinary activities in different weekly themes.
Children begin to develop simple culinary skills – cutting, baking, sautéing, roasting, boiling, etc. We work with different recipes ( reading recipes, doubling recipes, measuring, coming up with our own creations and writing those down). We dive into how our bodies run and what our bodies need to be strong (simple anatomy and physiology) and create meals with those foods. In the garden, children are responsible for different “jobs” – feeding the chickens, stirring the compost, watering the beds, mulching the beds, etc.
June 6th, June 13, June 20, June 27
July 11, July 18, July 25
August 1, August 8, August 22, August 29
Who we are:
Annmarie Cantrell :
I am a former early intervention specialist who worked with children for over 20 years.
About 20 years ago, I transitioned from this career into a career of food and wellness. I run a small sauerkraut business, do cooking classes, workshops and work privately with clients helping them to reconnect to their intuition when it comes to truly nourishing themselves. I also work with parents of children who are picky eaters, have food allergies, or diagnoses of ADD, autism, etc. and help the family create dietary interventions that can help heal the body. I personally believe that the amount of illness we see in our country is primarily due to our disconnection with nature. If we strive to truly be healthy, we need to restore our connection and learn to work with nature instead of trying to dominate it. That is why I am so excited to work again with young children in this way to reinforce the love of nature and it’s healing powers!
Ann Murphy-
Ann is a former homeschool mom who homeschooled her 3 children who are now adults. She is a Certified Holistic Health Coach/Lifestyle Educator who began a journey of healing herself of chronic illness after she found no help from allopathic doctors. She is an avid nature lover and enjoys exploring the outdoors and espouses the healing powers of nature for children and adults.
Sam Cantrell
My husband Sam has been farming organically for over 25 years and has a passion for teaching others about how to live in connection with nature, grow food sustainably and build community. For forty years, his mission statement has been “to improve public understanding of the importance of conservation and ecological thinking”.
At our previous home, Maysie’s Farm Conservation Center, which was both a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture farm) and a non-profit educational center, we ran numerous student programs that centered around farming and cooking. We are excited to once again offer these opportunities!
If you are interested in joining, please fill out the registration form here.
We will be in touch upon receipt of registration and send an invoice for the program .
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