If you were to walk into the Seaside School in Marion on June 15, you would have walked into a scene best described as the Rainforest Café meets Neverland.

On their last day, the preschool students unveiled their end-of-year projects for their parents - a fairy garden and a tropical rainforest.

The three-year-olds spent weeks perfecting their fairy garden, said teacher Debbie Thompson. The kids used strawberries, plants and dirt found in the school’s backyard, as well as empty clementine boxes, to build their own gardens complete with lights and of course, fairies.

“It’s something magical for the children,” Thompson said. “We do a lot of planting and a lot of work outdoors, so they get to take a little bit of school home with them.”

“It’s all about their imagination,” Thompson said. “The children just love it.”

The idea for transforming their classrooms into a rainforest came following teacher Lauren Croteau’s trip to Costa Rica, said the school’s Director Janet Barnes.

Croteau spent one week working with the Marion Institute on a biodynamic and sustainable farm. Following Croteau’s return, Barnes said the ambitious four-year-olds spent a lot of time researching the area.

“They have absolutely loved their study of the rainforest,” Barnes said. “They really have learned a lot – from snakes to the fruit.”

The fruit completed the scene. The students’ parents brought in fruit found in the rainforest for the kids to snack on, including bananas, cantaloupe, blackberries and avocado.

“We try to connect the school with the community,” Barnes said. “We have different projects every year because we have students with different talents and interests.”