El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative

Play, Learn and Grow at ECPC

school grounds

Igloo and forest ignite imaginations

A surprise welcomed our little ECPC co-opers back to school after the winter break. A milk-jug igloo and a forest of recycled Christmas trees transformed our front-yard sandbox into an imagination playground.

At a time when midyear doldrums threaten and children have to readjust to school after vacation, changes to the school environment can reignite their excitement and spark new play to entice them back into the routine. (And participating parents might say it helps re-engerize us, too!)

Parents collected rinsed-out gallon milk jugs for months ahead of time — many of them from Peet’s (thanks!) — and families brought in their Christmas trees after the new year. Before school resumed, volunteer parents gathered to prepare the scene. They built the milk jug igloo using hot glue guns (no kids allowed for this one!) and “planted” the trees in the sand.

Thank you to all the volunteers and jug/tree donors who made our winter wonderland happen! The igloo and forest have been a temporary treat, but don’t worry — just like Frosty the Snowman, this ECPC tradition will be back again next year (and as long as we have wonderful member families who keep our school the most magical place around…if that sounds like someone you know, they can apply today)!

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Layers of paint reveal 75 years of co-op life

For nearly 75 years, the El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative has supported Bay Area children and families with play, learning and community. The layers of paint on our teachers’ chair are a testament to the generations of preschoolers (and parents!) who have grown on our grounds. For years, children have shared their news in this chair and been lifted in celebration on their birthdays, and parents and teachers have rested, taught and nurtured from it.

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Hummingbirds nest in our backyard

Science brought itself to our children this spring, when hummingbirds nested in our backyard. With so many beautiful outdoor areas on our campus, ECPC kids get to experience the natural world in all kinds of ways, from tending plants to collecting bugs. Watching these little ones was just one of those special opportunities to observe nature right here in the middle of town.

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Igloo and magical forest welcome kids back to school

When ECPC kids returned to school after winter break, they found a surprise waiting for them. An igloo made of milk jugs and a forest of recycled Christmas trees transformed our front-yard sandbox into a wonderland of the imagination.

At a time when midyear doldrums threaten and children have to readjust to school after vacation, changes to the school environment can reignite their excitement and spark new play to entice them back into the routine. (And participating parents might say it helps re-engerize us, too!)

Parents collected rinsed-out gallon milk jugs for months ahead of time — many of them from Peet’s (thanks!) — and families brought in their Christmas trees after the new year. Before school resumed, volunteer parents gathered to prepare the scene. They built the milk jug igloo using hot glue guns (no kids allowed for this one!) and “planted” the trees in the sand.

Check out a video of the building of the igloo and — best of all — the kids’ reaction to it.

  • Also: Prospective families are invited to explore the igloo and forest at our open house, 10:00-12:00 on Sat., Jan. 24 at 7200 Moeser Lane in El Cerrito. This fun event lets parents and children experience the play-based approach and fun environment at ECPC, which has operated as a Bay Area cooperative preschool since 1940.

Thank you to all the volunteers and jug/tree donors who made our winter wonderland happen! The igloo and forest will eventually come down, but don’t worry — just like Frosty the Snowman, this ECPC tradition will be back again next year (and as long as we have wonderful member families who keep our school the most magical place around…if that sounds like someone you know, they can apply today)!