Cultivating your child’s innate sense of wonder

Early years nature immersion in Huntsville, AL

Engaging Curious Thinkers

Exploring Nature Together

Encouraging Child-
Led Play

“If we want our children to move mountains, we first have to let them get out of their chairs.”

— Nicolette Sowder, creator of Wilder Child and Wildschooling

At Little Mountain Forest School, we believe children deserve space where they are free to explore, to discover, and to build relationships that promote a sense of wonder, kindness, courage, and strength.

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What People Are Saying

Testimonials

"I think it’s a very special place for the kids to learn and explore. There seems to be a lot of freedom but also a lot of thought to make it intentional and worthwhile."

-Nature Preschool Parent

"Best. School. Ever. We are so happy. Our daughter absolutely loves it!"

-Early Elementary Explorer Parent

"Nothing but gratitude for you all. Kids are thriving. They are excited to go and come home happy and tired (a good tired, not an overstimulated tired). They are learning about body autonomy, consent, and repeating other Emily-isms. <3 Noticeable increase in focus and intrinsic motivation during our lessons at home."

-Nature Preschool Parent

"We love all of it! I love child-led exploration, the focus on nature, and how the teachers interact with the students respectfully and mindfully."

-Nature Preschool Parent

"The whole LMFS team was awesome. This was our first playgroup and my son approached things with a little caution. Emily was a wonderful teacher and I loved how she made my son feel welcome and included. I loved how she gently redirected the group."

-Playgroup Parent

Engaging Curious Thinkers

Children are naturally curious. During forest school, children are given opportunities to share their individual ideas. The educator provides explorations and asks open-ended questions to help the child further their thinking. This gives the child confidence in their knowledge and abilities. The more curious a child is, the more they engage, learn about the world around them, and find joy in knowing.

Exploring Nature Together

During the day, the children will spend 100% of their time outdoors with their multi-aged peers and educators. The children will work together to explore the world around them so they can better understand their role in the natural world. We encourage children to explore, ask questions, and seek answers from both themselves and others. The learning is active, hands-on, and occurs naturally. You will often find us singing and telling stories to illustrate a discovery or idea.

Encouraging Child-Led Play

We allow the child’s interest to drive the curriculum as they move through the rhythm of the day. Our educators are present to support this process, which is often referred to as an emergent curriculum. Our time outdoors is child-led, not adult directed. Play is one of the main ways children learn and develop, which is why child-led play is a focus of our program!