Forest Preschool playgroup
You are your child’s first teacher, nature is the second teacher.
Bring your naturalist home to the arboretum
Let us be your child’s third teacher wile you take a little time for yourself, go shopping, see some friends, exercise… We will have a magical time together in the forest. Read more below.
overview
Age ranges from 3 to 5 years old
you may choose:
One or two days
Hours
Various options from 9am to 2pm
this experience is 100% outdoors year round.
Email arboretum.outreach@anewleafschool.org for more information.
A day in Forest PRESCHOOL
for those of us who can’t get enough nature
This Program invites young adventurers to explore the wonders of nature, build social connections, and develop curiosity about the living world through hands-on experiences. Rooted in child-led discovery, this program blends science, movement, and creative expression in a supportive, outdoor-centered environment.
Ecology of childhood: Relationship Building
As we garden and forage together, the energy of the outdoors fuels playful interactions in our Campsite Kitchen. Our caring relationship to nature informs and guides our relationships to each other.
Every voice counts! Social interactions are scaffolded to build positive relationships with peers and adults.
We love to play collaborative games that build teamwork and self-awareness.
Outdoors we are on the move
It’s all about walking along the creek, hiking the trails, running in the fields, climbing on fallen trees, and balancing on rocks.
Sometimes we stand still like trees.
observing
The children marvel at the wildlife they encounter leading to many inquiries and investigations:
Birdsongs and nesting activities.
Seasonal changes in the diversity of life at the Arboretum.
Growth and life cycles of plants and animals.
Animal and plant behaviors.
experimenting
Making simple machines we build boats and shelters to test the laws of physics.
We make mathematical encounters of the wild kind. Counting, ordering, measuring, estimating, making equations happens every time.
We map our spaces to find our way as we forage. Collecting honeysuckle we explore woodworking, sculpting, and installations.
caretaking
Tending the earth and caring for the garden is a gentle rhythm that grounds our day. It’s a time to marvel at tiny seeds full of promise, to feel the calming movement of the soil in our hands, and to slow down in nature’s quiet company. This peaceful routine not only nurtures our garden, but also helps children relax, reflect, and reconnect.
Reflecting
This connection with invites us to slow down and simply be. We become authors, telling the stories of our adventures and discoveries.
Children are encouraged to stage their stories and draw in their nature journals—capturing moments of wonder in their own words and images.
Through shared reflection and imagination, we’re learning from the forest how to form friendships and memories that last a lifetime.
Nurtured
As the children come and go, they harvest a sense of fulfillment, having deepened their self-confidence, empathy, and connection with each other through nature.