By Paula Poortinga
Tree Frog Treks resides on Hayes Street just west of Cole. The facility, which has been in the neighborhood since 1999, takes two addresses at 2112 and 2114 Hayes St.
Passers by may not immediately realize what TFT is, and there is a good chance it would go unnoticed, despite its brightly painted yellow façade. Chris Giorni, founder, executive director, and head frog, said he doesn’t do a lot of advertising in the neighborhood, and many curious people walk in with the impression it could be an exotic pet store or perhaps an animal rescue.
To the contrary, TFT is an education facility for children ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. Here they get to interact with an extended family of amphibians, reptiles, and lizards, as well as get excited about science. Giorni is more than pleased to give the brave and curious a tour of the offices and main hall, and delights in educating visitors about Tree Frog Treks and its mission.
The facility is modest but bustling. Housed here are nearly 110 animals, most of which are rescues. The office suite has desk cubbies lining the walls, with an implied hall leading to the on-site animal pharmacy. The main hall is larger, and the walls in this suite are lined with the animal residents. Their housing of aquarium apartments showcases the residents’ individual taste of interior design, better known as habitat. On this particular Tuesday the Animal Interns are tending to their slithery friends, cleaning cages, refilling water, and sharing some TLC.
“You see, you look, you question, you wonder, and you share what you know,” explained Giorni. He emphasizes that learning how to educate others is a crucial skill for kids to learn, a skill which will serve them well for the future. The goal of Tree Frog Treks is to enable children to be critical thinkers, follow their passions, and develop a can-do attitude.
TFT has a range of program offerings and is more of a mobile classroom than childcare facility or school. However, a new program being offered is a bit contrary to this description. TFT launched Kids Play Night in January 2009, having had successful pilots the previous October. The inspiration for Kids Play Night was to provide a service for the community by enriching childcare and utilizing their space more.
The program is scheduled on Saturday nights from 5:30pm to 9pm. A new parent himself, Giorni observed that lately parents aren’t taking much time out for themselves, and this program serves the need “to recharge and reboot,” while their children are given the opportunity to learn about science in the self-motivated atmosphere. Here “learning becomes a recreational experience, and science becomes fun,” Giorni explained.
Activities at Kids Play Night include animal time, art project time, story telling time, video time, and snack time. Each Kids Play Night also follows a theme. Past themes include “Africa’s Amazing Animals,” “Romancing the Frog,” and “Viva Volcanoes.” The activity schedule is non-structured, thus children get to decide what they will participate in according to their interests, with supervision of course.
The ratio of children to teachers is about 7:1, depending on the experience of the teachers present. Kids Play Night is still in its infancy, and will function with a minimum of two sign-ups and a maximum capacity of 25. Parents are encouraged to sign their kids up online, but call ins and drop ins are allowed if they are pressed for time.
On March 17 TFT is hosting their Saint Patrick’s Day Demo Party. The general public is welcome to come in for a free open-house and camp demonstration, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. TFT’s Spring and Summer Camp dates have already been determined, and sign-ups are available on the website.
To sign-up, view the upcoming Kids Play Night theme, and learn more about the growing staff of teachers and faculty, visit their website at www.treefrogtreks.com.
Photos of Chris Giorni and Tree Frog Trek students by Paula Poortinga
