Join us 1-2 days a week for 3 hours each morning beginning this fall. Our Heartwood calendar is comprised of four 9-week sessions.
Our Classroom - With the beautiful forest as their classroom the children will have a chance to become naturalists uncovering their role in the larger ecosystem. In the forest, children become attuned to seasonal changes, learn to listen deeply, and explore with all their senses. They practice patience. They build friendships. They remember how to be wild and wise. In the great outdoors children build not just knowledge, but resilience, confidence, and emotional regulation. Risk-taking—whether it’s balancing on a log, climbing a hillside, or navigating new social dynamics—is supported as essential to healthy development.
Our Daily Rhythm - Inspired by Waldorf pedagogy our time together will offer a consistent, predictable flow that balances active and quiet times, helping children feel secure, grounded, and in harmony with natural rhythms. This will include a gentle, recurring sequence of activities such as morning circle, free play, and snack time—designed to nourish the whole child and support healthy development through repetition, warmth, and intentional pacing. We also look forward to incorporating moments of gratitude, tea and story, sit spots and nature journals as opportunities for mindfulness and connection. With large, uninterrupted time blocks and minimal transitions, children will experience the kind of deep engagement and sustained attention that inspires rich learning and joyful discovery.
Our Curriculum - Aligned with Montessori and Reggio Emilia pedagogies, our curriculum at Heartwood is emergent and child-led. The children will have the opportunity to engage with both curated and naturally occurring provocations or “invitations to play”. So while it is hard to say exactly where their curiosities will take us, here is an example of an emergent project-based learning experience that could very well come about during our time together — After spotting butterflies and honeybees at the local Arboretum, a group of children becomes curious: What are they doing? Where do they live? These questions spark a project in which children research pollinators, design and build a pollinator garden, and create signage to educate others. Through sensory observation, storytelling, scientific inquiry, and hands-on construction, children develop skills in research, collaboration, problem-solving, and stewardship—all while staying connected to their own sense of wonder. As for core curriculum subjects - math, science and reading, they will be naturally woven into our time together. Our programs are intended to supplement and enrich the lives of homeschooling and alternative education families in ways that foster community and value nature in a child-led space.