Why Forest Preschool?

​

At forest preschool children learn physical and personal boundaries. In this environment, they adopt  problem solving skills, learn how to manage risks, become self-starters and develop critical thinking skills. Naturally, forest play intrinsically motivates children, building confidence as they direct their own learning. Teachers observe and support children's interests by adding materials and ideas that support learning. Children learn language and literacy skills, math concepts, about the natural world, engineering, teamwork and create art. To the trained eye, children at Forest school can learn everything and more that an indoor traditional classroom offers. Spending more time in nature and playing outside creates smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious kids than those who spend more time indoors. 

​

Forest Friends Children's Programs are Play Based and Child led. They are outdoor programs designed to support children’s innate need to explore and connect with the natural world. Our curriculum emerges based on children's interests and observations and is tailored to their individual abilities and developmental needs. For example; upon discovering a beaver's lodge we may collect sticks and other materials to build model clay lodges, read books about Beavers, and play math and cooperative games around this interest. During fall while salmon are spawning we may sort and seriate leaves based on colour and size and then create land art with them in the form of a collaborative giant salmon.  Children are supported while negotiating and agreeing on size, shape and use of colour. Such activities build on their development of interpersonal communication skills and artistic expression. Balancing on logs can lead to designing and building an entire obstacle course of rocks, logs and such. There is a strong emphasis on native flora and fauna as well as life cycles and seasonal changes on the riverbeds and estuary.  

​

*Please note - Programs do not operate on Statutory Holidays .

​

Click here to add you child to a program wait list!

 

 Please have a read through the FAQs section for more detailed information

​

​

​

​

                                        

​

​