What is Farm and Forest School?

Forest schools are educational spaces in which learning takes place while the children are exploring and playing in a wooded or natural environment. A Farm and Forest School adds a farm education component that teaches children all about a working farm.

Key Features of Forest School

• Unstructured for long periods of time

• Place-based emphasis

• Reflective opportunities to inspire wonder and awe

• All weather nature immersion

• Encourages appropriate risk-taking

• Sensorial, exploratory learning

• Child-directed, play-based environment

Benefits of Farm and Forest School

• Improved Health

• Cognitive Development

• Problem Solving

• Physical Development

• Creativity

• Emotional Development

• Nature Stewardship

Our Farm and Forest School Program

Our Farm and Forest School Program is a 100% outdoor nature-based program in which the children learn about the components of a working farm and enjoy free play in our wooded nature play area. We offer two drop-off Farm and Forest School sessions.

8:30-10 Animal Care. Children will learn all about the animals on our farm such as the life cycle and parts of the animals, how to care for them, and more.

10:15-11:45 Vegetable Gardening. Children will learn the plant life cycle, parts of the plant, how to prepare the soil, how to care for and harvest the plants, hydroponics, worm composting, and more.

Each 1.5 hour session includes 45 minutes of learning and working on the farm and 45 minutes of free play in our wooded nature play area. Children may attend one or both sessions.

Rhythm of the Day

8:15-8:30 Children arrive, open-ended nature play in forest classroom

8:30-9:15 Farm activities (gardening or animal care)

9:15-10 Free play in forest area

10-10:15 Children sign-out