KIND Forest School

https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/free-play-shapes-childs-brain-and-bestows-lifetime-benefits

Children's daily free time to explore, create, and discover themselves and the world through play doesn't have to end in September! Our Kindergartners and grade schoolers have long stretches of time each day for what can be considered pure nectar for a child's brain: unstructured outdoor free play.

A few quotes from this article:

"This chaotic, jubilant scene reflects what researchers in neurology, psychology, evolutionary biology, educational theory, and wildlife biology consider to be a powerful technique for building brains: child-driven free play... At its best, play is self-directed and guided by fluid rules... It is perhaps one of the best tools we have for developing our brains in ways that can help us learn how to survive in an unpredictable world."

“Child-driven, hands-on play is the foundation of creativity, constructive problem solving, and the capacity to self-regulate,” Linn says. “It’s the way that children wrestle with life to make it meaningful. It is, in itself, a survival skill.”

"The researchers found that children in...mixed-age populations [with] hands-on learning and play showed greater gains than their peers in conventional programs in reading, math, and vocabulary, as well as in social competence and self-regulation."

We see the value of unstructured play each day in our forest! Reach out to learn more about our alternative school options!

Free Play Shapes a Child's Brain — and Bestows a Lifetime of Benefits Free play shapes a child's brain—and bestows a lifetime of benefits

Join this unique event tomorrow 10am-5pm! So much to explore and create with the whole family!

🌲🐞✨️ HIGHLIGHT: KIND Forest School

KIND Forest School is thrilled to be part of this upcoming family event!
Stop by our booth to:
🪵 Let your little ones explore some of our favorite open-ended nature play materials.
💬 Chat with our educators about our child-led, nature-centered approach.
🎒 Discover how we bring Ontario’s How Does Learning Happen? framework to life through play, community, and connection.

We believe children are capable, curious, and rich in potential, and we love connecting with the families who know them best.
See you in the sunshine! ☀️

FB: KIND Forest School
IG:

🤩 Come check out what KIND Forest School has to offer for our local youth at the Enchanted Family Fun Fest! The Magical Market will be brimming with lovely vendors and amazing goodies.

Details below ⬇️

•

Get dressed up (optional), gather your loved ones, and join us!

🗓 Saturday, August 15th, 2026
📍 Lee Park in North Bay, ON
⏰️ 10am - 5pm

Rain or shine!

🌼 Vendor market of 50+ amazing small businesses
🍨 Food and beverage including the ever delicious delights of Ever Cool Icecream
🪀 Trinket trading
🎸 Live music
🏆 Contests with prizes
🧝‍♀️ Enchanted outfits and vibes
🎨 Various DIY Guided Creations activities
🌿 Nature loving local groups tents
🫧 Fun bubbles station
🪄 Henna art, face painting, games & more

Spread the word! 🧙‍♀️🧙‍♂️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♂️🐲🦄🐸🧚🧞‍♀️🥳

EVENT PAGE: Enchanted Family Fun Fest

See you there!

We appreciate you supporting enchantment, whimsy, fun, and small businesses.

🔮 HUGE thank yous go out to our 2026 sponsors:
Ever Cool Icecream
photomill photography
The North Bay Heritage Gardeners
Bins and Bins
Laporte's Nursery & Greenhouses
North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority
Cards in the Yard
Studio Gillian
Jackman's Flowers
The Ugly Barn Farm
Earth & Sky Studio
Northern Flow Studio
Transmute with Allie
The North Bay Butterflyway Project
Be Wild Studio

🧞‍♂️ For more information, or if you have any general questions, please email us at [email protected], message us directly via social media, or comment on this post and we'll reach out to you.

🪄 Magical Forest Wands! 🌿✨

Acorns turned their favourite forest sticks into beautiful “talking sticks”! They collected natural treasures like pinecones, flowers and leaves, then decorated their sticks with colourful ribbons, strings, and gems.
This was a creative way to encourage imagination, self-expression, and connection with nature while letting each child create something uniquely their own. 🍃💜✨

KIND Forest School is now accepting registrations for Private School Program (JK–Grade 8), with full-time and part-time options available.

Rooted in the Ontario curriculum, our program supports outdoor learning, curiosity, and meaningful connections with nature and community.

📞 Contact us today to book your FREE trial day and learn more!

This week, acorns explored the art of beading by creating beautiful sun catchers and dream catchers.

Beading offers many valuable learning opportunities in a childcare setting. It helps strengthen fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, while also supporting concentration, patience, pattern recognition, creativity, and problem-solving.
The children were so engaged and proud to create something special to take home! 💛

Our Acorns had a wonderful time exploring the creek! They cooled their feet in the refreshing water, looked for rocks and enjoyed being surrounded by nature. 🪨💧

Along the way, we also talked about creek safety, staying together, listening to instructions, and being aware of potential hazards while exploring.

A scavenger hunt is a wonderful way to encourage children to slow down, observe their surroundings, build curiosity, and connect with nature. As they explore, they practice important skills like listening, following directions, problem-solving, and working together.

From finding different leaves, sticks, flowers, and natural textures to spotting tiny details they might normally miss, every discovery becomes a learning opportunity. It also encourages children to ask questions, make observations, and appreciate the beauty of the natural world around them. 🌱✨ 😎☀️🤗

Water Day Fun! 💦☀️

Splashing, laughing, and making summer memories! Our kids had the best time cooling off, exploring, and enjoying some water-filled fun with their friends. 🌊💙

Our Acorns created beautiful nature bracelets using flowers and leaves they discovered in the forest. A simple activity that encouraged creativity, fine motor skills, and a deeper connection with the natural world around them. 🍀