Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and seasonal rhythms are important traditions to uphold and curate for children. They thrive with repetition and knowing what to expect. We honor the equinoxes and solstices with big community celebrations. These ‘bookmarks’ in time give children something to look forward to and weaves a dependable structure into our school year.

Once a month the children formally meet with their ‘Forest Families’ and engage in a project, challenge or activity together. Every Forest Family consists of one or two kids from each class and is led by students from the oldest class. Forest Families spend time reading stories together, playing field games, doing collaborative art, learning and teaching new plants, jumping into child-led obstacle courses and forging surprising new friendships. Additionally, we often combine classes during unstructured play to increase opportunities for cross pollination. 

Along with formal academic instruction we also weave in a weekly ancestral skills class. We provide knives for carving, knitting needles, block printing, leather work, sewing, fort building, fire building and sometimes we even catch a fish!

Children are split up into academic groups based on skill level, not age or grade. They move freely between groups when their skills advance, allowing learning to unfold at a pace that truly honors each child’s development.

This flexible structure removes the pressure to "keep up" or "slow down" and instead fosters confidence, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning. Children are met right where they are—and supported as they grow, without comparison or competition.

We allow children to run barefoot, climb trees, carve sticks, and engage in the kind of play that builds real-world confidence and competence. We believe risky play is essential for healthy development—it teaches children how to assess danger, set personal boundaries, and build resilience.

Rather than eliminate all risk, we teach children how to navigate it with awareness and care. Our educators are trained to support risky play in a way that is developmentally appropriate, supervised, and rooted in trust. We step back just enough to let children grow, while staying close enough to offer guidance when needed.

Through these experiences, children develop physical strength, coordination, courage, and the ability to make thoughtful decisions. These are not just outdoor skills—they’re life skills.

Children (even preschoolers!) are responsible for their gear and backpacks all day! And we don’t have a set lunch time—the children are allowed to eat whenever their body needs it. This allows them to develop body awareness, self-regulation, and trust in their own needs. Instead of following a rigid schedule, they learn to listen to their hunger cues, make choices, and care for themselves in real time—valuable life skills that foster independence and confidence.

Students are encouraged to democratically discuss and decide where and what the afternoon unstructured part of our day will be and look like. This can take quite a while, as the teacher intentionally stands back as an observer while kids work together through various emotions, practice self-regulation, compromise and other social emotional skills that are best learned in mixed aged groups with other children.

Families who choose Down to Earth Forest School tend to value something deeper than traditional academic benchmarks—they want their children to have a rich, meaningful childhood. One rooted in freedom, autonomy, and connection to the natural world.

That said, it’s true that our students may not always be at the same pace as their traditionally-schooled peers when it comes to reading levels or memorizing math facts. But they are gaining something just as vital:

They’ll know how to ground themselves in nature when life feels overwhelming. They’ll recognize edible plants and the scent of petrichor after rain. They’ll practice conflict resolution without adult interference, and they’ll spend far more hours outdoors than the average child—soaking up fresh air, sunlight, and resilience.

They’ll become curious, critical thinkers who know how to ask good questions, follow their interests, and express themselves confidently.

And yes, they do learn academic fundamentals. But we follow a developmentally appropriate pace—one that honors the whole child and their unique growth process. When the time comes to transition into middle school, many of our students adjust with ease because they bring a deep sense of self, emotional intelligence, and the ability to advocate for their needs.

We believe—and have seen firsthand—that this foundation prepares them not just for middle school, but for life.

Teachers step down as “Sage on the Stage” and take a nod from nature into the role of “Guide on the Side”.

We are a community who honors children and understands they all have unique gifts that are just waiting to unfurl, with proper space, plenty of time, some light shed on new ideas and a little rain for good measure we can step back and watch as children grow to be a mighty oak of their own. 

As educators we constantly ask ourselves “How do you support someone in becoming a learner?” How do you nurture the roots of a solid foundation that will keep them branching out for more knowledge, asking more questions and leafing out ideas not yet thought?