Nature School ages 3 - 5

Nature School

Nature School Options:

AGES 3-5

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

2 Day & 3 Day Options

Tuesday, Wed Thurs Mornings

Location: Forest Lake, MN

~ Like Nature, We are a Year Round Program ~

2 Days per week – (T/W/Th) – $350 monthly

3 Days per week – (T/W/Th) – $500 monthly

**Additional siblings receives a 10% discount on their tuition

OPENINGS FOR Spring, Summer, & fall 2025 Are now Available!!

THE FOREST Lake Nature School EXPERIENCE

Arrival: Children arrive dressed and ready for the outdoors at 9:00am
Guide/Student Ratio: Forest Lake Nature School has a 1:5 Guide/Student Ratio
Year Round School: Like Nature, we are a year round program.
Tuition: Tuition may be paid monthly, or the total year’s tuition may be paid in advance. Monthly payments are due with the first month’s amount paid in advance.
Registration Fee: A non-refundable registration fee of $100 will be due with enrollment (see details in the enrollment process).
Outdoor Time: Our half-day program is completely outdoors and focused on exploratory play and learning.
Waldorf & Deep Nature Connection Philopsophies: All learning is seasonal and nature-based, and connected to the children’s daily rhythm and outdoor discoveries. We incorporate best practices in Early Childhood Education with a holistic approach, inspired by Waldorf and Forest School philosophies.

A typical day (Daily Rhythm)

9am – Welcoming the day: Becoming “Present” together, Gratitude & Greeting, Circle & Song

9:10am – Animal Forms: thrilling and hilarious warm up game of imitating animals (and other elements of nature) to jump start our bodies, minds, and awareness. This is essential, and never missed.

9:20am – Nature Connection: wandering a trail finding hiding or climbing spots, finding and learning animal track and sign, practicing sneaking / stalking like animals, playing hide and seek (Bird language edition, Snow tracks edition).

This is also “Time for Timelessness”. For resting, laughing, free play, reflecting & dreaming.

9:30-10am (weather dependent) – Snack & Story: Daily meal blessing, opportunity for children to share, personal storytelling (popular request) or favorite seasonal books.

10:30-11am Nature Connection: by now the children have settled into the safety, kindness, and care of our Forest School experience. The children begin creating their own world with their Forest School friends.

11:45am Closing Circle: Becoming present once more, Giving Gratitude for our time together, and Wishing each other well until we see each other again soon.

12pm Meet Parents for pickup

A typical Year (Seasonal Rhythm)

The landscape changes, the seasons change, and we change. This keeps the core routines / rhythms fresh. By observing plants in the spring, we better understand them in the summer and fall. By following deer tracks one year, we can anticipate where they’ll be the next.

The upshot is kids who have stories to tell, who understand their impact, and abilities, in the wider world. They stand tall because they can take care of themselves and others. They are becoming whole through real moments of triumph or failure, they are rapt with awe for the world around them. They are clearer on where they come from, where they are, and where they are going.

Note: We are requesting that children are independent in the bathroom and can attend without parent support.