Forest Preschool

Mixed-Age Play Based Forest Preschool Program for children age 3-5

Our early childhood cooperative is a place-based outdoor early learning program for children age three(-ish) to five years old. We meet from 9:00am—2pm, Mondays through Fridays, rain or shine. Aftercare until 5pm is also available. Families may enroll for 2-5 days per week.

During the school day, teachers and children collaborate with our environment to better understand the world we share. Our place-based program takes place at local woods, creeks, urban farms, and orchards, where our class engages with each environment as a living laboratory. We build our relationship with this natural classroom throughout the year to experience multiple seasons of that environment.

Berkeley Forest School's approach maintains emphasis on the process of learning over the product and expected outcomes. All teachers have a solid foundation and years of experience in early childhood education and child development, and practice culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate teaching with a social justice core. With our inquiry-based approach, our learning is free from the limitations of pre-written curriculum. Instead, we venture collaboratively into the unplanned, unexpected, and endless wonder of the unknown, with thoughtful teachers and incredible co-op parents to help support our learning.

We provide children the space to grow their creativity, critical thinking skills, and social-emotional literacy by cultivating a collaborative and respectful group dynamic. Children are inspired to direct their own learning. Through observing a child's play, a forest school teacher can thoughtfully craft play-invitations, pose questions, or tell stories, which will support a child's investigative process by giving them the tools they need to ignite further ideas and critical thought. Read more about our educational approach.

uncomfortable topics

In the woods it is not uncommon to come across dead, injured, or mating animals. These are topics many parents are not experienced in talking about with their children, or haven’t had the opportunity to formulate their own thoughts on a subject, such as explaining death to young children. Our teachers are sensitive to this challenge for many parents, and will gladly model ways in which we can have productive conversation with young children about these topics which follows and respects the child’s home culture.

allergies & food sharing

There is a variety of chosen food differences in our community, as well as food allergies, and insulin needs. We do not adhere to a strict school-wide policy, rather, our practice around food, food sharing at school, and potlucks for family gatherings are always inclusive to the entire school of families for that school year. We acknowledge that food sharing, offering and receiving food from one another is a culturally significant practice for many of the families here at school. When a child with a severe food allergy is enrolled, we ask all families of that class to refrain from packing those items.

freedom

Children here are trusted with how they choose to use their time. Children are free to roll in the leaves. If they choose to spend their time that way instead of sewing a felt creature with a teacher, their choice and their values are honored and respected. We have the luxury of time to revisit any craft or project that we introduce to the children. This time belongs to them. This is a “yes space” for children to explore with the support and loving guidance from experienced early-childhood educators.