FAQs & Helpful Information

Our program focuses on the needs of children and on developmentally appropriate practices for young learners. Play is the most important activity children can do for their development and we encourage lots of it! We balance independent play, play with peers, and guided play with staff. Children have free use of the materials while also learning how to respect others and the environment. We set up and change the environment in response to each group’s interests. Children spend the vast majority of their day in extended free play, which research shows encourages emotional, physical, and creative development.

Nature preschools recognize and take advantage of the benefits of outdoor play on child development. Nature play strengthens the connection to nature, improves emotional regulation, increases creativity, fosters problem-solving skills, and raises sustainability awareness. Our playground, outdoor classroom, and surrounding wooded wetlands offer spaces for children to explore and discover the world around them. Children spend at least 50% of the day outside, unless weather conditions are deemed dangerous by state guidelines.

We are working on earning forest school certification. Director Michelle will complete over 30 hours of Forest School training by July 2025, and all teachers must obtain 18 hours within their first 18 months. When each classroom has at least one teacher with Forest School certification, we will market ourselves as a forest school. Meanwhile, we follow forest school philosophies, including unstructured extended outdoor periods, child-led learning, sensory exploration, respect for the environment, low student-teacher ratios, and encouraging challenging “risky” play.

Yes! In fact, play is the best way children learn. Programs with lots of free play are ideal for teaching children how to problem solve, how to think creatively, and how to be confident in their abilities. Learning typical academic skills like letters and numbers is best learned through play. Students will have access to lots of tactile letters, numbers, writing materials, shapes, math manipulatives, etc. with teachers there to introduce and expand on vocabulary and concepts. Play also allows children to practice social skills and learn how to navigate conflicts, and starting these life skills in preschool will support their future schooling. Our decision to teach through play is based on various research in both child development and child education.

YES! Through physical play, children develop the core muscles needed for writing and use small tools and toys to help with fine motor skills. We help children develop literacy by exposing them to vocabulary, writing materials, read alouds, and word play. We also focus on numeracy through activities like sorting, counting, and pattern-making. Children are introduced to letters and numbers based on their interests, ensuring they learn through natural exploration.

We use the Forest School philosophy as described above. We also are inspired by the early childhood education philosophy Reggio Emilia. We incorporate the following basic principles:

1. Children are capable of constructing their own learning.

2. Community is essential and children learn through collaborating.

3. Children should be encouraged to express themselves in many ways.

4. The environment, including its atmosphere and materials, is another teacher.

5. Teachers partner with, nurture, and guide students to discover new interests through projects.

6. Children’s words and actions should be documented by teachers.

7. At home caregivers are an essential part of the education process and teachers partner with them so a student can excel in their learning environment.

We also use the Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Birth-Kindergarten (2022) as a guide for potential activities and to see if there is a need for a referral to additional testing and services. We do not use a specific curriculum that dictates what children should learn at specific times. We believe the best way to respect children is by letting them lead the exploration and learn what is most interesting to them. These standards are also used to document growth and milestones across developmental domains through photos, videos, voice recordings, notes, and descriptions. Our documentation is shared with families through our app and posted in the school. We will share any concerns we have about a child’s development, but our documentation focuses far more on what the children CAN do versus what they can’t.  

Children rarely use or watch screens in our program. While teachers may use phones or iPads to document learning or communicate with families, the emphasis is on collaborative play, process art, and outdoor experiences. Screens are used occasionally to reflect and spark conversations on projects we've started.

As part of anti-bias education, children are encouraged to become aware of their own identity and what makes them unique. The environment will have a diverse representation of race, cultures, national origins, written languages, family structures, beliefs, and genders in our books, toys, and recruitment for the program. Children and families will be encouraged to talk about their culture and traditions and share those with others. We will thoughtfully and respectfully recognize similarities and differences among the participants.