REI Presents: In Our Nature - Ep 3 | Are Forest Preschools the way of the future?

Host Erin Sullivan explores a growing trend in education where students are surrounded by trees instead of walls. Forest Preschools (aka Outdoor Preschools or Nature Preschools) just might be the next wave in education.
Learn more about Forest Preschools on the Co-op Journal: www.rei.com/bl...
Watch Episode 1: • REI Presents: In Our N...
Watch Episode 2: • REI Presents: In Our N...
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About the series:
As a co-op, we believe that a life outdoors is a live well lived. We’re dedicated to protecting and advocating for the lands we love, and that starts with understanding the macro issues and trends that impact these outdoor places and the people who recreate in them. The 'In Our Nature' series is created to help us all become more informed and active stewards of the environment. Have a topic you’d like us to explore? Let us know in the comments below.

[@rachelmunoz]

I think this is an amazing and life-changing concept! I would love for my future kids to go to an outdoor school. Thank you REI for creating such a beautiful film!

[@rei]

Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@marjiecleveland]

These outdoor preschools are awesome! I hope they spread throughout the country and world!

[@sweet_jen7752]

I am an adult and I am jealous of these kids!

[@chiefsilverback]

We're fortunate enough to live in a small town in southern New Hampshire with both easy access to all that nature has to offer in every season, but also an incredible Nature Preschool that our two younger sons have attended. They are outside in sun, rain and snow, from 10 degrees to 95 degrees and they both love it.

[@geobuksun]

another killer episode - TOTALLY important to get kids and adults into nature!

[@martyfowler3072]

Totally awesome 👏 idea to expose young children on an outdoor education system. I’m very impressed with the little girls understanding and explanation about stinging nettles. Children can learn so much more on an outside environment and create a positive effect of preserving nature etc. thanks for sharing REI.

[@thaniaxo]

My greatest memories as a child are being outdoors. Riding bikes, rollerblading, climbing trees, staying out until sun down and sometimes even later 😅 I think children need this!! Thank you REI

[@roottoblossom9627]

YAY , Erin! I live in Seattle too and there are so many nature-based education programs popping up in the US. I have been working in the field for the last 10 years and its been such a joy to see how nature based education has bloomed

[@seamus-xi7hz]

The greater knowledge, and familiarity kids have with nature, the greater the chance that they'll want to respect, and preserve it. and the greater the chance that we'll still have a planet to live on in the future.

[@ChemNerd23]

What a wonderful way to get kids outdoors and learning! In our increasingly digital world it would be great to help encourage kids at a younger age to understand the history/beauty/importance of (preserving) the natural world. I am glad the story talked about both the benefits and some of the barriers to this type of education - very well made video REI. So happy to see programs like these and would love to support them!

[@thenomadictable8523]

This is who we need to reach, the kids! The NPS Junior Ranger programs are good too.

[@ForestSchoolLou]

Great to hear that Nature pre-schools are growing in popularity in the U.S! Thanks for sharing your video and raising awareness!

[@vortexecho72]

I totally agree with schools getting more outside time. The closest to this happened when we went on field trips to a (90%) indoor nature museum when I was in school. I hope this idea isn't limited to preschoolers.

[@kimberlycurtis6740]

in the US, is mainly preschool

[@alienairbag]

Nowadays there are over 1500 Forest Pre Schools in Germany

[@PsymolePrime]

I got this as an ad. I'm very thankful I did because I never knew this existed. Great Job. Thanks

[@J.5.M.]

Appreciate the land acknowledgement! That's always a first step to recognizing and reconciling the past and present of Indians and Native people.

[@sathellarg]

Love this film, Erin, I am so glad to see how this is blooming. I own a Nature School here in California

[@rei]

Thanks for stopping by, Sandra!

[@PabloDLH]

Erin, you’re a natural!!

[@rtfrenchjr]

Love this!

[@LiboltAdventures]

This is one of the coolest things I've seen. Good stuff.

[@willie-wilz5267]

If there are any grade school teachers looking to do something similar, Mt. Baldy School in Southern California is hiring!

[@proudlyindian001]

Great Job, Love from India 😊👍

[@GarciaEnterprises]

The city has to be mild-weathered. My city has heat that 103 degrees in summers and 28 degrees in winter. The mosquitos are horrible in pre- through post-Summer. Especially after a rainy day.

[@heatherstrong964]

Part of the experience is to learn to adapt to those challenges.

[@Wolfkyrie]

You must mean Florida. I live there too and there are means to get around it and adapt. This is an excuse that people use to not have schools like these and I mean that in a nice way.

[@galexylover4489]

i love this i want to go do 9 year olds go there too cus im 9

[@mexelina5627]

Hi this is amazing! I have a question to you. What is the role of family in Forest preschool according to your experiences? What do you expect from them?

[@iammenaaa]

This is so nice

[@philinthealps2366]

Hi, i think this is really great. But, if i understood well, this is a 100% outside school. So I wonder how they manage rainy or cold winter days? Thanks

[@heatherstrong964]

Part of the Forest school concept is for the children to experience all of the seasons and weather conditions. Safety is always in the forefront, but recognizing that rain, snow and cold are a part of the world we live in. Forest schools give the child the opportunity to recognize weather change and learn to adapt.

[@tmack1197]

How does safety work? Like stray dogs, wild animals and people?

[@efaytri]

Great question- safety is number one for teachers at outdoor schools. At the forest school where I worked, we had a plan for different types of extreme weather and practiced these plans with the kids. Strong winds are concerning, and we'd keep people away from dead trees in particular when days became quite windy. Stray dogs and wild animals were not a concern here in the midwestern US. I guess besides squirrels that can steal your food :) In the pacific northwest, where you can find more of these schools, there are more concerning animals, but these schools are not generally out in the wilderness where you're going to run into a bear or mountain lion. We never had an issue with people being weird or acting unsafe toward the kids! Except one time when our whole group went for a walk and came back to find our site had been ransacked. I'd love to know how someone from a different part of the world would answer this :)

[@erik....]

Americans always have to do everything to the extreme. :) I mean just have a proper school building but go outside like half the day like in all preschools in for example Sweden where I live.

[@minukutty3772]

Indeed, we must be surrounded by trees and not walls. We are in fact, naturally wired for mathematics - here is an interesting discussion on the subject: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6OUnHSgaNlro8U

[@PMC889]

Bahahaha khavins comment... wow... not racist at all 😅