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FOREST FRIDAYS

 

Forest Fridays is a 6-week series held from September 22 through October 27, 2023.

Fridays 9AM-2PM.

Children 5 to 8 years.

$498 for series. Please inquire about scholarships.

Forest Fridays children enjoy being outdoors, which is a good thing, because our classroom is the forest!

During Forest Fridays, we grow our kinship with and knowledge of our forest. We play, tell stories, explore, hike and create nature-based poetry and crafts. Our days are often interest-led. Teachers are skillful at improvising and meeting the needs of individuals as well as the group as a whole.

Emerald Heart is currently inviting  local elders and young adults to share their place-based naturalist skills with us during Forest Fridays. Our intention is to grow multigenerational relationships over time.  

Each of our forest schoolers has met these milestones in order to feel comfortable and confident in our program:

  • Can express wants/needs with words--with other children and with adults.

  • Can be away from parent.

  • Can participate in our Forest Fridays day, including interacting with other children.

  • Will follow an adult's guidance.

  • Do not wander off.

Please inquire if you have questions. We are happy to discuss.

Because we are outdoors in all weather, including rain, our explorers dress in appropriate gear.

 

Reach out with questions.
Registration form.

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FOREST STAY & PLAY

 

We are pleased to launch a new seasonal parent-child class. Our autumn Forest Stay & Play is a 6-week series held from September 21 to October 28, 2023. 

Thursdays 9AM - 11:30AM. Flexible arrival 9AM-10AM.

$240 for series. Please inquire about scholarships.

Winter and Spring series to be announced.

Stay & Play is designed for children and parents/caregivers to enjoy together. Babies to children 5 years are welcome. 

Forest Stay & Play is a gentle and supportive time for socializing with other children and parents/caregivers. 

Stay & Play will include Circle Time, nature craft and simple place-centered science  plus lots of time for free play. And for adults to have conversation.

Taira Restar and Stephanie Ormsby will be the facilitators for this fall series.

Reach out with questions.
Registration form.

SEASONAL GATHERINGS

Come celebrate the seasons with us! Emerald Heart is hosting these for free/ no cost.

read details

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FOREST AFTERNOONS

 

Forest Afternoons is a 6-week After School series held from September 20 through October 25, 2023.

Wednesdays 3:00-5:15PM (flexible drop off 3:00-3:30)

Children 5 to 8 years.

$240 for series. Please inquire about scholarships.

Some children will be participating in Forest Afternoons after a long day at school. Therefore, we will provide an environment for play. creativity and relaxation.  An ongoing nature-art project and/or nature journal will be worked on, by those who have interest, throughout the series. 

On our first afternoon together, we will gather ideas for what to do together in the following weeks. Teachers are also happy to respond to children's spontaneous interests as they come up.

Reach out with questions.

Registration form.

OUR TEACHING TEAM

 

Taira Restar, our lead teacher, has taught children and adults for nearly 40 years and specifically as a place-centered educator for over 20 years. She is a somatic movement therapist and a certified Breakthrough Parenting instructor. 

Stephanie Ormsby will join Taira for our Forest Stay & Play series.

more on Taira and Stephanie

 

Information on our Forest Fridays teaching team will be posted here soon.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

We believe that our direct experiences in, with and as nature are beneficial to us and to our world--now and in the future. We foster love and gratitude for Earth through our intimacy with our beloved forest kin, who we consider our friends and wise teachers.

 

In all of Emerald Heart's programs, we also honor and nourish the unique inner landscape of each child. Physical and emotional safety is a top priority.

HELP PLAN THE FUTURE OF FOREST SCHOOL
 

We are currently creating new programming. We would SO appreciate hearing what your family wants and needs, so that our programs reflect the interests and schedules of our community. Please consider taking 5 minutes to complete this Forest School Programming Survey. Thank you!

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