Afternoon Forest School

After a busy day in the classroom, Forest School gives your child the chance to recharge in the outdoors through play-based exploration. Time in nature helps kids relax, refocus, and grow in confidence—while having fun!

Why focus on play? Because it works. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), play sparks joyful learning and supports self-regulation, language, thinking skills, social growth, and knowledge across subjects. It’s essential for kids from birth through age 8.

In our Afternoon Forest School, children ages 3.5 to 7 learn together in mixed-age groups. This setup encourages younger children to learn from older peers while building leadership and cooperation skills.

Our Outdoor Classroom is right next to the Visitors’ Center and includes bathroom access. All children must be fully potty-trained and bathroom independent. To help build comfort, we recommend practicing at home or visiting TNC to get familiar with the space.

To reduce waste, we provide rain pants and boots from our Gear Library during your child’s enrollment. If your child outgrows them, we’ve got the next size ready—no need to buy new gear!