Frequently Asked Questions

What curriculum do you follow?

Our school follows a Reggio Emilia-inspired philosophy of an emergent curriculum. An emergent curriculum is not a free-for-all. It requires that teachers actively seek out and chase the interests of the children. This kind of teaching environment demands a high degree of trust in the teacher’s creative abilities and envisions an image of the child as someone actively seeking knowledge. It is a perspective that turns structured curriculum, with predetermined outcomes, on its head. A standardized curriculum that is designed to replicate outcomes often eliminates all possibility of spontaneous inquiry, stealing potential moments of learning from students and teachers in a cookie-cutter approach to education in the classroom. Given the diversity of the children we teach, accepting a canned recipe for teaching, evaluation, and assessment is problematic at best. Each child we teach is unique, requiring us to use our own judgment, instead of rules, to guide our teaching practice. To teach well, educators must ensure that creativity and innovation are always present. Although good teaching requires organization and routines, it is never inflexible and rarely routine. It dances with surprise. It pursues wonder. It finds joy at every turn.

Check out this Flow Learning in a Forest Kindergarten article for more information on how an emergent curriculum fits with forest school and to read about a real-world example!

Will my child be ready for Kindergarten?

In our conversations with families about preschool at Little Mountain Forest School, we often get the question, "Will my child be ready to enter Kindergarten after Forest Preschool"? To sum up our answer, "Yes, they will be more than ready!" Providing children with the freedom to explore, create, and evaluate risk without the constraints of constant adult direction is essential to creating a lifelong enjoyment of learning.

"The benefits of play are extensive and well documented and include improvements in executive functioning, language, early math skills (numerosity and spatial concepts), social development, peer relations, physical development and health, and enhanced sense of agency. The opposite is also likely true; Panksepp suggested that play deprivation is associated with the increasing prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder." The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children, American Academy of Pediatrics

"During pretend play, children talk more, speak in lengthier utterances, and use more complex language (e.g. future tense, interrogative clauses, conditional verbs, descriptive adjectives, mental state verbs) than when they are engaged in other activities." Early Literacy in the Outdoor Classroom, Natural Start Alliance

"Importantly, these results illustrate that students enrolled in a high-quality, immersive, nature-based pre-primary program are equally equipped for kindergarten as students enrolled in a high-quality, traditional preprimary program" Nature Based Education and Kindergarten Readiness, The International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education

What about severe weather?

Weather will be closely monitored by both the directors and educators. A secure indoor location will be available if needed for lightning or high winds. We will follow Huntsville City Schools' weather-related closures.

What if it is cold and wet?

“There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” ― Alfred Wainwright

Children are much less bothered by weather than grown ups! We will provide the necessary tools to parents so they can ensure their child is ready for any type of weather, such as required and recommended gear lists and a dress-for-the-weather tutorial. Our educators will be attuned to physical and verbal cues that may indicate a child is too cold, too wet, or too hot. A positive attitude from the educators and adults goes a long way! Take a look at this comical and insightful article, Why Your Kid Wears Shorts in Winter.

What about boo-boos?

Boo boos will happen and are an important part of how children learn! The majority of our team is Wilderness First Aid and CPR trained through Cain Creek Outdoors. They will carry with them a first aid kit that includes the necessary items to treat minor injuries and initial allergy reactions if needed.

Fill out our initial application form. One of our directors will contact you by phone or email to discuss the next steps if a spot becomes available!