Overview
The Reggio Emilia approach to teaching toddlers puts at the center of its philosophy the natural development of children and the close relationship they have with their environment. In their 2008 design for the Children's School Toddler Gardens and Play Spaces, Betsy Schulz and Katie Pelisek honored Reggio Emilia’s strong emphasis on natural materials and enriching surroundings. The project involved installing 22 tons of boulders to terrace play areas; planting low-water succulents and native vegetation, fruit trees, and a variety of plants that attract birds and butterflies; building a rustic stage, outdoor reading beds, an art barn and hogan; establishing decomposed granite paths that meander through the natural landscape; and adding playful wooden gates and fences to define each toddler area. Parents and students painted and decorated 22 birdhouses for the bird and butterfly garden area.
| Name: | The Children’s School Toddler Gardens and Play Spaces |
| Artist: | Betsy Kopshina Schulz and Katie Pelisek |
| Medium: | Landscape |
| Size: | 14,000 sq. ft. |
| Duration: | June–September 2008 |
| Location: | 2225 Torrey Pines Lane, La Jolla, CA |
| Client: | The Children’s School |
| Thanks: | Julie Lee, Molly Huffman and Betty Lou Kopshina |
