FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What is a "forest school"?

Forest school is an educational approach rooted in the idea that children learn best through direct experience, exploration, and play in the natural world. Long before classrooms existed, learning happened outdoors through observation, experimentation, and hands-on discovery — forest school honors these origins.

Inspired by the European Waldkindergarten model, forest schools emphasize regular, extended periods of time outdoors in all seasons and weather conditions. Children engage in child-led, adult-supported play that encourages curiosity, creativity, and independence. Through meaningful interactions with nature, children develop problem-solving skills, resilience, confidence, social-emotional awareness, and a strong sense of place.

Forest school environments intentionally include manageable risk, which supports both physical and mental health while helping children build trust in themselves and others. As a place-based model, learning evolves in tandem with the changing seasons and landscapes, enabling children to form deep connections to the natural world and their community.

Q: What type of curriculum does Bend Forest School have?

Bend Forest School is a progressive academic homeschool program grounded in a child-led, inquiry-driven, and emergent curriculum. Our approach blends nature-based and experiential learning to support the whole child: academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.

Our curriculum focuses on foundational academic areas, including math, language arts, science, art, and music, while allowing learning to emerge naturally from children’s interests and the environment around them. Teachers thoughtfully integrate academic concepts into hands-on explorations, imaginative play, projects, and real-world experiences.

Nature is our classroom. Children spend most of their day outdoors exploring the forests, deserts, and mountains of Central Oregon. Through these direct experiences, they develop observation skills, scientific inquiry, creativity, collaboration, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Rather than relying on rigid lesson plans, teachers act as guides and co-learners and meet children where they are developmentally and scaffold learning through individualized prompts and questions. On any given day, children may practice counting and sorting with natural materials, build early literacy skills through storytelling and conversation, or write letters and numbers in dirt, sand, or mud.

Q: Central Oregon can get cold in the winter. What if my child gets cold?

A: There is a common adage for the outdoors that says: "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing." At Bend Forest School, we stress the importance of dressing your child to be prepared for the cold weather. Many similar forest schools around the world are run in similar or colder climates to great success. When children (and adults) are prepared for cold weather with the appropriate gear, their bodies are protected from the elements and are capable of staying warm. Please see the What to Bring page for recommendations and suggestions.

Q: How do you intend to make the program more inclusive?

A: We meet children where they are at developmentally and individualize our teaching to meet each child's unique needs and backgrounds. We hope to collaborate with the High Desert ESD Early Childhood Special Education program so as to ensure that students with varying abilities can access our program.

Q: Do you have art or music classes?

A: We do not have a scheduled time for art or music. However, both can be embedded throughout the day in children's work and play. We do provide chalk in order for children to create chalk paint for rocks and bodies (arms, hands, legs, face). We also provide clipboards and pencils for children to access as desired. Additionally, we hope to partner with local artists and nonprofits in the area to visit us and provide art as an option on the children's day. As for music, the same applies. We sing songs throughout our day as well as create musical instruments with loose parts we find in nature. Additionally we may bring in musical instruments on occasion, as well as partner with a local music professional to come and join us on a regular basis. We also have a certified Yoga Calm instructor joining us on a weekly basis to offer the children a chance to participate in yoga while in our nature immersion preschool setting.