K-2 Forest Friday Program

 

In our weekly Forest Friday program, we support whole-child development through play, exploration, and relationship with the natural world. While we intentionally build skills related to problem-solving, cooperation, resilience, and environmental awareness, our primary focus above all else is cultivating joy, curiosity, and a sense of belonging outdoors. By prioritizing positive, meaningful experiences in nature, we are laying a strong foundation for confidence, independence, and a lifelong connection to the land as children grow and take on new challenges.

We begin the year with broad, foundational experiences such as learning playground boundaries and safety agreements, practicing cooperative play, developing awareness of the seasons, and building comfort and competence in outdoor environments. We work on sharing, building a sense of belonging, and navigating conflict. We learn how to pick a play/learning/picnic space and identify any hazards in the area before beginning to play.

Students keep nature journals to document their experiences. For example, students identify birds, listen to bird sounds, and capture their observations and learning through drawing, labeling, and written expression. Students study trees, maps, snowflakes, hibernation, and more while out and about in Marble. MCS students have access to forests, lakes, waterfalls, rivers, wetlands, parks, hiking and skiing trails, all within walking (or skiing) distance of the school. These wild spaces serve as students' outdoor classrooms and inspire them to learn, explore, create, and take care of themselves and their community.