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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 campers 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 our Office Coordinator Christine at cluna@keypeninsulapreschool.org

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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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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. 

Forest Friends FAQ's

Have any more questions?

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

5

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.

6

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.

7

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, request a copy of the Parent Financial Agreement from the Registrar, cluna@keypeninsulapreschool.org

8

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 Registrar Christine at Cluna@keypeninsulapreschool.org for assistance. 

Trail in Woods

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

Schedule a Tour

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