Program
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
― John Muir
Mission
Our Mission is to connect children with the natural world to foster self-realization, cooperation and stewardship for our planet. All discoveries are explored within its environmental context, thus creating a foundational comprehension of the relationship between things. They gain the insight to realize entire systems and their interconnected, coherent nature. With either guidance or self-directed, they communicate feelings, thoughts, and intuition, build relationships, bring their ideas to life and test them and playfully or intentionally discover math, writing, language, art, movement, science and meditation.
Program Philosophy & Curriculum
Our emergent curriculum is child-centered, interest-led, inquiry driven, and educator supported. The natural curiosity of children can thrive here and imagination takes flight while they learn to care for themselves, each other, and the land. In our Forest School we emphasize creative expression through present natural materials and materials we provide (non-invasive to the natural space) based on interested and projects. We read books and talk about the animals, insects, plants, trees and other things we see. We learn their names, what they eat, where they live and how things change with the seasons. We journal, draw, write, create, craft, hike and do field trips. Imagination soars and sticks can become all sorts of tool or animals. The natural environment provides the perfect harmony of structure and chaos and thus positively impacts the development of brain, mind and heart.
The Outdoor Classroom
The benefit alone of being in nature is priceless. Many experts have come to the conclusion that children need to be more outdoors. It is proven to strengthen the immune-system, calm the nervous-system and support the overall well-being of people in general. The natural environment is a tangible living playground in constant flux and movement, alive and breathing. With such a foundation the mind is ready to conceive all the tangible learning experiences nature has to offer. Children can experience all the seasons, attain and expand their vocabulary connected to the things they see, hear, smell and touch. Children thrive in the years of school to come as they set new standards of leading mindfully, being inventive and creative, including the well-being of everyone around them.