Frequently Asked Questions
Is the preschool all outdoors? What do you do in the chilly, rainy, Portland winter?
Yes, the school is all outside, rain or shine! We keep warm in several ways:
1. In our opinion, there’s no such thing as bad clothing, only bad weather. For this reason, we provide families with a gear list of necessary clothing to keep children warm and dry. The key is moisture-wicking inner layers made of natural wool or synthetics and an outer waterproof layer.
2. Throughout winter, we build fires to gather around under our outdoor kitchen gazebo.
3. We serve hot tea and warm, nutritious snacks to nurture an inner warmth.
Research shows that spending time in nature is good for our mental, emotional, and physical health. We believe being outside in all weather fosters a love for all that our earth brings in addition to an inner resilience that will serve children throughout their lives.
How do you handle going to the bathroom at forest school?
All children must be potty trained. Children mostly pee outside while at school, and use the composting toilet to poop. We have designated areas that are away from the play areas to go pee. Children will always ask permission before leaving the group to go “potty” and will not go potty in the company of other children. Each child will go potty in close proximity to a teacher, who is in sight of and available to the child and who is in sight of the other teacher at the same time. If we are away from the composting toilet and a child needs to poop, both teachers are equipped with a kit for conscientiously going #2 in the woods.
How do you keep children safe outdoors?
We also have many tricks up our sleeve to keep children safe:
1. We set up the expectation ahead of time that we stick together. We make clear that children must be where they can see a teacher and a teacher can see them. We also make it clear where the boundaries for free play are at any given time. In indoor classrooms, children may feel the need to stray from a group that is either too stimulating or not stimulating enough. Being outside offers a different environment that is more soothing for sensitive children and plenty stimulating for children who may be sensory seeking.
2. We use a coyote call to have the children gather around a teacher when needed.
3. We create a rhythm throughout the day that gives children a balance between focused times of togetherness and times where they are allowed more free play to explore and move their bodies, thus reducing feelings of being restricted and desire to wander off from the group. This is a natural way of being for children.
4. When walking together out on the land, one teacher always stays in front of the group and the other teacher stays in the back.
5. Teachers are trained to assess risk at all times. One underlying tenant of forest school is embracing risky play, such as climbing trees. Research shows countless benefits may be derived from allowing children to take measured risks. Teachers support children in taking reasonable risks by helping them become aware of possible hazards, such as, “I notice this tree branch isn’t very sturdy.” Teachers also highlight when children are showing safe behaviors, such as “I saw you checked how sturdy that branch is before stepping on it.”
