Check out this new short story from author and school librarian Mélina Mangal. Young readers will get inspired by Jayden's journey connecting with nature in the middle of the city. 

Meet Elizabeth Corinth — a mom to three explorers (ages 2, 4, and 6), a once-and-future high school teacher, an anthropologist, and nature play enthusiast.

FFS mom Anna Jennerjohn shares stories and eleven great books that highlight ways to find nearby nature in our everyday lives.

Let us introduce you to Mercedes Benedict (she/her) — a mom, nature lover, and member of the Free Forest School team.

There’s been plenty of research on the benefits of risk-taking, but not so much on the impact of conversations about managing risk between caregivers and kids. Check out this blog post from Brenna Jeanneret, a climber/writer/mom who discusses new research on the topic as well as her own experience navigating risky play with a toddler.

Dr. Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller explains what forest bathing is and why it supports our physical and mental health.

Understanding the concept of play schemas helps to establish context for the learning and development that occurs when children play, and it helps adults cultivate patience for what otherwise may be interpreted as stubborn or difficult behaviors.

DeLiema and colleagues were recently awarded a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Rapid Response Grant through the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance (GPS Alliance) to study ‘Parent-child Discourse in Outdoor Inquiry: Understanding Autonomy, Risk, and Failure during Learning.’

At Free Forest School, we see that our model must change and evolve. Kids simply can’t play freely outdoors together as they used to, and no one knows when that will be safe to resume. What’s more, shortcomings of our previous model, and the organization’s rapid rate of growth, meant we fell short of achieving our goals and commitments to building an inclusive and empowering multicultural movement. We are setting out to actively engage our community in a process of envisioning a new and better model.

2020 has provided Free Forest School with a unique opportunity to tackle the important work of promoting inclusion and representation for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color. With in-person FFS gatherings cancelled for most of the year due to COVID-19, we were able to take the time to pause and re-think our operations and priorities in a deep and critical way, seeking to bring many voices to the table to imagine creative solutions to overcome barriers and expand access to outdoor play, and to re-envision a new and more equitable future for Free Forest School.

Learning in nature through scientific inquiry is a great way to support kids’ STEM skills.

Learning takes many forms, but self-directed play lies at the heart of it.

There may be a sentiment that children will get more out of Free Forest School if they’re hiking, interacting with others, and getting dirty. Our groups nationwide seem to consist of more walkers and beyond, with many of the tiny humans hitting the trails with an older sibling. I think newborns belong in the forest, and not merely as an accompaniment to the more mobile members of the family.