Wild Roots, an experiential forest preschool and kindergarten, offers a curriculum rich in the life sciences that aims to nurture a sense of community and belonging among children, families and the land. Wilson, Rudolf Steiner, Paulo Freire, David W. Orr, Jon Young, and many others. Drawing on a deep understanding and continuous exploration of child development our small class size, high adult/child ratios, and the curriculum provide a foundation of respect for the developmental process and the unique unfolding of each child. Wild Roots meets in local natural spaces where our students learn to identify local flora and fauna, recognize patterns in nature, build physical prowess, and develop the foundation for lifelong learning. With a strong daily rhythm, our classes are infused with songs, games, poetry, stories, and plays. This creative work develops a keen memory, a rich vocabulary, the foundation for reading comprehension, and a strong sense of rhythm, along with a wide array of other skills and qualities. Our imagination acts as a bond between ourselves and nature, helping us to develop reverence, understanding, and compassion. Using wild harvested materials in our play and work helps us to experience our interdependence through all of our senses. Our classes are busy foraging, recognizing plants that can heal or harm us, tracking and observing animals, observing changes on the land, painting, drawing, crafting, and playing in nature’s playground. Daily, the land offers a host of new adventures to spark the natural curiosity and imagination of each child. What we love, we are likely to protect, and to love something we must know it. Natural settings afford the children direct experience with a world not made by humans where we can feel ourselves a part of a larger community of life.
