Established in 2016, Outdoor Connections Forest School is located on 60 acres of private land twelve km south of Fernie, BC. The program is modeled after the Forest School approach that has been established in Europe since the 1950s. This outdoor play-based program is for children ages 3-7 yrs. Forest School is nature-based, child-directed and experiential. Children will be given time and space to develop their interests, skills and understanding through valuable unstructured play.
““Kids can’t bounce off the walls if there are no walls to bounce off””
HALF-DAY FOREST PRESCHOOL
This 3 hour program is designed to foster the child's lifelong connection to the natural world and themselves. We strongly believe that free-play is essential for a child's healthy development. We promote independence, confidence, resiliency and self-awareness by climbing snowbanks, reading stories, scrambling hills, looking for bugs and letting the children decide where to engage in free-play.
Ages: 3-5
25/26 Sessions: Fall 2025 (15-weeks) / Winter 2026 (10-weeks) / Spring 2026 (10-weeks)
FULL-DAY FOREST SCHOOL (wednesday OR friday)
Children will spend their day learning and playing in the forest, meadow, creeks or snow hills. Designed to foster a deeper connection to nature, children will be given ample opportunities to lead their learning through an inquiry play-based approach. Children's questions and ideas guide their learning and help shape the focus at Forest School. While there is still a strong focus on free-play, there are opportunities to explore their creative or artistic side through natural materials and loose parts. Children will explore the sounds of nature through silent sit-spots.
Ages: 5-7
Wednesday Session: Fall 2025 (12-weeks) / Winter 2026 (10-weeks) / Spring 2026 (10-weeks)
Friday Session: Fall 2025 (12-weeks) / Winter 2026 (10-weeks) / Spring 2026 (10-weeks)
* The full-day program is suitable for those who are home-schooled or those who wish to combine Forest School programming with the traditional school environment.
School Calendars: 2025/2026 school calendar
Parent Handbook: 2024/2025 parent handbook
Location: Birch Meadows Lodge
*Please read through the FAQs page for more information
“Forest school has taught our son the value of nature and how to be in relationship with it. When outside, he will play for hours armed with nothing but sticks, mud, and his imagination. In today’s society, I believe this is the medicine for a child’s soul. Bringing them back to their ancestral roots.”
-a parent from our OC Community
Inspired by her child's experience in a forest preschool in Germany, Frances Krusekopf has developed a pilot project for kindergarten children to take their learning outdoors - and it has taken off.