Forest Friends FAQ's

Forest Friends of the KP is a forest school for children ages 2.5-5 and is all day care for our community.

Following a European model, our students will be outside for a minimum of 6 hours a day no matter the weather for a day of nature play!

If you have further questions, feel free to email jessicaschock@keypeninsulapreschool.org

What is the daily schedule for my child at Forest Friends?

8:30-9:30- Breakfast and quiet play at McColley Hall (inside)

9:30-3:30- Nature Play in the Forest*

3:30-5:30- Calm down in McColley Hall (inside)

*Nature Play will include independent play in the classrooms, quiet time in the tents and a family style lunch among the trees.

What does morning drop off look like?

At Forest Friends, we ask that caretakers get out of the car and walk their children to the entrance of McColley Hall for morning drop off.

Before they leave, caretakers are required to sign their children into Brightwheel using the QR code.

What are meals and snacks at Forest Friends?

Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided by Forest Friends through a USDA grant.

Lunch and Snacks will be served in a family style in the forest while Breakfast will be served on an individual basis in the morning.

The meals that we serve will be hearty and nutritious for our students to be properly fueled for a full day of fun.

How will my children use the restrooms?

In Washington State, children attending forest schools are allowed to come inside for biological needs like using the restroom and washing their hands.

At Forest Friends, children will use the restrooms inside McColley Hall. There will be scheduled times throughout the day where the children will visit the restrooms and can visit the bathrooms in the case of an emergency.

Optional Before School Program:

8:30-9:30 - Before School Program

Our before school program will provide a healthy and filling breakfast. Children can eat breakfast anytime they arrive between 8:30-9:30. Breakfast will not be served after 9:30. After breakfast the children will be offered free choice of the following activities:

Art, manipulatives, and puzzles
Outdoor activities on the playground
Reading

On rainy/cold days we will dress the children in their muddy buddy suits and boots before moving into our forest program.

Forest School Program:

9:30-10:30 - Free Choice

Our free choice activities are designed to promote investigation, inspiration, social connections, and mental growth. Daily activities will be developed based upon child interest and teacher observations. They will be developed to support the developmental needs of children. Daily activities will include:

Exploration of the forest and projects that the children may be interested in.
Daily art and nature crafting activities.
Educationally enriching activities such as mathematics, science, and pre-literacy skills embedded in the forest school learning environment.
Activities that promote the development of fine motor skills such as picking edible native berries, cutting leaves, learning to tie knots, and a wide variety of other fine motor activities.
Gross motor activities that fit within the natural forest environment such as climbing on stumps, balancing on logs, running, and carrying materials to make a shelter.

10:30-10:50 - Snacktime

10:50-11:10 - Nature Walk

11:10 - 12:10 - Free Choice

12:10 - 12:20 - Circle Time

This includes sharing, songs, books, educational activities, and discussions

12:20 - 12:30 - Wash Hands

12:30 - 12:50 - Lunch

We will provide a nutritious USDA approved lunch for every child

12:50- 2:30 - Nap/Quiet Time & Free Choice Activities

Children will be provided with a sleeping bag, children who do not nap can participate in quiet free choice activities.

2:30 - 2:50 - Snacktime

2:50 - 3:30 - Free Choice

Optional After School Program:

3:30 - 4:30 - Our after school program will provide various activities that include:

Art, manipulatives,crafts, and puzzles
Outdoor activities on the playground
Reading

4:30 - 4:45 - Optional snack

4:45 - 5:30 - Free play and Departures

Departures can occur at any time that is convenient for the family.

Forest Friends FAQ's

Have any more questions?

Email Jessica at jessicaschock@keypeninsulapreschool.org to learn more about sending your child to nature school!

Are the children together or are they separated by age?

Our program is a mixed-age program (ages 2.5 – 5) with children learning and playing together. While they do tend to naturally sort themselves by ability and interests, we feel the community of learners is most rich when older children nurture younger ones, and younger children are given the opportunity to learn and play above their age and ability. This provides a wide variety of growth opportunities and prepares them for the skills they need to function in society.

Will my child learn to read and write at Forest Friends?

The first road to learning to read is not learning letters, it is learning to think symbolically. A stick becomes a fishing pole, a pine cone becomes a baked potato, and a rock becomes a baby dinosaur egg. As time progresses, children become more sophisticated in their transformations, including transforming themselves into something else. Eventually they do not need objects at all and can transform into fantasy without the scaffold of any props.

Children use similar representation mental processes in reading and writing as they do in symbolic play. MacArthur Genius grant recipient, writer, and former kindergarten teacher, Vivian Paley, says that “fantasy play is the glue that binds together all other pursuits” and believes that play is “the oldest and best learning tool”. At Forest Friends, children's pre-reading and writing skills are nourished through the breadth of play-based learning experiences that fill up their days.

What is your withdrawal policy?

Withdrawal notice from Forest Friends programming must be given in writing by 5pm on the 30th of each month to release you from the obligation to pay tuition on the 1st of that month.

For more information, please request a copy of the Parent Financial Agreement.

Will you accept Washington Subsidy?

Forest Friends of the KP is a nonprofit that proudly accepts Washington State subsidy.

If you are curious if you qualify, check out DCYF for income eligibility information or email our Director Jessica at jessicaschock@keypeninsulapreschool.org for assistance.

Schedule a Tour

To begin the admissions process, families must schedule a tour of the Lacky Campus in order to attend Forest Friends.

Schedule a Tour to reserve your spot!

Email: enrollment@keypeninsulapreschool.org