Our Space

A place made for childhood

Hawthorn Circle is intentionally designed to feel like a place where children belong—not a classroom they visit for the day. Indoors and out, children have access to spaces that invite them to create, build, move, imagine, investigate, get messy and settle in with something quiet when they need to. Our environment changes with the children, the seasons and whatever has captured our curiosity lately.

Outside is where much of the magic happens

We spend a significant part of our days outdoors. Children can dig and build in the sand, create wonderfully messy concoctions in the mud kitchen, balance and climb, make art, explore the garden, investigate the dino swamp, disappear into imaginative worlds in the fig jungle and fairy play house, or simply find their own corner of the yard and invent something entirely new. The space is meant to be used—not just looked at.

Room to move, test & take reasonable risks

Children need opportunities to discover what their bodies can do. Our outdoor environment gives them room to climb, balance, carry, haul, run, jump and experiment with movement while learning to assess challenges and build confidence. I provide supervision and appropriate boundaries while allowing children the satisfaction that comes from figuring out, “I can do this,” for themselves.

A garden children can belong to

Our garden is part playground, part science lab and part pantry. Children can watch plants change through the seasons, dig in the soil, discover insects, help plant and harvest, taste something straight from the garden and experience where food actually comes from. They don’t just visit the garden for an activity—they get to know it as part of their everyday world.

Animals are part of our world, too

Hawthorn Circle is also home to dogs, a cat, chickens and quail so animals are a natural part of the environment children experience here. With appropriate supervision and boundaries, children have opportunities to observe animals, learn how to behave gently and respectfully around them, and experience the everyday joy and responsibility that comes with sharing space with other living things.

Indoors feels like home

Indoors, children find a comfortable, home-like environment with books, open-ended toys, art materials, sensory experiences and invitations that change with their interests and what we’re exploring. There are places to create and play together as well as spaces to slow down, look at a book or take a little break from the action. The goal isn’t to recreate a classroom—it’s to give children a rich, welcoming place to spend their day.

A space that changes with the children

The environment at Hawthorn Circle is never truly finished. Materials move, play areas evolve and new invitations appear as I notice what children are interested in, what skills they are working on and what the season brings. Sometimes an area is carefully prepared; other times the children transform it themselves. Their ideas help shape the space just as much as mine do.

Come prepared to play

Hawthorn Circle is a place for play clothes, sturdy shoes and children who are allowed to get dirty. Mud, paint, sand, water, garden soil and the occasional mysterious smudge are all part of a normal day here. Families should send children in clothing that can handle real childhood—because protecting an outfit should never be more important than joining the adventure.

See if Hawthorn Circle feels like your kind of place

The environment at Hawthorn Circle tells you a lot about the kind of childhood we value: active, curious, creative, connected to nature and full of opportunities to explore. If you can picture your child digging in the garden, inventing something in the mud kitchen, caring for animals, creating art and coming home with plenty to tell you about, Hawthorn Circle might feel a lot like home.