Once upon a time there was an educator with a desire to connect her students to one another and the larger world through nature and play.
Sarah Carlson had been teaching in the public school system before pivoting her focus to the co-op model. Finding it difficult to teach in an environment that focused on academics and achievement over the physical, social and emotional well being of her students, she felt a pull to teach in a manner that gave her the opportunity to support her students learning in a manner that honored each child’s individuality & development.
Drawn to the coop model and the freedom the small class size gave her to connect with her students on a deeper level than a traditional classroom, Sarah began working with families in Brooklyn in 2009, creating cooperative-classrooms for their children within their homes. She created welcoming, engaging spaces with ample opportunities for one-on-one engagement with each of the unique learners in her group. With an approach rooted in play, Sarah began to see the tangible shift in her students' social and emotional development.
With 2 wagons, 4 kiddos, and a teacher who was determined to create a supportive environment for her students through a play-based approach, Forest Friday’s were born.
After 5 years of teaching in the coop model, Sarah started her 2nd year teaching with a group of kiddos whose families wanted to add a day to their week together. Having grown increasingly interested in taking play to nature, she began doing one full day outside with her group in Prospect Park on Fridays. To go beyond the playgrounds and into the wilder forest of the park offered an experience that created a deeper connection within her group’s dynamic. Sarah began to see a marked difference in her students’ play, witnessing an increased enthusiasm for imaginative play and discovery, and observed a striking increase in the children’s self-regulation, collaboration, and engagement with one another.
The exponential growth she saw in her students was greater than she could have predicted; the independence, peaceful resilience, and confidence the children were gaining from their time in the park was measurable. Inspired by this exponential shift in development she was witnessing, Sarah was hooked on teaching exclusively in Prospect Park & began deepening her understanding of the social-emotional benefits and forest school pedagogy at Cedarsong Nature School.
You mean you’re out there playing in the cold? The rain? The snow?
The more time Sarah & her class of budding naturalists spent in Prospect Park the more attention they drew from curious passersby. Who were these weirdos in the yellow rain suits playing outside in the middle of January?!
Public curiosity soon led to a growing interest in the program from local families. There was a natural pull toward this simplified approach of child-led, unstructured play from families eager for their children to experience the benefits of this approach. The forest school philosophy, paired with the unique beauty and wonder of Prospect Park created an ideal opportunity for Sarah to introduce her classes to a larger audience of city-dwelling families.
Recognizing the impact forest school had on her students and the growing popularity and interest in her program, Sarah invited new families to join her drop off classes in the park. With growing enrollment came the need for additional support so Sarah began to invite creative, empathetic, like-minded educators to join her crew, and in 2014 Brooklyn Nature Days was born.
10 years of nature immersion, serving over 2,000 families in Brooklyn (and counting!) since 2014
Today, our efforts to expand access to child-centered, nature and play based experiences for children growing up in an urban environment continue through Brooklyn Nature Days outdoor immersion classes and our brick-and-mortar sister-school Wonderforest Nature Preschool (established in the fall of 2020). Our team has collaborated with local schools to integrate the wonders of Prospect Park into their curriculum and our very special staff continues to foster a sense of community, empathy, joy, and imaginative play within their classes, alongside a sense of awe and deep respect for our natural world.
We are so grateful to have the continued interest in our classes from our local communities and are determined to create more opportunities to share our love for the forest school model with other enthusiastic educators. If you or someone you know is looking to bring child-led play and exploration-based outdoor classes to their local communities, please reach out to us directly. We look forward to sharing our passion and knowledge with you!
BK Natur(ed) is a 501(c)3 charity. Your contributions are tax-deductible and may be eligible for a corporate matching program at the company where you work.
Our Tax ID is 92-0728289