Nurture the Nature Forest School

03/25/2026

Plant of the Week: Coltsfoot 🌼

One of the first signs of spring, Coltsfoot blooms before its leaves, even through cold, unpredictable weather.

Traditionally used in herbal medicine to support the lungs and soothe coughs, this small but powerful plant has been valued for generations.

At forest school, we explore plants like this through observation, curiosity, and connection to the land. The leaves look like horses hooves which is where it gets the name "Coltsfoot" from.

Have you spotted any early signs of spring yet?

03/20/2026

March Break Madness!! We had so much fun!!
What a wonderful week connecting, learning, and laughter!
Mud kitchen & potion making, relay races, and so much mud!
Learning animal tracks, track bingo, track molds, and board games.
Shelter building in teams to survive a "storm", snow cones (super delicious), mystery games.
Learning about fire safety, what fires need, different ways to start a fire, and practicing with a Ferro rod (made bannock, hot chocolate, and roasted marshmallows).
Exploring in the rain, seeing wildlife close up, building creativity and so much more! 💚🌿

Happy first day of Spring!
We still have a few spaces left in our summer camp if you'd like your child to join us on our next adventures!

www.nurturethenatureforestschool.com

03/15/2026

🌿 New Series: Plant of the Week

Even in late winter, the forest is full of plants with amazing stories and uses.

At Nurture the Nature Forest School, children learn by getting to know the plants that grow around us. We thought it would be fun to start sharing a Plant of the Week so families can learn about some of the plants we often see during our forest days here in Scarborough.

This week’s plant: Eastern White Pine

White pine trees are easy to recognize once you know what to look for. Their long, soft needles grow in clusters of five, which is a helpful way to identify them (white also has 5 letters - tip for remembering).

White pine trees provide food and shelter for many animals, including birds, squirrels, and deer.

White pine needles are very high in vitamin C, and people have traditionally used them to make tea. It is also a sacred medicine for coughs, wounds, and infections, as well as used for smudging.

🔥 Nature skill question:
White pine has many survival uses. What other ways do you think people might use this tree for if they were living in the wilderness?

Have you noticed any white pine trees in your neighbourhood or local parks?

Photo Cred: Denis Lifanov

03/14/2026

Less Screens. More Trees.

7-Week Forest Preschool Series

A magical outdoor program where preschoolers explore, play, and learn through nature.
Through forest games, songs, stories, crafts, and seasonal discoveries, children build confidence, curiosity, and connection to the natural world.

🌱 Small group program — limited spots available

Register now to secure your child’s place.

Ages 2.5–4 | Outdoor Learning | Led by experienced educators

www.nurturethenatureforestschool.com/program-registration-form

At Nurture the Nature Forest School, experience all the benefits Forest School has to offer and the many programs we offer to meet each child's needs!

03/03/2026

Beautiful day at Forest School;

Today was another great day where childhood unfolded exactly as it should. Students spent the morning creating their own games, setting rules, solving problems, adapting when things didn’t go as planned, and working together. Watching them negotiate, collaborate, and lead with confidence was a gift.

We climbed trees, jumped off snowy hills, and embraced the freedom to move our bodies and take healthy risks. Children having autonomy, the space to make decisions, test ideas, and truly be kids is so powerful. You can see their confidence grow in real time.

We played an epic round of Capture the Flag through the trees, learned to identify a few different animal tracks in the snow, and ended the day feeding the chickadees.

03/01/2026

02/27/2026

This week at Forest School; ❄️🌲

We began by exploring our snowy landscape, trekking through deep snow, building resilience, and creating with it as we played and experimented together (also finding some bunny tracks along the way)!

We read about animal s**t and learned how to identify animals by what they eat (which, of course, brought lots of hilarious “poo” giggles). The children were so engaged, making connections to the wildlife around us.

We fed the chickadees, enjoyed a quiet sit spot watching them gather seeds, and experienced a true fairytale moment when they landed right on our hands, with so many fluttering around us.

