Forest Schools

• Must be 3.5 years old or older by the first day of forest school

  • Able to know and regulate their body without diapers, aka potty-trained.

  • Your child must be prepared (and want!) to be outside in rain or shine, cool or warm. 

Monterey Forest School Program meets from 9:30am until 1:30pm

Santa Cruz Forest School Program meets from 9:00am until 2:00pm

Both are drop-off programs.

The Monterey Forest School session is offered Tuesday/Thursday

The Santa Cruz Forest School offers both a Tuesday/Thursday option and a Wednesday/Friday option.

• Parents may choose to sign their child up for one or both sessions. Each session is two days, so signing up for both means that you are signing up for four days a week Tuesday-Friday. 

These programs run for 32 weeks out of the school year.

• Lunch  

• Water bottle 

• Extra set of clothes in plastic or wet bag

• Handkerchief, sun-hat, and/or rain protection

• Long sleeve or jacket for cool mornings

• The Winter session will require a waterproof rain jacket, rain pants, and rain boots.  Base layers and socks should be of non-cotton material.  Wool or synthetic (polyester and nylon) are highly recommended.   

• Children will carry their own backpacks.  We have found child backpacks with a chest strap are very helpful, especially in combination with a raincoat.  Please label all clothing and lunch bags/boxes with your child’s name.

• Comfortable, warm and waterproof footwear

• Loose fitting clothing that can get muddy and dirty

• Waterproof rain pants, rain jacket, boots 

• During cold weather: hat, mittens, long-underwear (no cotton), fleece or down jacket, wool socks. 
  

If negative behavior occurs, teachers will address and seek to resolve it directly with the child.  

• Hurting another child or throwing a tantrum leads to being away from the group until the child is calm enough to rejoin.

• Abuse of an activity or object (such as a stick) leads to a loss of the privilege of using that object or participating in the activity for a time. 

• Repeated unprovoked hurting of another child and/or using objects as weapons to injure staff or children leads to a call to the parent to come and take the child home.

  We teach and encourage children to respect others and their surroundings by using problem-solving and conflict resolution skills. We also use redirection, positive modeling, and gentle reminders to foster positive behavior. Physical punishment is strictly prohibited.  Any cruel and unusual discipline that is frightening or humiliating is never used.  

  If we find after starting school that your child requires more one-on-one attention than we can safely provide in a group setting, we may ask you to provide a companion or withdraw your child from the program.  

  We’re careful with our friends’ bodies and feelings, as well as with the tiniest ants and spiders. 

We meet outside, rain or shine.  We like to schedule field trips to public green spaces when possible. 

Each day varies according to the lead and interest of the child.

Activities may include:

• Climbing, building and crafting from what nature offers us

• Whittling sticks using a potato peeler

• Discovering and naming plants, mushrooms, insects, lizards, and salamanders

• Dramatic play (the opportunities are endless in the forest)

• Hide and seek 

• Puddle-stomping and rain dancing

• Hole digging

• sword fighting using sticks

• Looking for creatures under logs

Labor Day: September 2nd

Fall Break: November 25th-29th

Winter Break: December 21st - January 5th

Staff Training: February 17th-21st

Spring break: April 14th-18th

Last Day of School: Friday, May 23rd