Explore Our Play Grove
A SLO Garden-Based Enrichment Program For Ages 3 To 5 Years Old
Play Grove is a garden-based enrichment program designed for ages 3-5, located in San Luis Obispo at our central garden site. As an extension of One Cool Earth’s seasonal learning model, we know that children grow best when learning outside through play.
We are a nature-based and place-based enrichment program, meaning that we use the environment as our guide as we play, grow, create art, garden, and learn together.
Play Grove allows young children from across San Luis Obispo County to access this experience alongside enthusiastic Playguides in an outdoor environment.
Enrollment for Fall 2026 is now open! Fill out our form below:
Photo by Nate Ross Photography
Options for 2, 3, or 5 days a week, 8:30-1 pm.
2 days a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays.
3 days a week: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.
5 days a week: Mondays through Fridays.
Pricing options vary: see our pricing page for details.
Children from all over the county and beyond are welcome!
1:5 Playguide to child ratio.
Details About The Play Grove
Embracing Garden Based Education & Nature Based Play
Interested In Touring The San Luis Obispo Play Grove?
Would you like to tour the One Cool Earth Play Grove? Come on out! You'll get a chance to see our program in action and enjoy the beautiful site! You'll hear more about our program and get to meet some of our staff.
Click the button below to register for a FREE tour from 10:30 - 11:30 am. Bring your child and make sure they are equipped to play outdoors. You must sign up for a tour in advance.
Questions? Call the One Cool Earth team at (805) 242-6308.
The Benefits Of The Play Grove
Children will experience:
Intentional, emergent curriculum that is guided by children's curiosity and exploration.
Nature-based connection in a beautiful garden setting at the base of Cerro San Luis.
High-quality, play-based curriculum with guidance from seasoned playguide.
A low student to playguide ratio of 1:5.
Fun and joy - by infusing joy into all of our practices, children see the Play Grove as a fun and exciting place to be!
Free play, prescribed games, intentional curriculum, art, and projects that are infused with laughter, curiosity and excitement.
An introduction to gardening, harvesting, preserving, seed saving, preparing fruits and veggies, drying flowers and more!
Through nature-play children will develop:
A deeper sense of curiosity as they ask questions to connect to plants and animals.
Confidence in their own sense of self.
Establishing a connection to a place overtime and connecting to the land which leads to a sense of belonging and trust in life needed to thrive.
The start of their learning process of recognizing letters, numbers, colors, and shapes (shapes found in the natural world, counting olives, etc).
Language skills (in rhythms, rhymes, singing songs and storytelling) that prepare children for the next step in their learning journey.
Outdoor readiness skills (such as understanding hazards and looking out for each other) to prepare them for outdoor adventures.
Our Curriculum Approach
At the Play Grove, our days are centered around the children, using an emergent curriculum approach. Emergent curriculum is a process where our playguides plan activities based on the specific needs of the children they are working with, taking into account their skills, needs, and interests. Children get the opportunity to engage in artistic play, imaginative play, risky play (with careful guidance of playguides), musical play (with handmade instruments), collaborative play, and individual play.
We encourage children to seek out new things and new experiences, such as getting their hands dirty, engaging in risky play, or tasting a new fruit or veggie. Our mornings might consist of making mud pies, saving seeds, watching birds, or creating art out of fallen leaves. Our wonderful garden space is part of our nature-based and place-based curriculum, allowing children to strengthen their connections with the environment.
Play Grove Details
Pricing Information
For pricing information for the Play Grove, please visit our Pricing Page.
Daily Flow
Learn more about the daily Play Grove schedule at our Daily Flow Page.
Meet Our Playguides!
Sarah
Sarah is originally from a small town in the Central Valley and moved to SLO County three years ago for college. She is currently attending Cal Poly SLO, where she is studying Liberal Studies for Elementary Education. For the past two and a half years, Sarah has managed a small organic produce market called the Avocado Shack. There, she connected with the Central Coast community and even had the privilege of working on a couple of local organic farms. These jobs showed her the importance of organic farming, supporting local farmers, and sharing this wealth of knowledge with the community.
Sarah is passionate about getting kids outdoors so they can truly learn the art of PLAY. Sarah loves staying connected to the community, which is why an attending family led her to Play Grove. She is incredibly excited to work as a Playguide this year alongside Leila and Marly, where she can watch kids grow, connect with the natural world around them, appreciate the food they grow and put in their bodies, and make unshakable memories. Sarah feels honored to get to grow alongside these little ones. In her free time, she loves to read, play the guitar, swim in the ocean, camp in Big Sur, and cook for her friends and family.
Marly
Marly hails from San Francisco, CA, where she grew up running wild in Golden Gate Park. She attended Cal Poly SLO, where she was the Chapter Director of Sprout Up, an environmental education program, and graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies and a minor in Child Development. During her time at Cal Poly, she taught preschoolers at an art summer camp for four summers. She taught third grade for two years, where she enjoyed raising butterflies with her class. Through teaching, she earned her multiple subject teaching credential. As a garden educator with One Cool Earth, she developed gardening and outdoor education skills. This passion for learning with children outside led her to Play Grove.
Currently, she has completed series 2 of 3 in the Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers training series. She is honored to connect with nature with children and finds children’s curiosity and creativity infectious. To Marly, there is nothing better than making art outside and getting muddy with littles! She loves growing sunflowers, roller skating, reading, thrift shopping, sewing, and playing with her cat!
Leila
Leila Daniel comes from a multicultural background and speaks four languages. She was born in Cairo, Egypt and lived there for siz years. She has family in Germany, Egypt, Guatemala, Colombia, and the US. Her love of travel and learning about new cultures led her into education. After getting her master’s degree, she became a bilingual elementary teacher and taught for two years in the Bay Area. She, along with her husband and their dog, moved to San Luis Obispo, where she taught 2nd grade for four years. She believes garden education is vital for creating a strong community of environmental stewards. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and gardening (harvesting homegrown peaches, for example!).
Meet Our Playguide Volunteer
Ivana
Ivana is from San Diego and is currently in her second year, studying Experience Industry Management at Cal Poly, where she is learning about creating meaningful experiences through events, hospitality, and community. She loves working with people and is especially drawn to environments that encourage creativity, connection, and fun. Outside of school, Ivana loves spending time outdoors, whether she is hiking, going to the beach or pool, or enjoying a concert with friends. She also loves thrifting, painting, and movie nights. Her creative and adventurous personality makes her excited to bring energy, curiosity, and care into the spaces she is part of. She loves making everyday moments fun and is always excited to try new things, meet new people, and make new memories!
Parent Testimonials