After lunch, we made edible “s**t,” molding different samples with almonds for bones, raisins for berries, oats, and cocoa powder. Students were wondering, laughing, and learning all the way through.

Science, resilience, connection, and joy woven into one beautiful winter day. 🌿

02/18/2026

Some of the most important things children learn..don’t show up on a report card.

🌿 Risk assessment
🔥 Confidence using real tools
🐾 Problem-solving in real situations
🌲 Leadership & teamwork
🌧 Resilience in all weather
💛 Trust in themselves

These are the skills that last.

What matters most to you when it comes to your child’s education?

02/17/2026

Close your eyes for a moment…

What did outdoor play feel like when you were a child?

The freedom.
The dirt under your nails.
The sound of laughter echoing through the trees.
The independence of riding your bike just a little farther than yesterday.

No screens. No rush. Just imagination, fresh air, and endless possibility.

Some of our strongest, happiest memories were made outside; building forts, climbing trees, catching bugs, exploring places that felt wild and magical.

Outdoor time wasn’t just play… it shaped our confidence, creativity, resilience, and sense of adventure.

What’s one outdoor memory that still makes you smile? 💚 We'd love to hear it.

02/05/2026

This week at Forest School felt like pure winter magic ❄️🌲
We began with joyful group games—lots of laughter, movement, and energy flying through the forest air.
Indoors, hands got busy building with loose parts, stretching creativity and imagination.

Then came a favourite: making plaster track molds! 🐾 Back outside, our explorers became wildlife detectives—comparing squirrel and rabbit tracks, discovering a “squirrel village” full of dens, and following trails deeper into the forest. We wondered together: What was this animal doing? Where was it going?

Snow mountains were climbed, curiosity led the way, and learning unfolded naturally with every step. 💚

01/26/2026

🌿 Summer Camp at Nurture the Nature Forest School 🌿

Looking for a summer camp where your child can truly be a child?

At Nurture the Nature Forest School, our Summer Camp offers children the space to slow down, explore deeply, build confidence, and spend their days immersed in nature — not screens or crowded indoor rooms.

Each day in the forest is thoughtfully balanced between child-led exploration and guided activities, giving children the freedom to follow their curiosity while feeling supported and safe.

🌲 What your child will experience:
• Full-day outdoor play and exploration
• Survival skills like shelter building, tool use, and fire safety
• Creative crafts, games, and imaginative play
• Foraging, nature discovery, and hands-on learning
• Time to move, climb, rest, observe, and connect

Every week is different, responding to the interests of the children, the rhythms of the forest, and the season itself.

🌞 Why parents love our Summer Camp:
• Small group sizes and experienced educators
• A calm, supportive environment that builds confidence and resilience
• Meaningful connections — with nature, peers, and self
• A screen-free summer that supports regulation, creativity, and independence

Our camp supports children of all personalities and energy levels — whether they love climbing and building, or observing quietly with a journal in hand. We meet children where they’re at and let growth happen naturally.

📍 Ages: 4–13
📍 Location: Scarborough (Morningside Park area)
📆 Weekly summer sessions available

Spots are limited, and many families return year after year — we’d love to welcome your child into our forest community this summer.

👉 Learn more & register:
nurturethenatureforestschool.com

At Nurture the Nature Forest School, experience all the benefits Forest School has to offer and the many programs we offer to meet each child's needs!

01/25/2026

Forest School is so much more than just playing outside. It’s an important space where real learning happens in meaningful, lasting ways. In the forest, children build confidence, independence, problem-solving skills, and resilience through hands-on experiences. They’re counting, storytelling, exploring early literacy, asking questions, collaborating with peers, and learning to trust themselves and their ideas.
This kind of learning matters. When children are given time, space, and freedom to explore, they become more engaged, more curious, and more connected to the world around them. The forest supports the whole child - academically, socially, emotionally, and physically, and lays a strong foundation for lifelong learning 🌲✨