Forest Kindergarten
Learning Outside’s Forest Kindergarten is unique to this area. Set entirely outdoors in the natural world, Forest Kindergarten offers a play-based environment for both preschoolers and kindergartners. Children make discoveries, form friendships, and engage in hands-on, experiential learning in nature.
Opportunities abound for imaginative play, for making music, and creating art in addition to a daily hiking expedition to the many fun natural destinations available at Irvin Nature Preserve. Children explore the forest, pond, meadows, and creek. They also work and play in our Learning Garden and help care for our goats and chickens.
Forest Kindergarten is a year-long program and runs September – May; children must enroll for the full year.
Total Group Size: 15, 1 to 5 ratio
Forest Kindergarten
3-6 year olds
Youngsters must be 3 years old by May 31st and fully potty-trained.
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8:45 – 12:45
Three, four, or 5-day enrollment option
September – May
Total Group Size: 15, 1 to 5 ratio
Scholarships
In keeping with our mission, Learning Outside works to serve as many of our community's most underserved children, through its scholarship program, as possible. Children who fully meet need-based criteria, attend on 100% scholarships, as funds permit.
Learning Outside identifies children who meet need-based criteria with local public school social workers and family specialists who refer youngsters to our programs.
To date, 37% of our summer campers attend on 100% scholarships and overall, 20% or more of the children attending Learning Outside’s programs each year, are referred by local partnering organizations and attend our programs on full scholarships.
Process
A school social worker, or county-appointed family specialist, contacts Learning Outside to establish that a child meets the criteria for referral.
Learning Outside determines program availability and available funding.
A registration form is completed by the family with support from the social worker, and/or family specialist.
Once the completed registration form is returned, the child is placed, if scholarship funds permit.