Injuries
Minor injuries will be treated as needed (cleaned and bandaged). A first aid kit will be available at all times. An incident report will be compiled for all injuries that break the skin, may lead to bruising, or involve the head or genitalia. In the event of more severe injury such as possible concussion, fracture, burn, laceration (1/4” deep or more), the teacher will immediately attend to the student and then contact the parent/guardian. If ambulatory services are needed, 911 will be contacted before the parent/guardian so that emergency medical care may be initiated.
In the event of an emergency (severe head trauma, anaphylaxis, major fractures, excessive bleeding, or any other severe threat), the following procedures will occur.
● All activities will halt, and group safety prioritized.
● Emergency services will be contacted, and the child will be triaged, and emergency first aid will be initiated as instructed by EMS.
● Parent/Guardian will be contacted after EMS has helped to stabilize the situation
Outdoor Play
Risk Management
One of many benefits of allowing children unstructured outdoor play time is to help increase self-confidence and independence. This type of play can occur by children taking reasonable risks and testing limits. The goal is to allow these opportunities for reasonable risk taking, while balancing watchfulness for true safety hazards.
The outdoor sites are evaluated daily for possible hazards including but not limited to damaged trees, trash, ant beds, wasp nest construction and the like. They will be removed or avoided until further mitigation can occur. In the event of insects, they will be removed or treated without toxic pesticides.
Elements
Outdoor play is essential for the open-ended and creative nature of the program. From time to time, the weather may not allow for outdoor activities. Shade will always be made available for outdoor play while we are outside. While outdoors, lightning is a risk whenever thunder is heard, even if the storm is miles away. If lightning is within 10 miles of our facility or outdoor adventure, we will immediately seek shelter indoors (notification via NOAA weather mobile app, Lightning tracker app).
If there is rain without lightning, activities may continue. We will dress appropriately (coat and boots) and continue our outdoor play in the rain. Once we are finished, we will come back in to dry off and change clothes, if needed.
Unless conditions are unsafe, play and nature walks will take place come rain or shine (and snow if it occurs). Learning how to adapt to uncomfortable situations teaches resiliency and shows that we can find joy even in stormy circumstances. Children can learn to plan ahead, identify appropriate clothing and develop a back up plan (change of clothes).
Climbing
Children are only allowed to climb as high as they are tall, and they must be able to reach that height by themselves (they will not be lifted to a place they cannot reach themselves). Climbing is an important part of child development for both spatial and directional awareness as well as balance and agility.
Throwing/Hitting/Sticks
Throwing natural objects is permitted away from other persons. We will discuss throwing areas when we are outside. Hitting objects is also permitted in certain instances with natural objects. We will also discuss what can and cannot be hit. Most people’s childhood included picking up and playing with sticks. Children will collect, swing, dig, throw, and play with sticks. They will learn how to handle sticks safely. Fantasy play with sticks is acceptable if it does not include physical contact. Play will be redirected if it crosses physical and/or emotional boundaries.
Rough Play
Children will be allowed to engage in rough play when consenting and acknowledging boundaries. Such boundaries include but are not limited to; no hitting or kicking, no head or neck, no genitals, and no pushing from behind. Rough play is important for children to learn physical and verbal boundaries.
Exploration
Before and during each class, boundaries for outdoor exploration will be clearly communicated. Children will always be in direct sight of the teacher. Children who deliberately run from the boundaries or stray from the group after being stopped and reminded of the boundaries more than twice, will stay with the teacher and work to develop ways to mitigate the flight behavior.
Stinging Insects
If a child is stung by an insect, the parent/guardian will be notified. If approved by said parent/guardian, children’s Benadryl will be administered if a reaction occurs. A cold compress will be applied as well.
Mosquitoes / Chigger Bites
Spending a lot of time outdoors increases the possibility of mosquito and other bug bites. Preventative measures are weekly mowing, reduction of sitting water, and applying bug spray to bodies daily. Many types of sprays have been tried with the most success coming from bug spray with deet. During certain times of the year, chigger bites increase and because they are microscopic, we are unable to see them in action. They tend to bite in dark crevices such as armpits, waistband lines, and groin/genitals areas. We recommend tucking in shirts and wearing long pants tucked into long socks and spraying upon arrive immediately to reduce bites. Permethrin spray on your children's clothing (ahead of time) has been shown to repel such bugs. If you do not want your child to be sprayed with deet, please let us know.
Outdoor Edibles/Garden
Children will learn how to plant, care for, harvest and pick certain fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the garden. Children will be asked if they would like to try any of the food that is grown, or that they help to grow but they will never be forced to try or eat it. They will also be taught to identify some wild edibles on our nature walks. We will also learn and have continual reminders about not eating anything from nature without adult permission.
