For thousands of years, human beings have spent most of our time outside in mixed-age groups, developing and relying on our relationships to our natural world and each other. Our most recent experiment in civilization has resulted in spending the majority of our time indoors and in human-created and virtual environments, alienated from each other and our natural world. The biological expectations that we developed over our long evolution outside are now going unmet, and we see the consequences of that in widespread personal and social crises. 

 

The Forest School Foundation was created to provide the next generation of young children with the opportunity to spend abundant time spent playing in nature - what we believe is their birthright as human beings. ​A child enrolled in forest school experiences all kinds of weather, witnesses the gradual changes of a natural landscape through the seasons, becomes familiar with local plant and animal species, practices social skills and emotional intelligence, and develops gross and fine motor skills through handcrafts and meaningful work.

 

All of this happens within child-directed and interest-based play in mixed-age groups, with trained adults available for facilitation and support. A forest school education results in students who are secure in themselves and their abilities, who can navigate social relationships with others of all ages, and who have fallen in love with the natural world. These children grow into healthy, strong and courageous adults with the skills, knowledge and passion to lead our nation for generations to come.