Early Learning

Lake Wilderness Forest School

Lake Wilderness Arboretum becomes home to the first forest school offered in the South King County area.

Lake Wilderness Forest School

Lake Wilderness Forest School is a unique pilot program developed by former arboretum board member Sarah Schumacher, founder of Greenplay Northwest and school director, which is the only all-outdoors preschool available in our community. Sarah and her team will welcome children ages 3-5 to our 42-acre classroom without walls, helping them to develop a meaningful relationship with the natural world. Drawing from the earth-based methods of Coyote Teaching, the school honors the seasons, valuing the rhythm of nature in all that they do, down to the snacks they eat and the art they create.

“I’m really excited about our preschool and partnering with the Arboretum to reconnect children to nature,” Sarah says. “I’m also hoping it will increase volunteers and engage parents in the process of caring for the gardens where their children play.”

Registration for the 2017-2018 school year begins February 1st! Lake Wilderness Forest School offers both traditional and cooperative preschool models to support the needs of all families. To learn more about the forest school and to apply, visit http://www.greenplaycooperative.org/forest-school/

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