MARCH 2023 CHARITY OF THE MONTH
In partnership with the Minnesota Wild, we are the sponsor of the Minnesota Wild Charity of the Month Program. Throughout the NHL season, we feature a new charity each month. This months selected charity is Free Forest School!
ABOUT FREE FOREST SCHOOL
Free Forest School envisions a world where all children grow up playing and learning outdoors. They bring recurrent, immersive, child-led outdoor experiences to kids across North America by empowering parents, caregivers, and educators to provide it themselves. By nurturing the growth of in-person and online communities, illuminating the value of existing resources, and reorienting adult perspectives to the benefits and ease of nature play, they work to make nature play an integral part of childhood.
Unlike many outdoor programs, FFS does not rely on highly-trained guides or bring participants to remote or pristine wilderness areas. Instead, they bring the joy of adventure in nature into the everyday lives of families by teaching parents to see the concept of exploration through the eyes of their children.
MISSION
Nurturing kids and empowering adults by connecting to nature, culture and each other through outdoor play.
VISION
A world where every child grows up playing outdoors.
LEARNING OUTDOORS
Free Forest School envisions a world where all children grow up playing and learning outdoors. We bring recurrent, immersive, child-led outdoor experiences to kids across North America by empowering parents, caregivers, and educators to provide it themselves. By nurturing the growth of in-person and online communities, illuminating the value of existing resources, and reorienting adult perspectives to the benefits and ease of nature play, we work to make nature play an integral part of childhood.
Free Forest School started in 2015 as a nature playgroup modeled after Scandinavian forest schools where child development is nurtured through outdoor play and exploration. The idea was to create a community for parents to support each other and their kids in nature. Following a gentle child-led routine, adults practiced doing less, being attentive while stepping back. Between 2017 and 2020, FFS grew exponentially through grassroots efforts and community engagement, building a nationwide network of more than 200 local chapter groups led by 1500 volunteers.
With an emphasis on inclusion and accessibility, FFS celebrates the multiplicity of ways families find to connect with and learn in nature, in all types of settings (urban to rural), weather, and geographies. Free Forest School believes playing freely and learning in nature works wonders for kids — and for caregivers, families, communities, and the earth. This community exists to support one another as we discover the joys of child-led outdoor play!
In 2021, FFS launched a robust virtual nature play hub, Our Outdoors, as a community gathering space for anyone seeking to make unstructured outdoor play a part of their routine. Our Outdoors members are able to connect with other parents and caregivers near and far to learn about unstructured play and parenting in nature, to meet up informally to play, and to schedule group gatherings on the Community Events Calendar. Our Outdoors also offers tools and tips to support caregivers in getting outside with their children. Also coming soon is a new training series in an Emergent Learning framework designed to help formal and informal educators foster outdoor experiences that promote whole-child learning and development in a range of educational settings.
