Willowell is currently developing a wilderness program for preschool-age kids, scheduled to begin in late 2012.
Based on the model of Willowell’s nationally recognized outdoor high school program, the Walden Project, students at Wren’s Nest will learn by interacting with the natural world. Classes will be held outdoors on Thursdays from 8 AM – 1 PM.
Willowell envisions Wren’s Nest as a holistic, interdisciplinary, and sensory based approach to learning. The goal is to foster students’ independence, sense of community, and an initial understanding of their interconnectedness with the whole world. Kids will come away with a deep level of comfort and love for the land we play and learn on. Above all, Wren’s Nest will create a space for children to cultivate their natural sense of awe and wonder. Each child’s interest will guide the learning process.
Kathryn McEachen will teach the pilot program. Katie is an experienced outdoor educator whose teaching style is flexible and creative, allowing her to adjust plans in the moment to suit the evolving needs of the students. Her curriculum depends less on rigid structure and more on independent exploration—allowing each child to engage with his or her natural environment through play and with the guidance of trained instructors.
Each student at Wren’s Nest will be encouraged to push personal boundaries. For preschoolers, pushing boundaries may mean staying outside longer than they’re used to, or holding a bug in their hands; for some it may simply mean walking into the woods for the first time without mom and dad.
The program is seasonal, incorporating specific themes rooted in the changing bounty of the land. Areas of study include wild edibles, fire building, tracking, shelter building, sensory awareness, bird language, singing, movements and yoga, garden planting and harvesting, wetland walks, drawing, journal writing, clay work, nature sculpture, natural dyeing, indoor and outdoor cooking, scavenger hunts, storytelling, special guests, dancing, singing, and an age-appropriate end of year rite of passage.
Visit the registration page for dates and pricing.
For more information, please contact Katie McEachen at katie@willowell.org.
For a sample month’s schedule, please click here.