Outdoor Gear
The following gear needs to be purchased, labeled and stay at APFW: sunhat, rain suit or jacket and pants, and rain boots that can get dirty/muddy. Rain gear is important as it keeps your child insulated and we will play and learn in the rain. Please label them and we will keep them on hand.
Donations/Wish Lists
To continue reducing costs for weekly materials for crafts, building and constructing, we may ask you to bring some various materials from home. Items needed will be emailed or texted out.
Lunch, Outside Food and Celebrations
Lunch and afternoon snacks will be provided by the parent/guardian. We want to continue to teach independence so please pack your child's lunch in no more than two containers and minimal individual packaging (bento boxes are great). We will not be able to refrigerate or warm up lunches so please pack lunches with cold packs or insulated containers. We will not throw away uneaten portions of their lunch as they can finish it at PM snack. We also want you to see what your child consumed during the day as it may help you pack. Please send lunches that are well rounded (protein, carbs, fruit and vegetables). We will not serve large amounts of highly processed or sugary foods while your child is in our care. This includes snacks such as candy, zebra cakes, and other snack cakes or koolaid drinks. Your child's water bottle will always be provided as well.
APFW is a secular program. We do acknowledge cultural celebrations and holidays and understand that some may be related to religious holidays and beliefs. Discussions around a variety of different holidays, traditions and themes are part of our mission to educate students on a diverse range of topics and worldviews. When we are aware, we can learn and then hold/have compassion for others. If you would like to share a holiday/celebration with us, we are more than happy to accommodate you. Feel free to bring a book or special snack. Just let us know ahead of time to check the ingredients with the needs of other students.
Please understand that we are not responsible for the nutritional value of the food you bring and your child’s lunch may not be shared.
We will be enjoying birthdays and cultural holidays throughout our program year. We can have a birthday celebration with songs and a special item to honor the child like a birthday crown. We will only distribute foods for the celebration that do not contain items in which other students are allergic.
Items Welcome and Unwelcome
Your child may bring the following items to the program:
● Books
● Items from nature (please be cautious with little critters )
● A lovie that makes them feel secure
Your child should not bring the following items to the program:
● Toys
● Coins or other small items
● Sugary or highly processed foods
● Any technological device
● Pacifier
Clothing/Dress Requirements
Students may wear whatever they choose to APFW, if it is conducive to movement (running, jumping, climbing, etc.). If your child wears something that hinders their movement, they may be asked if they want to change to be more active. They will not be forced to change. Feel free to bring on the tutu and winter hat. Please label all the clothing that is brought and worn to school. Check to make sure their clothing they come in for the day is also labeled. There is a basket for unlabeled clothes that need to be claimed and labeled. If your child comes home in clothes that are not theirs, please wash and bring them back. It is because they did not have any clean labeled clothes left in their bag. Please check your child's bag daily to ensure they still have clean clothes.
The following clothing items NEED to be LABELED and brought to APFW each day for the entire program year:
Wet/dry bag for transporting dirty clothes home
2 labeled t-shirts (shirts you don’t mind getting dirty or stained)
3 labeled pairs of underwear
3 labeled pairs of shorts/pants - Please make sure these are easy to remove and put on (no jean or denim material or items with buttons and zippers).
3 labeled pairs of socks (we tend to be barefoot a lot)
Closed-toed shoes that can get muddy or wet (child needs to be able to take off and put on independently or with little assistance)
Rain gear (suit or jacket and pants for rain) - I have a couple mud boots, but not enough for all sizes)
Wide brimmed hat for shade (or any hat your child will wear)
Labeled Reusable Water bottle
As a nature school, we try to have sustainable practices. We are needing you to pack a reusable wet/dry bag to take home your child's dirty clothes in. This will help to reduce the use of single use plastic bags. If you fail to pack a wet/dry bag continuously, your child's clothes will be sent home in their backpack, potentially soiling the other contents in the bag.
Children should be potty proficient, but we understand, at this age, there could be an accident from time to time. If there are continuous accidents with no awareness of getting to the toilet, or refusal to go in the bathroom, a plan of action will be needed. If there is no progress within the agreed upon time frame, the student might need to withdraw from the program.
Field Trips
Our goal is to visit other greenspaces in our local area a couple times a semester to experience what nature has to offer in those spaces. We may also try to plan trips, such as the zoo, children's museum, or arboretum, and we would love parents or other family members to join us.
Philosophy
Connection to nature is a developmental and emotional need for children, which excites cognitive stimulation that are absent from traditional classrooms or structured educational settings. APFW champions the need for children to safely access and reconnect with nature and their Wild. We want to support every child’s fundamental need to grow and develop through risk, experimentation, creativity, conversation, play and real-life tangible experiences. Our goal is to create a generation of globally conscious citizens by providing a holistic education that promotes social-emotional, cognitive and physical development that strengthens a sense of community and environmental stewardship.
