All Day Preschool operates twelve months a year and serves children 3-5 years of age.
This ECFE class is non-separating for parents and children birth to age 2.
Half Day Preschool offers options for 3 year olds to attend two mornings or afternoons per week or for 4 & 5 year olds to attend three mornings or afternoons per week.
Village Kids is a school-age childcare program that provides care before and after school and on non-school days for children in grades K-5 attending Wilshire Park Elementary School or who reside in St. Anthony-New Brighton School District.
Our early childhood camps and enrichment classes are specifically for children ages 2-6. However, some of our camps and classes are geared for ages 2-9 so siblings can attend together.
March, Food for the Spirit, Winter Reflections under the First Moon: March in the Anishinaabe 13 Moon calendar system is known as the Snow Crust Moon, the 1st moon is known for a time when the days begin to lengthen, and the snow hardens under the sun’s warmth. The earth is still resting, yet life stirs quietly beneath the frozen surface, preparing for the renewal of spring. This moon teaches patience, endurance, and trust in the natural rhythm of the land. In this class, participants will prepare a nourishing wild rice and venison soup, reflecting the strength and resilience needed during this in-between seasonal time. Venison, a traditional winter sustenance, provides grounding energy, while wild rice known as manoomin, symbolizes abundance and the promise of renewal. We’ll enjoy Cedar tea which offers spiritual cleansing and hibiscus tea adds a bright citrus, heart-strengthening property that mirrors the returning light of Spring. Participants will discover how traditional ingredients hold the wisdom of the seasons, reminding us that even in the coldest months, nourishment and renewal are quietly taking root.
April Smith is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She is also an
Indigenous Educator and Facilitator, an Herbalist from Cornell University, a Curriculum Designer, and her work is rooted in Ojibwe cultural education and nutrition, Indigenous Food Sovereignty, and community wellness. With over 16 years of experience designing and facilitating learning experiences for communities and organizations, April brings a unique approach that blends Anishinaabe foodways with modern wellness practices. Her work is grounded in reciprocity, sustainability, and respect for ancestral knowledge. She teaches that food is medicine and that every ingredient has a story, one that connects us all through shared humility and care for Mother Earth. April’s Indigenous Cooking Class Series runs from January 2026 through May 2026, featuring five seasonal classes that celebrate traditional Anishinaabe foods and share how the Anishinaabe people lived by the 13 Moon System. Cooking by the 13 Moons: Indigenous Seasons of Food Series invites participants to rediscover the relationship between food, culture, and the land, an experience that nourishes both body and spirit.
www.bearclandesignsllc.com
April Smith
