About The School
Physical Movement
We believe children should be active in their bodies; learning, exploring, understanding through their physical interactions. We integrate hand-eye coordination exercises alongside agility practices that set our littles up to be confident in their bodies. We introduce team sports, as well as individual practices like yoga, to expose various activities. We use our hands to dig in dirt and tend to the playschool garden, and we use our senses to smell the flowers and hear the birds. We are grounded in our physical bodies!
Enlightening Educational Moments
We strive to make learning fun for Farm & Love Farm Playschool littles. We use elements around us in nature as learning opportunities. A is for Acorn that falls from the Oak trees, A is for Alpaca or Apple at snack. We center our months around a theme with each week focusing on core components of that theme. We use art, storytime, and the grace of nature around us to think outside the box and make connections with literacy and emotional development. We are active storytellers in our learning journey and encourage our children to be excited about education. Learning is also derived from social-emotional interactions and mindfulness exercises, both of which are integral elements at Sun & Love Farm.
Stewards of Nature
We want to teach our littles about the seasons, seedlings, harvest, animals and insects, and so much more. We expect dirty fingernails and dirt-in-shoes when they get home. We collect leaves and pine cones and discuss ladybugs and bees. We go on hikes in Knowland Park and if lucky enough, see the Brown Bears in their enclosure (Oakland Zoo). Our mascots, Boogie and Woogie, are always nearby too to remind us of the power of poop! (Alpaca poop is considered “gold” in the composting world).
Community/Parents
We believe that raising strong kids requires a strong tribe and community. As part of our playschool offering, we will bring programming together for our parents to learn, connect, and have fun!
State of California Department of Social Services
License #: 013423483 | Facility #: 013423639
About The Farm
At the heart of Sun & Love Farm Playschool is…well, the Farm!
We teach our littles about the seasons, seedlings, harvest, animals and insects, and so much more.
The Landscape
Sun & Love Farm is a urban farm set next to Knowland Park and the Oakland Zoo.
The property boasts a diverse offering of trees, drought resistant flowers and plants and native wildlife.
The Trees
Coast Live Oak (6) – evergreen with spiny leaves. One of the most common oak trees in the east bay that gave oakland its name. Many of the snl oak trees provide the strength to hang swings, zip lines and climbing equipment for the kids.
Mediterranean Cypress (6) – coniferous evergreen, dark green with seed cones.
Monterey Pine (3)– evergreen conifer, large pine cones – the one tall mp came down in a storm in march of 2023 and we milled up the lumber to create much of the chairs, tables around the property. Also it helped create the completion of the garden house.
Silver Birch (2)- thin leaved deciduous hardwood tree- fine grained. The bark was prized by native americans. Often used for timber- extracts are used for oil, soaps, shampoo. The birch trees at snl offer shade in the upper area of the yard.
Coffea (2)- the world’s most valuable and traded commodity- coffee! Its a beautiful tree producing bright edible red fruit. The main coffee tree at snl provides a greeting to the southeast asian garden play area.
Maple (2)- deciduous small tree with dome like structure unique leaves. The maple offers wonderful shade for the sun and love farms sand box play area.
Bay (2) – aromatic evergreen. Leaves have many culinary and medicinal purposes. This tree is a anchor point for the snl climbing wall, tee box, play area, swings and nap area.
Irish Strawberry Tree (1) – evergreen – its fruit is used medicinally and culinary. Green leaves, white flowers and red fruit. This tree provides snl with a food source and anchors the zip line, gymnastic rings and climbing ladder.
Our Animal Friends
Boogie & Woogie are a dynamic alpaca father son duo. They enjoy long walks of grazing around the lower field, getting some sun or relaxing in the shade and when they can breaking into the chicken coop to eat the chicken feed they really like. Alpacas are a south american camelid species often confused with llamas.
Alpacas are South American camelid mammals. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can successfully crossbreed. Both species are believed to have been domesticated from their wild relatives, the vicuña and guanaco. There are two breeds of alpaca: the suri alpaca and the huacaya alpaca.
