Building Blocks Nature-Based Preschool in Highland Township Wins Award, Welcomes New Students
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Dec. 16, 2024)
Highland Township, MI – Some preschools pack children into classrooms and keep them busy with worksheets and flash cards. That’s not how Building Blocks Preschool operates. This nature-based preschool engages students with a philosophy that pairs learning with hands-on experiences, time spent outdoors, and an atmosphere of curiosity and play.
“We sit back and listen,” said Building Blocks founder Suzanne Gabli who opened the school two decades ago. “We see the child’s interests and follow it.”
Building Blocks is located in a beautiful old farmhouse at 340 Harvey Lake Road, near M-59 in Highland Township. While they are close to a main road, which is convenient for the parents, it backs up to a forest that is perfect for outdoor education. Here kids can by collecting and counting leaves, telling stories of woodland creatures, and tending to a garden where they can learn firsthand where food comes from.
They learn about patience, and caring, and change. One hands on experiment began with putting a pumpkin outside and waiting to see what happened. As animals ate away at the shell and the mushy orange filling decomposed back in the ground, the pumpkin seeds grew strong in the nutrients and made their way into dirt where they grew roots. In time new plants sprouted up. Vines grew, and new pumpkins soon followed. Finally when those were ready, the kiddos picked the pumpkins and assisted in making a pumpkin pie.
“Those are kind of experiences kids remember,” Gabli said.
Building Blocks grew in a similarly organic way over the past 20 years. Gabli had a successful career in high end marketing and sales, while also being mother to two children. When she became pregnant with her third she and her husband were looking to make a change.
“I was trying to figure out how to be a great mom, and a working mom,” she said. That’s when they decided to buy the school. The farmhouse and the woods provided the perfect setting for her children and others. “I was raised playing outside,” she said. “I wanted something that every parent wanted. I wanted them to have wonder and joy in their lives.”
Gabli recruited experienced teachers and immersed herself in the “Reggio Emilia Approach” of education, an approved curriculum that is focused on the free-flow of playtime and knowledge. “The Reggio Way believes that a child is capable and competent. The child has the ability to be part of their own learning.”
Their website describes the school’s philosophy, stating “We believe with mutual respect, commitment, integrity, and proper communication we can provide a rich authentic, inspiring environment for children. The knowledge that sparks creativity, inquiry-based play, and outdoor learning is vital to the well-being of children of all ages. By providing such integrated education to our children, we hope to create a sense of belonging, love, and trust.
“Building Blocks believes the “quality” of one’s childhood predicts much about the “quality” of one’s future. Therefore, our goal is to give each child, in our homelike school, a slower pace childhood, rich in the kinds of experiences and relationships which optimally prepare them for their life’s journey. Giving them the gift of time.”
Building Blocks Preschool recently earned the Business of the Year Award from the Highland White Lake Business Association, a group that has helped Gabli to connect with people in the community. They’ve been a member of the organization from the beginning of their business, taking advantage of networking and learning opportunities, as well as participating in community events. Gabli had even served as President in the past.
They’ve also recently received a grant from Oakland Schools to help them accept more students into their program Great Start Readiness Program. They are one of only two GSRP schools in Oakland County using the Reggio Emilia approach. Building Blocks is licensed for 45 children, providing both preschool and kindergarten.
Because of this funding, preschool is completely free, regardless of family income. And, there are still spaces available. Learn more about Building Blocks Preschool at https://buildingblocksschool.com/about-us/. Start the application process for free preschool at https://www.miecc.org/MiECC/application/add/63
