Little Schoolhouse in the Woods

Hey friends, do you have a few hours tomorrow morning to come help move chips? Come anytime after 8 tomorrow morning. Bring a wheelbarrow if you have one! Thanks 💚

We’ll buy pizza at noon for all the helpers.

We are so excited for the 2026/2027 school year to start on August 24th. As we are cleaning and reimagining our play space, I realize how much I would love this piano taken away. It is heavy and will need to be put on its side to turn the corner to get it out of here. And then it will need a place to go. Can anyone come take this piano in the next week? Please 🙏.

There is something so beautiful about spending an entire month with preschoolers exploring the idea of gratitude.
Not just saying "thank you," but truly learning to notice. Noticing the people who care for us. The trees that give us shade. The friends who help us. The rain that waters our forest. The hands that prepare our meals. The countless gifts that surround us every day.
Young children are naturally filled with wonder, and when we slow down enough to practice gratitude with them, it changes us too.
I came home from a wonderful girls' weekend away feeling refreshed and loved, only to walk into another unexpected gift. While I was gone, Mr. Jay completely rehabbed our school fire pit. What was once worn and tired is now beautiful again, ready for another year of stories, songs,shared laughter, and children gathering around the fire.
It reminded me that gratitude isn't just something we teach. It's something we live.
Today my heart is full—for friendships that refill my cup, for a partner who quietly pours so much of himself into this school that we love and for a community that continues to believe in the magic we are creating together.
Gratitude grows when we notice.
Today, I'm noticing. ❤️

Happy Birthday to the one and only Mr. Jay! We are so lucky to have him teaching, singing, telling stories and keeping us safe. He is the best ❤️

One of my favorite things about summer is that it gives me space and time to renew and reflect. I want to bring the very best of me to my incoming class. Being a nature based early childhood educator brings different types of situations and transitions than in a typical classroom environment. I am so excited to spend a day with colleagues that understand these differences. Join us for a day of learning and connecting!

Join us at In Bloom Ohio on August 8!

If you're an educator, homeschool family, forest school leader, or simply someone who believes children learn best through curiosity, play, and connection with the natural world, In Bloom Ohio is an event you won't want to miss.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from passionate educators, discover new ideas, connect with like-minded families and teachers, and be inspired by innovative approaches to outdoor and child-centered education.

We're especially excited to share that Lee and Jason Hamzy from Little Schoolhouse in the Woods will be presenting alongside many other incredible speakers who are doing meaningful work in nature-based education. Whether you're just beginning your journey or have been teaching outdoors for years, you'll leave with practical ideas, fresh inspiration, and a renewed sense of purpose.

We hope to see you there as we gather to celebrate children, community, and the power of learning in and from nature.

https://www.ohionaturebasededucation.com/events/in-bloom-ohio

No matter your overall opinion of the current administration, or whether you lean left, right, or somewhere in between, today marks something bigger than politics. Today is Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of our country.

The word patriotic means having or expressing love for and devotion to one's country.

To me, patriotism isn't blind loyalty. It's loving this place enough to celebrate what is beautiful while continuing to work toward what can be better.

Today I choose to celebrate.

I choose to celebrate our breathtaking national parks, our rivers and forests, the incredible diversity of landscapes that make this country unlike anywhere else. I choose to celebrate the neighbors who check in on one another, the volunteers who quietly give their time, the teachers, nurses, firefighters, artists, parents, and people who make our communities stronger.

I believe we can love our country while also believing it still has room to grow. Those ideas don't have to compete with one another.

If you're in Cincinnati today, one of my favorite traditions is the Northside Fourth of July Parade. It begins at 12:00 p.m. and travels along Hamilton Avenue from Ashtree Drive to Palm Avenue, followed by the Rock & Roll Carnival at Hoffner Park. It's not your typical patriotic parade—it's quirky, creative, welcoming, and a joyful celebration of the wonderfully eclectic spirit of Northside.
I'll be somewhere near Jergen's park if you want to stop and say hello!

Happy Independence Day.

( don't you think the creators of fireworks took inspiration from a dandelion?)

I’ll share a bit of my ramblings because I haven’t shared on this page for a bit and I want to keep it active.

My thoughts today:

I've been thinking about the word owe lately. What does it really mean?
When someone says, "I owe you," they usually mean they need to repay a kindness or settle a debt. But is owing the same thing as obligation? And should that language apply to the people we love?
In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer writes about reciprocity—not as a ledger of favors exchanged, but as a way of being in relationship with one another. A gift creates connection, not debt. She reminds us that "All flourishing is mutual." That idea has stayed with me. If you haven’t read this book, I recommend it.
When a friend sits beside us in our grief, brings us a meal, listens without trying to fix us, or celebrates our joy, do we really owe them? Or is saying "I owe you" our way of trying to put something immeasurable into terms we understand? Maybe what we really mean is, "Thank you. Thank you for loving me when I needed it most." And when someone says, "You don't owe me anything," perhaps what they're really saying is, "This wasn't a transaction. I gave because I care."
I've also been wondering about the opposite phrase, “I don't owe you anything." It's often said as a Declaration of Independence , but it can sound as though the relationship itself doesn't matter. Maybe what we really want to say is, "I'm free to make my own choice , but I still recognize what you've given/ shared with me." Reciprocity isn't about paying people back. It's about allowing kindness to keep moving through us.
I want to live a life of doing for others whenever I have the means and the capacity—not because I expect to be repaid, noticed, or praised, but because love and kindness are enough. If those gifts return to me someday, I'll receive them with gratitude or at least try to. If they don't, they were never debts to begin with.

Happy Summer Solstice! ☀️
As a secular school, we find meaning in celebrations that connect us to the natural world and the rhythms that can unite us all. The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere—a reminder that no matter our backgrounds, beliefs, or traditions, we all share this same Earth, our home, and journey around the sun.
At Little Schoolhouse in the Woods, honoring the turning of the seasons helps children develop a sense of wonder, gratitude, and belonging. It invites us to slow down and notice the world around us ,the buzzing of the pollinators, the ripening berries, the warm sunshine, and long blissful evenings spent outdoors in nature!
Today, we celebrate:
~The abundance of summer and all that is growing.
~The warmth and energy of the sun that sustains us.
~ That nature is amazing!

May this longest day bring you moments of joy, wonder, and connection.
Happy Summer Solstice!

And Happy Father’s Day 💜