REGISTRATION FOR THE 26/27 FOREST SCHOOL YEAR HAS CLOSED. PLEASE BE IN TOUCH TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST.

PINES: HALF-DAY FOREST SCHOOL (Tuesday and Thursday)

This 3 hour program is designed to foster the child's lifelong connection to the natural world and themselves. These half days are built for young children with a primary focus on cultivating factors of resilience for their overall wellbeing and capacity for emergent learning. With learning opportunities centred around connections to nature, self-awareness, pro-social behaviours and creative problem solving, these sessions give children the tools they need to fall in love with the learning process naturally.

Ages: 3-5

26/27 Sessions: Fall 2026 (14-weeks) / Winter 2027 (10-weeks) / Spring 2027 (10-weeks)

LARCHES: FULL-DAY FOREST SCHOOL (Wednesday OR Friday)

Children will spend their day learning and playing immersed in their natural surroundings. Designed to foster a deeper connection to nature, children will be given ample opportunities to lead their learning through an inquiry-based approach. Childrens' questions and ideas will guide their learning and help shape their days at Forest School. Emergent curriculum centres a child's learning around their innate curiosity and problem-solving opportunities. Following the children's natural curiosities in play-based and place-based learning, our educators support opportunities to foster growth. Learning is supported through: questioning, the "environment as the third teacher", small group collaborative discussions, storytelling, involvement of community experts, providing provocations and tools (ID resources, measurement tools, recording journals, loose parts, compasses etc.), as well communicating child-interests to parents. At Larches, educators care deeply about supporting children's' social and emotional development. This looks like, but is not limited to guided morning meetings with a focus on the needs of the group that day, consistent questioning to guide children through social/emotional conflict, facilitation of role-playing to support children finding voice, guiding the Larches to create their own developmentally-appropriate community norms, all while finishing of the day with a check-in meeting and sit spots.

Ages: Wednesdays ages 5-8 Fridays ages 5-7

Wednesday Session: Fall 2026 (12-weeks) / Winter 2027 (10-weeks) / Spring 2027 (10-weeks)

Friday Session: Fall 2026 (12-weeks) / Winter 2027 (10-weeks) / Spring 2027 (10-weeks)

* The full-day Wednesday program is designed for children attending alternative schooling, or are homeschooled and priority will be given to ensure programming is available to augment the child’s’ home learning. Friday classes are designed for free play to support families using traditional schools.

CEDARS: Full-Day Forest School (Tuesdays -Cokato Location)

Children will connect to land stewardship in an intentional and immersive way as they foster a sense of personal growth and self awareness in experiential inquiry opportunities/projects. In this cohort-based approach, we invite children to engage in opportunities to build and use outdoor leadership skills. These skills encompass but are not limited to areas such as: bushcraft skills, leadership skills, environmental stewardship, and self-advocacy skills. With this in mind, children begin to build and use their skills and knowledge to connect intentionally to projects and play, all based on their growing curiosities and readiness for application of knowledge. These days are still in line with Forest School ethos; following child-led projects, free-play and relationship with place as the integral backbone of what we do. Following their lead in play-based and place-based learning, our educators provide rich experiences, tools, provocations and opportunities to foster a child's understanding of their passions and needs for freedom, trust and reciprocity.

Ages: 8-12

26/27 Full-Day Session: Fall 2026 (12-weeks) / Winter 2027 (10-weeks) / Spring 2027 (10-weeks)

* The full-day program is suitable for those who are part of alternative schooling programs, homeschooled, or those who wish to combine Forest School programming with the traditional school environment.

School Calendars: 2026/2027 school calendar

Parent Handbook: DOWNLOAD HERE

Location: Birch Meadows Lodge (Pines and Larches) Cokato Location (Cedars Class)

*Please read through the FAQs page for more information

“Forest school has taught our son the value of nature and how to be in relationship with it. When outside, he will play for hours armed with nothing but sticks, mud, and his imagination. In today’s society, I believe this is the medicine for a child’s soul. Bringing them back to their ancestral roots.”

-a parent from our OC Community