Baltimore Sun
Towson group finds a way for parents to get kids off the screens
Looking for ways to unplug young children from electronics and get them to tune in to the outdoors? Want some healthy activities and educational opportunities to explore in nature, plus social interaction for kids and parents alike? Anneslie resident Kerri Cohen has an answer: Free Forest School.
Free Forest School is a national nonprofit with a vision to nurture a world in which every child grows up playing outside. Cohen had been part of a Free Forest School group in San Francisco before coming to Towson.
“There was already a Baltimore chapter when I moved here in the summer of 2019, but it wasn’t super active,” said Cohen, mom to a toddler and preschooler. “The pandemic put a stop to in-person meetups and FFS moved to a platform called Our Outdoors. I joined on the new site and created a local group. I then set up a weekly meetup for the general Towson area at Cromwell Valley Park.”
The Free Forest School meetups started in June, and they’re already seeing some familiar faces repeating weekly, with children ranging from 6 months to 8 years old. Little nature lovers of all ages are welcome to attend with a parent or guardian.
The group meets at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesdays, weather permitting.
“Rain or shine, so come prepared if its drizzly,” Cohen advised.
It might also be wise to bring a spare set of clothes in case kids get really into the lessons.
“My daughter actually fell in the frog pond on our first outing,” Cohen said. “She wanted to touch the tadpoles and leaned just a little too far. Everyone was very helpful about it, and it didn’t scare her off from the pond.”
Blending loose structure with the flexibility of free play, the idea is to engage in kid-led nature exploration.
“We start with a welcoming circle, where I greet everyone and give a quick overview to any new joiners,” Cohen said. “We sing a song which introduces each child by name. Then, depending on the weather, we might spend some time playing in the shallow creek. A short hike along a trail leads to our home base, which is an open field near historic lime kilns. There the play continues until we do snack and circle time, where I read one or two books [other adults are welcome to bring books to read as well], and the kids are invited to share anything interesting or a nature treasure they discovered. Then there’s more free play until we have to go home!”
As more people join the Our Outdoors group, Cohen expects to see more meetup hosts in other locations, and likely different days of the week for “more to choose from as you get outside.”
To learn more about this free outdoor group opportunity for kids, go to freeforestschool.org and locate the “MD-Baltimore & Baltimore City” group. After registering, you can complete orientation and RSVP to events on the calendar. Cohen can also be reached via message on the Our Outdoors website or through Facebook messaging.