Field & Forest Outdoor Preschool: Our Values

 

We value autonomy, community, and childhood.

Field & Forest Preschool support our values in myriad ways. Classes offer a balance of freedom and structure that follow the energy of the children, and honor play-based, emergent learning. There is no set curriculum, rather an authentic, child-centric pace to each day. Children are encouraged and supported to construct their own knowledge and find their own comfort level with all activities.  

Childhood is celebrated every day at Field & Forest. Children sit, roll, and explore in the mud and puddles, build structures, climb hills and trees, laugh and giggle, imagine and explore.    

All children have a voice at Field & Forest. Children are respected for the individual they are; their input is valued and they are listened to. Children are encouraged to do what makes sense to them, giving them the autonomy and validation that what they are doing is important. Children have opportunities to be the “leader, ” instilling confidence and independence.   

Children experience what it means to be in a community, at their developmental level of understanding.  Peaceful community building and problem solving is mentored and taught with no rewards or punishments, with emotional coaching as the methodology. Adult supervision is provided to assist, rather than to lead.  

Children Growing

Field & Forest develops and nurtures self-awareness, intrinsic motivation, empathy, social and communication skills, independence, self-regulation, positive mental attitude, self-esteem and confidence, and an appreciation, awareness, and connection to the natural world. Through play, children have the opportunity to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and, most importantly, how to use their own initiative to solve problems and cooperate with others.

Field & Forest Preschool does not provide commercial toys that have a predefined meaning or purpose. This supports the development of language skills, as children create a common understanding of the objects used as toys in the context of their play.

Playing outside for prolonged periods has been shown to have a positive impact on children’s development, particularly in the areas of balance and agility, but also manual dexterity, physical coordination, tactile sensitivity, and depth perception.