The Freedom of Forest Kindergarten - Erin Kenny
Photos of Cedarsong Nature School reproduced with permission by Erin Kenny
“Children cannot bounce off the walls if we take away the walls.”
I am so excited to bring you this thought-provoking conversation with naturalist and educator Erin Kenny, an international leader in the forest kindergarten movement and the founder of Cedarsong Nature School -- the very first US kindergarten based on the German waldkindergarten model. If you haven’t yet heard of waldkindergarten (or forest kindergarten, for that matter), it is very much as it sounds: an entirely outdoors-based early childhood education program which, in Cedarsong's case, goes on rain, snow, or shine on five acres of magical native forest on Vashon Island, a ferry's ride from Seattle.
But forest kindergarten is also so much more: Here, Erin and I talk about the crisis of nature deprivation confronting today’s generation of children and parents; why this unique style of education is a compelling and desperately needed solution; and the remarkable learning that emerges from the deep nature immersion experienced at Cedarsong. Amazingly, forest kindergartens are only just taking off here in the US (despite having existed in Germany for more than half a century and where there are now more than 1,500 in existence), so if you're eager to join this burgeoning movement as a parent or an educator, don't miss Erin and this eye-opening episode!
Show notes:
Cedarsong Nature School: rain, snow or shine
Our modern-day indoors culture
The gear: How Cedarsong kids dress for school
Erin’s childhood spent outdoors in wild spaces
Today’s academic pressure, the stress and anxiety from transitions and overscheduling
The importance of unstructured, free play outdoors
“For millennia, the way young children learned was through direct connection with the natural world”
The domestication of our children via modern-day education
Fredrich Froebel and the history of forest schools
A day at Cedarsong Forest Kindergarten
Natural science lessons and place-based exploration
Compassion scaffolding
Forest kindergarten as “an early intervention program”
Where do the kids pee?
How to find a forest kindergarten
The Cedarsong Way forest school teacher training program
Advocating for forest schools at the legislative level, and what’s next for Erin
You can learn more about Cedarsong Nature School on the school’s website. Erin’s book Forest Kindergartens: The Cedarsong Way, documentary DVD and teacher training packet -- along with the schedule of her upcoming teacher trainings and speaking tours -- are available at ErinKenny.com. Cedarsong also has a wonderful Facebook page where you can check out photos and videos of the school in action.
If you enjoyed this show, subscribe on iTunes so you don’t miss the next one (and don’t forget to leave a rating and review). The theme music is by Paul Damian Hogan. Want to chime in on this episode or have an idea for a future show? Connect with me via my Instagram page, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Resources
NYT: "Running Free in Germany's Outdoor Preschools"
NYT: "Taking Playtime Seriously"
NYT: "In Britain's Playgrounds, 'Bringing in Risk' to Build Resilience"
The Cedarsong gear: Bogs footwear, Oaki rain pants, and Columbia jackets (Omnitech or Bugaboo)
Washington State Department of Learning Outdoor Preschool Pilot
Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods