To awaken a deeper connection to the earth and self. Starting with our children, our mission is to ignite a lifelong love of learning and an emotional state of gratitude and happiness, by guiding children through place-based, child-nestled education and experiences. We weave songs, stories, mindfulness, naturalist studies, community building and ritual into our programming. We believe that we all play a part, big or small, young or old, in building “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible” and this is our service.
Hi there, we are Anthony & Melissa – founders of Forest Lake Nature School. The journey of our school began in August 2023, though it existed as an idea in our heads for several years prior. Our initial Nourishing Connections Parent-Child Program started in May 2023, serving 25 families. On the opening day of our February 2024 signup sheet, we filled all 32 session spots by the end of the day. Then, by the end of the 2024 Winter session, we had 104 families on our email list. We’ve also enjoyed hosting small Maple Syrup festival gatherings and berry / apple foraging days.
Currently, our small nature school serves parent-child enrichment classes. As we continue to grow, we plan to offer education for K-12 students, adding one grade per year as our oldest founding learners grow. We envision becoming a regional nature education center serving not only K-12 but also providing outdoor spaces, trails, resources, and programming for community members of all ages within ten years. We are currently beginning the process of obtaining land to build this dream. If you are interested in helping make this dream a reality, please reach out!
At Forest Lake Nature School, we believe that children are intrinsically motivated to learn. Our goal is to promote learning across all developmental domains (physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual) by providing a positive environment that encourages discovery and exploration of the natural world in every season. Our program is play-based and child-nestled. We believe that children learn best through direct experience – and children experience the world through play! Our child-nestled approach provides children with a sense of confidence, responsibility, and empowerment. We believe that by learning in and about the natural world, children will care for their environment and what happens to it. Spending time outdoors is critical to the physical, cognitive, and social development of children. We spend the majority of our school day outdoors in our forest classroom whenever possible.
