Tacoma Outdoor School

Preschool, Childcare, Daycare, Forest School, Outdoor Education, Outdoor Preschool

Nurturing a Connection to Nature

Our goal is to provide conscious, loving attention to the children in our care using an outdoor setting that nurtures their connection to nature and the world around them. A daycare that creates a deep sense of connectedness brings hope, and through hope, opportunity to change their environment now and in the future. A deep connection to nature created through play will have a positive impact on not just a child's well-being, but also their perspective on the world, and their hope and care of it as they grow. Outdoor schooling, especially for the early childhood education years, fosters an atmosphere of wonder and discovery through self-initiated play. Our curriculum encourages interactive play by providing our students with unstructured time in nature to explore and have their own wonder-filled experiences as well as introducing teacher-led activities that involve open-ended art, sensory, and dance. These times of wonder in childhood have the opportunity to lead to positive outlooks, hopefulness, and tenacity as adults. Studies show that Executive Functions are the true keys to succeeding in school, and in life. Executive Functions include the things we need to function everyday such as impulse control, risk assessment, planning ahead, filtering distractions, and prioritizing tasks.

2019