🐢🐟🐶 Little Friends, Big Lessons: Animals at Wonder Tree

Animals are a big part of life at Wonder Tree. They are not just “around” the children – they are part of our everyday rhythm, our learning, and our philosophy. From caring for our turtles and koi fish to spending time with our gentle dog, Charlie, the children are surrounded by living beings that invite connection, curiosity and care.
Over time, I’ve noticed how naturally children are drawn to animals. There is something grounding and comforting about being around them. For many children, greeting Charlie in the morning, feeding the fish, or checking in on the turtles becomes part of their sense of belonging at Wonder Tree. These moments help children feel at home in the environment and build emotional connections beyond just people.
🐶 Charlie: A Bridge for Belonging and Comfort
Charlie, our dog, holds a very special place in the Wonder Tree community. I’ve observed how children who may feel unsure or nervous in a new environment often find comfort in Charlie’s calm presence. Sitting beside him, gently patting his fur, or simply watching him move around the space can help children regulate their emotions and feel safe.
Charlie often becomes a bridge for connection – between children, between home and day care, and between emotions and expression. Some children who are quiet or slow to warm up find it easier to connect through Charlie first. These moments support emotional wellbeing, empathy and gentle communication.

🐢🐟 Caring for Turtles and Koi: Learning Responsibility Through Real Life

Our turtles and koi fish offer children opportunities to observe, care for and respect living creatures. Feeding time becomes a shared experience of responsibility. Children learn that animals depend on us, that they have needs, and that our actions matter.
I’ve seen children become more patient, gentle and attentive through these interactions. Watching the fish swim or the turtles move slowly through the water encourages calm observation, wonder and curiosity. These moments often spark conversations about habitats, water, food, and caring for living things – learning that is meaningful because it is real.

What I Observe in Children?

Through daily interactions with our animals, I have noticed children:

• Develop empathy and gentleness
• Show care and responsibility for living things
• Build emotional regulation through calm animal interactions
• Feel a strong sense of belonging and comfort in the environment
• Grow in confidence as they take part in caring routines

For some children, animals provide a sense of familiarity from home. For others, they offer new experiences and gentle opportunities to learn about respect, boundaries and care.

Animals as Part of the Wonder Tree Philosophy

At Wonder Tree, our animals reflect our belief in holistic, relationship-based learning. Children learn not only through activities, but through relationships – with people, with the environment, and with animals. Being surrounded by animals supports children’s emotional wellbeing, sense of connection, and understanding that they are part of a living, interconnected world.
Children spend a large part of their day in an environment where animals are present. This means their learning is not separated from real life – it is woven into it. The presence of turtles, koi and Charlie creates opportunities for spontaneous learning, conversations, observations, and moments of care that cannot be planned on a worksheet.

Growing with Gentle Teachers

Animals at Wonder Tree are gentle teachers. They teach patience, empathy, responsibility and connection in ways that feel natural and meaningful for young children. Through these everyday experiences, children learn to be kind to others, to notice the needs of living things, and to feel a sense of belonging in the world around them.

At Wonder Tree, our animals are part of our story, our learning, and our heart – helping us grow kind, connected and caring little humans, one gentle moment at a time.

Written by Ana – early childhood educator and the heart behind Wonder Tree, sharing everyday moments of play, art and nature.
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Sustainability is not something I “teach” at Wonder Tree in a formal way – it’s something we live together every day. Through my experiences as an educator, I’ve noticed that children are naturally drawn to caring for their environment when they are given real opportunities to take part in it. Simple routines like composting food scraps, sorting recycling, reusing materials for play, and caring for our garden have become meaningful learning moments for the children in my care.
Over time, I’ve observed how these small, everyday practices build children’s awareness of the world around them. Children love being involved. They take pride in helping scrape leftover fruit into the compost, carrying small buckets, watering the plants, and finding new uses for boxes, containers and loose parts. What might seem like a simple chore to an adult becomes a powerful learning experience for a child.
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What I Notice in the Children

Through these experiences, I’ve seen children:

• Show a strong sense of responsibility and ownership over our environment
• Become more mindful about where things belong (what goes in the bin, recycling or compost)
• Develop empathy and care for plants, animals and living things
• Take initiative in reminding each other about caring for resources
• Feel proud when they contribute in meaningful ways

These moments tell me that children are not too young to care about sustainability. In fact, they are often more open and enthusiastic about it than we expect. When sustainability is part of their daily rhythm, it becomes normal, not something extra.

How Sustainability Looks at Wonder Tree?

At Wonder Tree, sustainability is woven into our routines and play:

• Composting:
  Children are actively involved in placing food scraps into our compost. We talk about what happens to our leftovers and how they return to the soil. I’ve noticed children becoming curious about what happens “after we throw it away” and asking questions about worms, soil and gardens.
• Recycling & Reusing:
  We reuse everyday materials for creative play and art. I often observe children finding new purposes for boxes, tubes and containers, showing creativity and problem-solving while learning that not everything needs to be thrown away.
• Gardening & Caring for Living Things:
  Watering our garden and watching plants grow has helped children understand that living things need care, patience and time. I’ve seen children form connections with plants in the same way they do with our animals – gently checking on them and noticing small changes.
• Nature Play:
  Many of our learning experiences involve natural materials. Children are calm, focused and deeply engaged when working with leaves, sticks, stones and soil. These experiences support both sustainability and wellbeing.
• Modelling and Relationships:
  I am mindful that children learn most from what they see. By modelling respect for our environment – turning off taps, caring for resources, speaking about nature with care – children begin to mirror these behaviours in their own play and routines.

Reflections as an Educator
Reflecting on my practice, I can see that sustainability is not just about environmental care – it is also about nurturing children’s sense of connection, responsibility and belonging. When children are trusted to take part in real tasks, they feel capable and valued. These experiences support their confidence and sense of agency.
I have learned that sustainability in early childhood doesn’t need to be perfect or complicated. It grows through small, consistent actions and through relationships – between children, educators, families and the environment we share.

Planting Seeds for the Future

My hope is that the children who spend time at Wonder Tree carry these small habits with them – noticing where their food scraps go, caring for plants, reusing materials creatively, and seeing the natural world as something to be respected and protected. These early experiences may seem small, but I believe they plant seeds for how children will care for their world in the years to come.
At Wonder Tree, sustainability is part of our story – lived, felt, and grown together, one small moment at a time. 🌳​
Written by Ana – early childhood educator and the heart behind Wonder Tree, sharing everyday moments of play, art and nature.