“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.” ~Thomas Berry

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If you

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• Thrive in an environment of movement and interaction

• Regard nature as our greatest teacher

• Value stewardship and community involvement 

• Appreciate the unique gifts each child can contribute

• Hope to build meaningful connections with peers

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Join us at Ashlar's Forest Programs!

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Our all-outdoor Forest Programs are perfect for children who thrive in settings where they can keep their bodies active and experience the fresh air as it moves through the trees.

 

For preschoolers, morning meetings take place in a stump circle, number and social skills are both honed as children gather sticks and pinecones to build a home for a fuzzy caterpillar friend, and literary concepts develop on our Story Walks through the Arboretum.

 

For homeschoolers, creative problem-solving skills flourish as children naturally move about, balancing on a log, dipping their toes into the river, racing across the ball field, or huddling together around a story or craft in the picnic pavilion at Lions Camp. Mentors provide interest-based activity invitations, which allow peer connections to form and give access to knowledge and skills pertaining to the natural wonders that surround us when we leave the walls of a traditional classroom behind. Part of this learning involves caring for the earth and all of its inhabitants, valuing the diversity that each plant, animal, and child brings to our program and our world.