Mathias Gallaher – Erie, Colorado … “Can we learn in the sand again today?” That’s the first question I hear every morning. And the answer for two weeks is yes!
This year, our kindergarten classroom at Vista Ridge Academy in Erie, Colorado, had transformed into something extraordinary: a classroom-sized sandbox where all our learning happens through hands-on, sensory-rich exploration. What began as a creative idea to help students engage their senses has become one of the most joyful and faith-filled learning environments I’ve ever experienced.
Each morning began with a prayer and a short worship thought—often beach or ocean- themed—reminding us that “God made everything, from the sand beneath our feet to the stars above our heads.” Then, the learning begins.
On the day pictured here, we explored the letter D for dolphins, dig, and discover. Students used shovels and buckets to build sandcastles and trace the letter D in the sand on top. Then they begin adding more castles and letters to form words such as dad, dot, and had. After blending words together, the pre-K students visited our classroom, and we began digging for dinosaurs.
As we worked, we practiced our letter sounds: “D says /d/, like dinosaurs digging deep!” The sandbox became a joyful place of learning and laughter as children connected their phonics practice to real-world textures and play.
When we gathered at the end of class, one kindergarten student summed it up perfectly: “I love working in the sand because it feels like we get to play all day, and learning is fun!”
Each day, I watch my students grow more confident—not only in reading and writing but also in gratitude. Our sandbox isn’t just about phonics. We’ve used it for Bible stories, math concepts, social studies, and even science units about the ocean. Every subject becomes an adventure when students can dig, build, and discover with their own hands.
Kindergarten parent, Alba Santos, was thrilled for her daughter to have this experience saying, “I was so happy my child could experience something different in the classroom. She was excited to come to school every day and loved learning interesting facts about ocean animals.”
Through this experience, I’ve seen students grow in cooperation, curiosity, and gratitude. They aren’t just learning about God’s creation, they’re learning within it.
As Beach Week came to a joyful close, the kindergarten students gathered for a celebration of learning and praise. The classroom shimmered like a seaside festival, with students singing cheerful songs about the continents and oceans, proudly sharing what they had discovered about God’s world. Laughter and music filled the air as each child stepped forward, dressed as a colorful sea creature—from lobster to jellyfish—and confidently shared fun facts they had memorized.
The culmination party was more than a performance; it was a reflection of two weeks spent learning through wonder, creativity, and faith. With sandy hands and shining eyes, students celebrated not just what they learned, but the God who made it all.
—Mathias Gallaher is the kindergarten teacher at Vista Ridge Academy. Photos supplied.
