Nature Play All Day

Nature Play All Day An off-grid nature and play-based early childhood program. Bringing the outdoors back to childhood.

Ages 3-6
Early Learning Program, Free Friday Playgroup, and Forest Camp (Summer)!

🌿 Fall Enrollment Openings! 🌿A few cherished spots have opened in our Fall program, and we’d love to welcome new familie...
07/12/2026

🌿 Fall Enrollment Openings! 🌿

A few cherished spots have opened in our Fall program, and we’d love to welcome new families into our woodland community.

Current Availability:
🍂 Mondays: 3 openings
🍂 Wednesdays: 1 opening

✨ Ages 2.5–6 years
✨ Full Day: 8:30/9:00 AM–3:00 PM
✨ Short Day: 8:30/9:00 AM–1:00 PM

Nature Play All Day is an off-grid, nature and play-based early learning program in Appleton, Maine, where childhood is rooted in curiosity, connection, wonder, and plenty of time outdoors.

Our program has also become a wonderful addition for many homeschooling families looking for meaningful community, rich social experiences, and child-led learning in nature.

These openings are expected to fill quickly.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to join us, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out via DM or email [email protected] to learn more or schedule a visit.

Come grow with us. 🌲💚

There are still a few little adventurers we’re hoping to welcome into the woods this summer. 🌿Forest Camp isn’t about fi...
06/29/2026

There are still a few little adventurers we’re hoping to welcome into the woods this summer. 🌿

Forest Camp isn’t about filling every minute with scheduled activities. It’s about giving children the time, space, and freedom to discover what they’re capable of.

Over four days, campers spend their days building forts, climbing trees, catching frogs, creating nature art, swinging in hammocks, cooking over the fire, exploring the forest, making new friends, and following their own curiosity. They come home muddy, tired, confident, and full of stories.

With intentionally small group sizes, there are just 1–2 openings remaining in the following camp weeks:

🌲 Week 1: July 7–10
🌲 Week 2: July 13–16
🌲 Week 4: August 3–6
🌲 Week 5: August 10–13
🌲 Week 6: August 17–20

If you’ve been hoping to give your child a summer filled with fresh air, meaningful play, and the kind of adventures they’ll remember for years to come, now is the time.

These final openings won’t last long.

Send us a message or visit the link in our bio to learn more and reserve your child’s spot.

✨ Here’s to muddy boots, scraped knees, creek explorations, campfire snacks, and a summer of childhood well spent.

🌈A borrowed tradition has become an overflowing source of joy and well of gratitude. Some scattered thoughts on the clos...
06/12/2026

🌈A borrowed tradition has become an overflowing source of joy and well of gratitude.

Some scattered thoughts on the closing of our school year and start to summer:

Almost ten years ago I learned about the Bridge Crossing ceremony (a Waldorf tradition) and was moved. It was ceremonial, but so very lovely. Like most traditions in our program it has evolved into its own unique version year after year. Keeping ties to the original event but being free of heavy parameters, rules and adult-led control; a bridge built out of a need to perform and impress.

Our bridge looks different every year.
Our cohort looks different every year.
Because we are all learning and growing.

Our bridge is built of any and all loose parts we can find. Anything is available. Anything is possible.

The flowers are collected by families and friends, all local and wild, just like every one of us.

Every year about 30 minutes before friends and family arrive I panic that it won’t be finished. Yet every year it comes together and stuns me in its imperfectly perfect beauty.

I’m grateful for the ability to linger in the magic of the messy middle and that we have a steadfast team who is eager to stand in it right beside me.

The way the children cross the bridge with ease, joy and respect for the work that they’ve done is palpable.

None of this would be possible without the trust and love that the families give day in and day out for this tiny little program in the woods of Appleton.

What a blessing it is to get to love these children fiercely day in and day out.

Happy Summer little ones. 💚

“Miss Ade, where are the puppets?” “Ah, they’re at the yurt… but we can make some!” These types of impromptu projects ar...
06/05/2026

“Miss Ade, where are the puppets?”

“Ah, they’re at the yurt… but we can make some!”

These types of impromptu projects are my favorite. Where children’s ideas are driving the ship, and my hands are supporting when, where and as needed; tying knots, steadying a detail in place while a creation suddenly comes to life with a little string and a few handfuls of patience.

Storytelling is the language of children.

Every word they speak is drenched in story.

Offering little vignettes of the life they’ve lived, the days they’ve shared, the trials they’ve faced, the joy they’ve felt.

A puppet show of two neighbors; who don’t like each other (at first 😉) then become best friends that live close to each other.

True play gets to be repetitive.
Raw creation gets to be mysterious.
Child-led learning doesn’t have to make linear sense.

No matter how messy, how haphazard, how imperfect play may look- the good news is- it’s ALL learning.

I consider it a most magnificent blessing that I’ve been able to watch these children go from strangers to acquaintences to best pals over the last few years.

