Wild Explorers

All participants must 

• Be willing to participate in the activities we offer (i.e. comfortable getting dirty and being outdoors in all weather) 
• Be able to follow basic instructions and safety rules 
• Have appropriate outdoor gear for every season, see gear list below for detailed information 

LGS Main Campus in Clarkson, KY

• Mondays OR Wednesdays 8:00-12pm Central
• Families are welcome to stay for a community picnic after class*
• Address: 100 Wilderness Dr.  Clarkson, KY 42726 

See our school calendar below for full schedule and breaks 

*Community Picnic: The community picnic is a time to connect with other families as a way to strengthen community for both parents and children. A parent or caregiver must be present. It is optional, open to whenever it works for your schedule, and there is no additional fee or commitment. Each parent/caregiver brings food and a picnic blanket for their family. 

August through May (30 weeks of class and a total of 10 payments) 

$60 per month (averages out to $20 per day)

Sibling discount: 15% sibling discount for 2+ siblings 

$50 deposit per child due at registration that is fully applied towards the first month's tuition 

Wild Explorers runs August through May in an effort to build a strong community of committed learners. This commitment is the rich soil that our emergent learning environment needs for students to reap the incredible benefits that the Forest School model has to offer. We ask that when you register, you commit to the entire school year. Though we understand that life happens and seasons change so with 30 days written notice, you may withdraw your child at any point. 

Wild Explorers is designed for children ages 6 to teen. 

Curious if Wild Explorers is a good fit for your family? Please reach out with questions or concerns to Katie at littlegardenplay@gmail.com

Within our daily rhythm there are four pillars that together build the foundation for self-directed learning through play, exploration, and collaboration.

1. Morning Circle
We begin our day by gathering in a circle to build connections and set the tone. This time fosters collaboration, group learning, mindfulness, inquiry, and discussion. Facilitators may introduce a seasonal theme, spark curiosity with a question, or invite exploration of a topic the group has shown interest in. Morning circle might include nature journaling, storytelling, games, group activities, nature walks, or hands-on observations.

2. Self-Directed Activities and Play
This is the heart of our program. We believe children learn best when they have the freedom to pursue their interests through exploration, creative projects, meaningful work, and play. As students grow, we encourage them to take increasing ownership of how they spend this portion of the day, choosing experiences that challenge them, develop their skills, and reflect their unique passions.

One student may spend weeks designing and building a woodland structure, while another may become immersed in woodworking, gardening, photography, handwork, nature study, trail building, scientific investigations, or imaginative play. We value both playful exploration and sustained, project-based work, recognizing that meaningful learning can take many forms.

Rather than directing every activity, facilitators serve as mentors and collaborators. We help students gather resources, learn new skills, solve problems, and deepen their ideas while supporting each child in pursuing work that is personally meaningful and intrinsically motivating.

3. Project Work
Following time spent exploring outdoors, we gather for a facilitator-guided project that builds skills, deepens understanding, and inspires creativity. Projects are thoughtfully planned around seasonal themes, emerging student interests, and opportunities to introduce new tools, techniques, and ways of thinking.

Depending on the season and the interests of the group, students may explore woodworking, handwork, fine art, loose parts construction, gardening, survival skills, nature crafts, scientific investigations, cooking over the fire, and more. While facilitators provide the structure and instruction, we remain flexible, adapting projects to the questions, ideas, and curiosity that naturally emerge from our time together.

Our goal is to introduce meaningful skills and experiences while giving students opportunities to make choices, solve problems, and take pride in creating something with their own hands.

4. Closing Circle
We end our day together by gathering as a community to reflect on our experiences, celebrate discoveries, and share observations from the day. This time provides an opportunity for students to offer feedback, ask questions, and contribute ideas that help shape future projects and experiences. We view Wild Explorers as a collaborative learning community where children are active contributors, and Closing Circle reinforces their role in helping our program grow and evolve.

Parents or caregivers are welcome to drop-off or stay on site. For parents who stay we ask that you watch from a distance, except for special circumstances that should be discussed with our director prior to the start of class. We've found that the more distance that parents give, the more creativity and collaboration that happens for the entire class. Regardless if a parent is on site or not, all children should have a backpack with everything they need for the day

Young siblings not attending are welcome to stay on site but must remain with a parent at all times. 

Our environment is one where collaboration and working together are highly valued. This is more likely to happen in a mixed-age environment as the students can be a "family of learners" where the older children have the opportunity to be mentors and the younger children learn from observing the older. 

Research has shown that students in multi-age classrooms were found to have higher self-esteem, more positive self-concepts, less anti-social behavior, and better attitudes and emotional regulation over time.