Our Garden Our own backyard garden includes a vegetable patch and flower garden that the school community works to maintain, in addition to a shaded sand play area, a climbing structure, and space for large-motor activity. During the work period, weather permitting, the garden is an extension of our classroom, offering Practical Life activities such as washing clothes, cleaning tools and planting grass seed. The grassy space also serves as a place to set up an obstacle course to build large motor skills. . Our Campus Maria's Garden is situated on a rambling campus of gardens, meadows, woodlands and streams. In winter months, our outdoor activities move to the rolling hills at the front of the building. Sledding, building ice forts, constructing snow sculptures keep us active and warm in the snow! When spring arrives, time is spent getting to know the flowers, wild and cultivated, that appear all over campus, and watching the progress of baby animals. The open expanses of meadow allow teachers to keep watch while the children explore and play in nature's boundlessness. Our Natural Setting Our nature trail leads through woods and marshes and across a small bridge onto the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, where small groups of children frequently travel to observe local wildlife. The trail also serves as a safe path into the Village of New Paltz , where small groups accompanied by teachers may travel as part of a study or project.