Outdoor Early Childhood Program in Cumberland, Maine

Creekside Hollow is situated on 2½ acres of woodland, field, gardens and running creek.

Forest program

In a forest program, children learn through hands-on interaction with the natural world. They develop their senses alongside their social, emotional, and physical selves, which are the building blocks of academic and lifelong skills. Days spent outdoors build gross and fine motor skills, balance, endurance, and vestibular and proprioceptive systems. Confidence grows with each passing season.

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Deep nature connection

Rooted in the teachings of Jon Young and other earth-connected educators, we guide children to understand that we are part of nature, not separate from it. This connection nurtures physical and mental health, self-regulation, and cognitive and social development, building a foundation for environmental awareness and future stewardship.

Children who spend time in nature tend to be more physically active, focused, and resilient. I believe every child deserves to be seen, heard, and valued, to feel a sense of belonging and know that their actions matter. These qualities open doors to STEM thinking and deeper inquiry.

Learning at Creekside Hollow

  • Free play is woven into our daily rhythm. Children drop into imaginative outdoor play, building cooperation, compromise, and emotional resilience. We use loose parts, a Reggio Emilia teaching tool, to support creative and sensory exploration.

  • Waldorf early childhood circle times are known for movement, rhythm, and verse. We stomp, sing, skip, make finger rhymes, and explore concepts together. Repetitive songs and full-body movement build pre-literacy pathways.

  • Children sit in wonder as they hear carefully chosen stories of the seasons, magical creatures, world and indigenous myths, folk and fairy tales. I often return to the same story for several days, using puppets and inviting children to act out the characters and ideas as they make them their own.

  • Children paint, cut, glue, work with clay, and make nature crafts daily. Our projects are process-oriented, not product-oriented.

  • I have been collecting children’s literature for decades. My library celebrates beauty, problem-solving, and social-emotional learning, chosen to inspire a lifelong love of reading.

  • A weekly Spanish teacher introduces the language through song, games, crafts, and more.

Goats in the snow

Winter months

When winter arrives, my sunny kitchen and living room become our cozy indoor space. The environment is Waldorf-inspired, with natural materials, loose parts, and Reggio areas. We bake our meals together, hold structured circle times full of movement, and no matter the weather, we head outside by 10:00 am.

Farming and gardening

Children help care for our goats and chickens: collecting eggs, feeding animals, and building gentle, caring relationships. Our cats Frog and Toad make the occasional celebrity appearance.

In the vegetable garden, children participate through every season, planting seeds in spring and harvesting in fall. There is real wonder in the moment a child realizes the carrot they just pulled from the earth grew from a seed they pressed into the ground months before.

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  • “Rebecca has the rare ability to tailor her approach to each child's individual personality and needs, while maintaining fairness and togetherness in the group. She helps build community among both the children and their families.

    Her positive influence with the children is evident in their trust and love of her, as well as their interactions with one another. She handles conflict firmly, yet lovingly. Her circle times are pure magic. Sweet smiles, songs, and cooperation leave an observer with hope for the future.“

    - Paula

  • The diversity of these families was a reflection of the international, religious, cultural, alternative lifestyle, same gender mix of families that comprise West Sonoma county. Rebecca was able to bring all of us together in the spirit of creating accepting, supporting environment allowing the children in the community to fully experience the magic of childhood for which Waldorf early education stands. Parents formed lasting friendships and now there is a formidable Mighty Oak community that remains in Sonoma County.

    - Anna

  • From the very beginning it was very clear that Rebecca has created a warm, interconnected community of families who brought their (often multiple) children into her care and stayed connected to her well after the child had graduated. Rebecca was able to bring us all together in the spirit of bringing an accepting, supporting environment allowing the children in the community to fully experience childhood.

    - Anna

  • Rebecca embodies the Waldorf early-childhood principles, from the way she set up her beautiful, simple and magical space to the ways she interacted with the children and their families. She met each of my children where they were, really saw their needs and supported them with kindness, care and love. Rebecca is as wonderful with parents as she is with their children. She communicates clearly and naturally - we always felt like her partner, and took every opportunity to soak up her wisdom as an experienced teacher.

    - Francesca

  • We had the utter privilege of having her help shape, educate, and nourish the souls of our two daughters, each from the ages 2 years old until recently. The oldest is six (will be seven in October) and the youngest is just shy of 5. I am so grateful we had Rebecca in their early life!

  • Rebecca held parent evenings and holiday events, and I know each time I walked away feeling inspired and grateful to the part of such well meaning and supportive group of parents.

    I simply cannot recommend Rebecca highly enough. She is truly a shining light for any community. Our own family has relocated to Richmond, VA earlier this year and we certainly plan to visit each other in our new homes and stay connected with Rebecca for many years to come.