Growing curious minds in the city
Sparrows and Sprouts works to cultivate children's love of nature and themselves as a part of it. We offer urban nature study, sensory play, and mindfulness classes for children, ages 2 and up and their families. Our classes aim to follow the natural curiosity and questions of the children. We also offer birthday party planning and entertainment, and programs for schools, scout troops, summer camps, and libraries. Sparrows and Sprouts has been recognized as a 2024 Philadelphia Family Favorite for nature education.
Little Sprouts Nature Classes
Discover the natural wonders of fall at FDR Park. Enjoy stories, songs, games, and plenty of outdoor play!
Classes begin with sensory or art activities until everyone arrives. We open with a song, and then a themed story time, including finger plays, songs, felt board, and puppets. Whenever possible, children have the opportunity to see and touch natural specimens. The second half of the class includes more active play, such as guided nature walks, scavenger hunts, gross motor games, and occasionally making a snack related to the topic. Families will take home a fact sheet for further exploration at home.
Children are always invited but never required to participate in group activities. Young children are not always able to sit through a structured circle time, and that's OK. Families are welcome to engage with the class in whatever ways work for them.
Intended for children ages 2-5 and a caregiver.
Where: FDR Park (Philadelphia)
When: April 1 - May 24
Time: Mondays at 4pm or Fridays at 10am
Cost: $100 for the 8-week series or $15 per class (please register in advance)
April 1/5 - Spring has Sprung
April 8/12 - April Showers
April 15/19 - Terrific Trees
April 22/26 - From Tadpole to Frog
April 29/May 3 - Birds and their Nifty Nests
May 6/10- Wonderful, Wiggly Worms
May 13/17 - Who’s in the Pond?
May 20/24 - Hives, Holes, and other Homes
Sensory Safari
This series of classes is designed to be both a fun, hands-on investigation of the senses for young children, and a course for parents in how the senses develop in early childhood. Each class will focus on one of the senses and may include activities such as sensory play and discovery, stories, games, and movement. Parents will leave each class with a deeper understanding of their children’s development and plenty of ideas for further exploration at home.
Intended for children ages 2-5 and a caregiver.
Where: Beehive at Bok
When: February 15 - March 21
Time: Thursdays at 10 AM
Cost: $15 per class or $72 for the series of 6 classes
Tending the Garden:
A Family Connection Class
Could your family use a weekly time and space for connection, to really be present and enjoy your time together? This class for the whole family will help you build a foundation for kindness and connection, emotional regulation, and mindfulness with fun activities and exercises you’ll want to make part of your daily routines.
Based on the Goldie Hawn Foundation’s MindUp program, used in schools around the world, this class will bring your family together to get in touch with your values, feelings, bodies, and each other. Don’t worry, we don’t expect anyone to meditate for an hour - we’ll be gradually working our way up to just 3 minutes at a time. The rest of the class will be spent in sensory explorations, family discussions, art making, games, and brain-building, empathy-boosting fun.
Most activities are geared for families with children in grades K-5, but younger or older siblings will be able to enjoy the class as well.
Birthdays & Presentations
Need help planning a party or entertaining kids? I would love to customize a fun themed celebration for you. Whether you’re looking for someone to brainstorm ideas with you or just to come and keep the kids having fun, I specialize in offering unique activities to achieve your vision.
Looking for a visitor for your classroom, library, or summer camp? I am available for one-time presentations, or ongoing classes at your location. Most of my nature, mindfulness, and messy play classes can be adapted, but I especially love developing new activities based on your needs.
Contact me to share a little about your event or program and I will get back to you with some ideas!
What caregivers are saying
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"Bri is a wonderful teacher. I love that activities are invitations. I like the combo of structured learning and open-ended exploration."
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"Fun, casual and yet super informative. She thinks of little projects that I wouldn’t come up with on my own. Great for getting out in nature!"
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"I like the range of activities during class, walking around exploring is our favorite - very inclusive vibe and I think Bri is a great teacher!"
About Briana
I hold an MA in Museum Education and have taught in a variety of settings, including both traditional classrooms and informal environments such as museums, theaters, play spaces, and nature centers. I am a mom to a 5-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, and a co-founder of the South Philly Cooperative Playschool (my third baby). I started attending nature classes at Tyler Arboretum with my son when he was 18 months old and was astounded by how much he learned. He could identify more birds at 2 than I could at 30! When his phenomenal teacher left Tyler, I was offered the opportunity to take her place. In the 9 years since, I have developed my own style of teaching that is respectful of children, meets them where they are, and follows their curiosity. I recently completed training to teach the MindUp program, based in neuroscience, social-emotional learning, positive psychology, and mindfulness, that blends perfectly with my approach to cultivating children’s love of nature and themselves as a part of it. It’s important to me that Philadelphia families can find joy in urban nature without spending 45 minutes in the car first to “get there.” We can be mindful and appreciate the beauty and wonder of the outdoors right here in our own city parks.