What an honor and privledge that we get to not only witness these things but learn and grow WITH the children.

One week left of regular programming, and you better believe I’m in all the feels.

Playgroup will continue through summer, all of June, the first three weeks of July and August.

Join us by filling out the form on our website www.natureplayallday.com

With the days of regular programming waning faster than the last Spring snowfall, we are cherishing every moment. The ch...
06/03/2026

With the days of regular programming waning faster than the last Spring snowfall, we are cherishing every moment.

The children have grown immensely.

In their physical development.
In their brain development.
In the relationship building.
In their ability to be flexible and ebb and flow with constant changing play scenarios.

It’s not lost on me that we started as a young cohort.
We are still young; but somehow more grown up.

Witnessing these three children orchestrate whole cohort doctors play at the end of the day was such a treasure.

The way they managed the group with thoughtful direction and deep care.

The way they flexibly assigned roles of patient, nurse, doctors and family member.

The way they envisioned their beloved forest space into waiting rooms, exam rooms, cars and homes.

This is our why.

This is why our patience, love and care are a vital part of children’s learning.

This is why we make so much room for play.

Because it is- plain and simply put- THE way children, learn, practice and express themselves.

Grateful feels to pale in comparison to the feeling that floods my heart when I see scenes like this.

Happy and joyful doesn’t seem to quite connect to the way my heart and soul sing when I hear the spillover sound of play reverberating off the trees in our forest classroom.

Either way, we are present. We are slowing down and taking it ALL in as we prepare to send the children off into Summerland in just under a weeks time.

💚

Two weeks left of our school year. Things couldn’t be more bittersweet. The children are blossoming. Their kindness is s...
06/01/2026

Two weeks left of our school year.

Things couldn’t be more bittersweet.

The children are blossoming.

Their kindness is stretching into new realms.

Their creativity is like that moment in spring where all of a sudden, everything is green everywhere. Almost in an overwhelming instant.

I find myself locked in a wonder-full gaze often these days.

Remarking on all the wild and incredible growth these children have been doing.

Our winter was long- it was hard- but it was fruitful.

This fresh new season of Spring is not only long awaited, but equally cherished by all of us.

I slip into wondering what these children will be like after a full summer of bare feet, swimming, hiking, wild blueberry munching, and beach combing.

These are the days where I cannot believe this is the work we are BLESSED to do. TYL.

My heart hurts a little when I think of being disconnected from this crew and team for a few short but FULL months in the truly magical Maine Summer.

Hanging on to every last moment.

💚

🌿 POTLUCK PICNIC 🌿Wednesday, June 10 | 12:00 PM–3:00 PMJoin us as we celebrate the end of another beautiful programming ...
05/29/2026

🌿 POTLUCK PICNIC 🌿

Wednesday, June 10 | 12:00 PM–3:00 PM

Join us as we celebrate the end of another beautiful programming year and welcome the start of summer together.

Our community potlucks are for everyone—enrolled families, friends, neighbors, alumni, and anyone curious about Nature Play All Day. New faces are always welcome.

What to bring:
• A dish to share (if you’re able)
• Your own reusable plate, cup, and utensils (our supplies are limited)
• A heart ready for connection, conversation, and community

The potluck will begin immediately following our Bridge Crossing Ceremony for enrolled families and will continue through the afternoon.

Come play, eat, sing, explore, and enjoy a beautiful day outdoors with us.

No RSVP is necessary, though we would love your help spreading the word!

🌸 Nature Donations Welcome 🌸

We are also collecting flowers, plants, and other natural treasures to help decorate our bridge for the ceremony. Donations may be dropped off on Tuesday, June 9, or before 10:00 AM on June 10.

Thank you for helping us make this celebration extra special. We can’t wait to gather with you.

Heart, mind and bellies full. This is exactly the kind of feeling I searched for over the years. This place, this lad, t...
05/08/2026

Heart, mind and bellies full.

This is exactly the kind of feeling I searched for over the years.

This place, this lad, this light, this knowledge, all of it is meant to be shared. Nature Play All Day is an everybody place.

This afternoon we hosted our Tick Study; a free community event exploring these little creatures to fan a better understanding of who they are, how they live and how we can live with them.

Sharing knowledge from Master Naturalist, Amy Sylvester and combining the groups shared experiences and thoughtful questions lead us to an afternoon of aha moments, laughter, and new wonders about these creatures.

We want to host more of these events throughout the summer, and would love to hear from you what you’d like to learn about!

Do you have a particular area of expertise and want to lead a group? Let us know!

From the very bottom of my heart, thank you to all who made the trek out to our little site and opened their mind to understanding ticks- who are very much a part of our life here in Maine.

💚☀️

Address

Appleton, ME

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 2pm
Tuesday 9am - 2pm
Wednesday 9am - 2pm
Thursday 9am - 2pm

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