Preschool Program
UNDERSTANDING OUTDOOR EDUCATION
In 1840, Friedrich Froebel created the word and concept, Kindergarten. The name Kindergarten signifies both a garden for children, a location where they can observe and interact with nature, and also a garden of children, where they themselves can grow and develop in freedom from arbitrary imperatives.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOREST KINDERGARTEN AND NATURE BASED PROGRAMS?
Forest kindergartens have been defined as educational programs which provide daily outdoor experiences for children 3-6 year olds, with limited or no indoor facilities. Children in such programs tend to spend 70-100% of their time outdoors, in a nature immersion experience, in which the curriculum emerges from the daily activities (Fritz, Smyrni, & Roberts, 2014; Kenny, 2013; Moore, 2014; Sobel, 2014; Warden, 2012).
Nature-based preschools have typically been defined as a licensed early childhood program for 3-5 year olds, with 25-50% of the class day held outside each day, nature as the driving theme of the curriculum, and nature being infused into the indoor spaces (Bailie, 2010; Green Hearts, 2014; Larimore, 2011a, 2011b; Moore, 2014).
At Down to Earth Forest School we collaborate, support and build a wider community of connected and intentional people all with the goal of caring for the earth and caring for people.
Down to Earth Forest School does not follow one particular educational theory. Some theory concepts we appreciate and integrate are Waldorf education with the emphasis on children being outside often and for extended periods as well as using nature as toys and the concept that young children cannot comprehend many adult concepts as they are still in somewhat of a dream like state.
“Receive the child in reverence, educate them in love, and send them forth in freedom.” –Rudolph Steiner
Friedrich Frobel was the German inventor of Kindergarten. He said “The purpose of education is to encourage and guide man as a conscious, thinking and perceiving being in such a way that he becomes a pure and perfect representation of that divine inner law though his own personal choice; education must show him the ways and meanings of attaining that goal.” Down to Earth Forest School wants to guide your child to discover and realize their best self. We do this by using the forest as our teacher as we integrate ourselves into the natural life cycle. Because the children are in the same forest regularly they will begin to observe changes and their sense of wonder will be stimulated. They will slowly realize the impact they personally have on the land both positive and negative. For example, with a group of six four-year-olds we stumbled upon a dead hawk carcass on our daily path. The facilitator asked questions like, how long ago did this bird die? How do you think it died? Who will be a part of the decomposition process of this animal? Etc. We ask a lot of questions at Down to Earth Forest School, we want to encourage children to think for themselves and come up with conclusions that best meet their understanding of the world.
“The name Kindergarten signifies both a garden for children, a location where they can observe and interact with nature, and also a garden of children, where they themselves can grow and develop in freedom from arbitrary imperatives.”
We pull our ethics from the Permaculture principles which emphasize caring for the earth and caring for people first. Permaculture in the realm of education functions as a set of tools that can guide the children and facilitators to best practices when connecting and interacting in the forest. When challenges arise we can use the permaculture principles to guide or process. For example, if the pond water is flooding an area of the forest we use as one of our classrooms we can view this as a disappointment or respond to change creatively using the permaculture principles of design. Can we use this space now? If so, how can we use this space differently? What is happening to this space now and how does it affect other parts of the forest?
“Permaculture gives us a tool kit for moving from a culture of fear and scarcity to one of love and abundance.” –Toby Hemenway
As Down to Earth Forest School grows and evolves we may alter our program as new information comes to light and it will make our program even more rich and full. All Down to Earth Forest School community members are aware that growth and change are welcomed. From year to year things in our program may change, just as each person and family change, we will embrace one another.
Change is not pleasant, but change is constant. Only when we change and grow, we’ll see the world we never know. –Wisdom of The Orange Woodpecker
Practically, we use the Positive Parenting philosophy. We never want to attack your child’s ego and always seek to understand the root of the behavior. Parents are our biggest educator about their child, journals between the parent child and the facilitator circulate often to cultivate the healthiest growth from the child.
Down to Earth Forest School was founded out of pure joy. Founder Heidi McKay seeks to share her joy of nature, children and connected communities with each one of you. As the forest and the program change you, we encourage our members to cast their net to their own wider community and share your joys.
"When you follow your own nature, you automatically and naturally feel for the needs of others. When you are joyful and free, and when you are having fun, you automatically feel your oneness with all other creatures of the universe and you know your place in All-That-Is. And when you are yourself, others look upon you with awe and joy and understanding, and you look the same upon them. And you help every other creature that shares with you the framework of this earth." –Anonymous
BENEFITS OF FOREST SCHOOL
Supports multiple development domains. Nature is important to children’s development in every major way—intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and physically (Kellert, 2005).
Supports creativity and problem solving. Studies of children in schoolyards found that children engage in more creative forms of play in the green areas. They also played more cooperatively (Bell and Dyment, 2006). Play in nature is especially important for developing capacities for creativity, problem-solving, and intellectual development (Kellert, 2005).
Enhances cognitive abilities. Proximity to, views of, and daily exposure to natural settings increases children’s ability to focus and enhances cognitive abilities (Wells, 2000).
Improves academic performance. Studies in the US show that schools that use outdoor classrooms and other forms of nature-based experiential education support significant student gains in social studies, science, language arts, and math. Students in outdoor science programs improved their science testing scores by 27% (American Institutes for Research, 2005).
Reduces Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms. Contact with the natural world can significantly reduce symptoms of attention deficit disorder in children as young as five years old (Kuo and Taylor, 2004).
Increases physical activity. Children who experience school grounds with diverse natural settings are more physically active, more aware of nutrition, more civil to one another and more creative (Bell and Dyment, 2006).
Improves nutrition. Children who grow their ownfood are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables (Bell & Dyment, 2008) and to show higher levels of knowledge about nutrition (Waliczek, & Zajicek, 2006). They are also more likely to continue healthy eating habits throughout their lives (Morris & Zidenberg-Cherr, 2002).
Improves eyesight. More time spent outdoors is related to reduced rates of nearsightedness, also known as myopia, in children and adolescents (American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2011).
Improves social relations. Children will be smarter, better able to get along with others, healthier and happier when they have regular opportunities for free and unstructured play in the out-of-doors (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005).
Improves self-discipline. Access to green spaces, and even a view of green settings, enhances peace, self- control and self-discipline within inner city youth, and particularly in girls (Taylor, Kuo and Sullivan, 2001).
Reduces stress. Green plants and vistas reduce stress among highly stressed children. Locations with greater number of plants, greener views, and access to natural play areas show more significant results (Wells and Evans, 2003).
Information by the Natural Start Alliance — naturalstart.org