APFW is a nature and play program for early childhood. The amount of time spent outdoors will be at least 40% a day or more, weather permitting. This program encourages child led activities in nature which allows for guided risk taking, inquiry-based learning, physical benefits, social skills, emotional growth for self and others and environmental stewardship. This type of learning is taken from the Forest Kindergartens of Europe. Nature and the child are the curriculum.
We know that unstructured and uninterrupted time in nature brings about more creative and imaginative play. Nature schools naturally focus on experiential learning techniques in the subjects of art, literacy, science, math, engineering, and writing. Nature/forest school pedagogy nurtures a child’s independence, sense of community and emotional intelligence. Children will create and test hypotheses of the world around them.
Our nature school, teaching philosophy is focused on the education of the whole child and does not focus on unreasonable and competitive academic milestones.
Studies show that the following outcomes for children engaged in nature skills include:
● Increased psychological well-being
● Reduction in depression, anxiety and stress
● Decreased occurrences of obesity and asthma
● Better spatial skills
● Enhanced resilience
● Heightened critical thinking and problem solving
● Increased empathy, leadership, and communication skills
● Increased retention of subjects due to direct contact of material
● Stronger connection to nature
● Increased environmental values
Device Policy
The learning environment for young children should require their mental, emotional, and physical engagement. For this reason, we do not have any screen time or use of electronic devices at our program for children to use. These different types of media are known to inhibit natural play and imagination. We want to make sure your child’s day is full of physical, emotional and sensory involvement.
Core Values
APFW expects staff, parents and students to respect, accept and appreciate the rich diversity of the world’s cultures, forms of expression and ways of being human.
The following values are those that APFW works to uphold in both its staff and students. Wonder, Empathy, Respect, Inclusivity, Diversity, Kindness
Communication
Whatsapp and text message will be the way we communicate with parents/guardians. Individual texts, pictures and videos will be sent during the program year. Please do not post any of the children's pictures to the public without the written consent of the child’s parents. You may share posts from our social media account. Information regarding getting hurt or hurting others will be sent through whatsapp or text message and you will receive an incident report at pickup.
ALL communication pertaining to school or your child MUST go through the school whatsapp or school telephone number. No communication is permitted to be sent to any staff's personal numbers or devices.
Discipline – (Responsive Parenting/Conscious Discipline)
Our discipline goal at APFW is to be proactive in nature. We will work to stay attuned to each child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive needs (whole child). Our discipline is rooted in respect for self, others and nature. Expectations for students and teachers include being respectful of all people and wildlife, to be truthful, to be tolerant of differences in others, and being compassionate of others’ social and emotional well-being. We will model these behaviors throughout the day. We believe in and prioritize autonomy and consent for hugs, etc. Our idea for risky play, aligned with forest school and nature schools, is “safe as necessary” rather than “safe as possible”.
Discipline must be:
1) Individualized and consistent for each child;
2) Appropriate to the child’s level of understanding; and
3) Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.
A caregiver may only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction, which include at least the following:
1) Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon unacceptable behavior; 2) Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements;
3) Redirecting behavior using positive statements; and
4) Using brief supervised separation or time out from the group, when appropriate for the child’s age and development, which is limited to no more than one minute per year of the child’s age.
There must be no harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment of any child. The following types of discipline and guidance are prohibited:
1) Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment;
2) Punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training;
3) Pinching, shaking, or biting a child;
4) Hitting a child with a hand or instrument;
5) Putting anything in or on a child’s mouth;
6) Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child;
7) Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language;
8) Placing a child in a locked or dark room, bathroom, or closet with the door closed or open; and
9) Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods of time for the child’s age.
Toddlers and preschoolers, while learning and trying to make sense of their world, will sometimes exhibit behaviors that could be dangerous and/or hurtful. Any feeling they are experiencing is valid. If needed, we may work on strategies to help calm the child before moving forward. Together, we will discuss the unsafe behavior and why it violates our core values, brainstorm, and work toward a solution. We do not force any child to apologize.
We will focus on behaviors that we want to see instead of ones we do not. If there are specific behaviors that may become repetitive and unsafe for the individual child (such as running away or poking at an ant bed), natural consequences of staying with the teacher, while working on specific positive behaviors, may be the result. If specific behaviors involve hitting other children with natural objects, the natural consequences will be that they will not be able to handle these objects. When unsafe or harmful behaviors continue, with consecutive tries to resolve the issue, we will notify caregivers and work together to try to solve the problem.
Rarely are children asked to leave the school, but in serious and repeated cases, a discussion with the parents to determine the right course of action will occur that may include permanent removal of the student from the program. This is a drastic scenario and a matter not left up to an individual. Decisions such as these are made by the director, parents and possibly other professionals, and only after thorough, thoughtful, and careful consideration.
In situations where behaviors are needing additional support, we will ask families to seek external resources. As caregivers of your child, we will need to be able to have communication with therapists as to how we can best support your child.
