Did you know that the average American child spends 4 to 7 minutes a day playing outside and over 7 hours a day in front of a screen?  Spending time outdoors isn’t just enjoyable it has proven benefits for physical and mental health. Friedrich Frobel, a German educator, opened the world’s first kindergartens (German for “children’s gardens”) more than 150 years ago. He believed that young children should spend their time playing in nature and less emphasis should be placed on learning letters and numbers. Today, across Europe, thousands of these outdoor “forest kindergartens” have been established. Children spend their entire class time exploring and learning outdoors year-round.

When children spend time immersed in nature, they are physically healthier. Studies have shown that playing in nature makes children more physically fit and strengthens their immune systems. Children immersed in nature practice their gross and fine motor skills continuously. In doing so, they can discover their physical capabilities and their boundaries, learn to recognize risk, and learn to keep their balance. Resilience and risk assessment are two important components for the development and success of people as they age, and both are cultivated positively in the forest school setting. 

At wild and Barefoot Nature Group our motto is “the world is your playground.”  We believe children should experience nature first hand, learn through play, and become a helping hand in our community.  We offer children a hands on program that gives children opportunities to encounter plants and animals in their area, ample play time free of adult agendas, and connection to nature. Our program is parent-child only.  We view our members as part of our tribe- which includes both the parent and child.  There is no greater joy than being immersed in nature with you children and other like-minded families!