Our Program
At Giving Tree School, we honor children's innate drive to explore, create, and understand their world through active engagement. Our NAEYC and HighScope-accredited program, nestled in the rural landscape of Gill, MA, provides a rich environment where play becomes the vehicle for deep learning and discovery.
Our thoughtfully structured day flows through a sequence of meaningful experiences that support each child's natural development. Beginning with Planning Time, children collaborate with teachers to shape their learning journey, developing intentionality and agency. During Choice Time, they immerse themselves in diverse learning spaces designed to spark curiosity and creativity—from our Writing Table and Science Center to our Stage and Invention Station.
Through small group exploration, creative expression, and purposeful play, children develop essential cognitive and social-emotional skills. Our approach emphasizes independent thinking, problem-solving, and the cultivation of each child's unique capabilities.
At Giving Tree, we embrace the outdoors as our primary classroom. During spring, summer, and fall, children spend nearly their entire day learning and playing in nature, coming inside only for rest time. Even in winter months, we maintain our commitment to outdoor education with substantial morning and afternoon sessions. In our Outdoor Classroom, children build physical competence, exercise creative thinking, and develop environmental literacy. Whether constructing with loose parts, engaging in dramatic play under the trees, or exploring the cycles of plant growth and decay, children experience the natural world as both classroom and teacher. This immersive approach fosters resilience, supports sensory integration, and nurtures children's innate connection to nature.
At every stage, our experienced educators support individual growth while fostering a collaborative learning community. We believe that when children are empowered to direct their own learning through play, they develop the foundational skills and curiosity that inspire lifelong learning.
History
Founded in 1974 by Betsy Evans and Jeff Coulson, Giving Tree began as a family home day care located on the campus of Northfield Mount Hermon. Betsy and Jeff continued to care for children in their home until 1977 when Giving Tree was licensed as a nursery school. Shortly thereafter, Giving Tree moved to its new home off of the NMH campus, occupying the first floor of Betsy and Jeff’s house on Wood Ave. A pivotal moment came in 1981 when Giving Tree incorporated as a non-profit organization, marking its commitment to serving the broader community. The long and hilly dirt road to Betsy and Jeff’s home proved a serious challenge to accessibility, and recognizing the need for a more accessible location, the Board of Directors secured funding for a purpose-built schoolhouse. This new chapter began in 1983, when master craftsman and Giving Tree parent Alan Wallace led the construction of our current location. The creation of our outdoor space exemplifies the collaborative spirit that defines Giving Tree. Families worked alongside Franklin County's CETA program crew to design and build our adventurous playground structures. In the Fall of '83, families old and new gathered to celebrate, planting flowers and a small maple - a symbol of love and growth to remind us of our task.
In the years since, Giving Tree has continued to grow and flourish, enhancing our environment with meaningful additions. In 2017, Giving Tree parent Erik VanNatta designed and built a stunning pavilion crafted from locally sourced black locust tree trunks, complete with a living roof. In 2019, VanNatta further expanded the school’s indoor classroom space, creating a sun-drenched room with a cathedral ceiling and hand-carved beams. Most recently, in the summer of 2024, a generous community donation made it possible to add a new play structure to the Outdoor Classroom. These thoughtful developments reflect Giving Tree's enduring commitment to fostering a love of learning, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness, as the school continues to nurture strong foundations for its students' growth and discovery.