BRINGING FARM LIFE TO THE COMMUNITY

"Forest school" is a concept that has been prevalent in other countries for decades, but the many benefits are now being researched and celebrated among educators and developmental specialists. Now, more than ever, children need sensory-rich environments, disconnection from technology, unrestricted play, and education about the community in which they live and practical development. Intuitively, we know we need this, but we rarely put it into action.

When we moved to the farm, we were able to put these things into practice with our own children. Through intentional outdoor play (in ALL weather), we began to reap priceless benefits: they had less anxiety (even in the midst of a pandemic), slept better, increased physical strength, became more curious, and they were free to think, create, and explore. Throw in a few friends, and we saw teamwork, problem-solving among peers, increased confidence and self-efficacy, imagination and creativity, and an overall awe and wonder of God’s creation.

From the ever-changing landscapes and the natural rhythms of the seasons, children’s daily discoveries shape their learning, providing spontaneous, teachable moments about their Creator and His Creations and practically allowing them opportunities to learn about math, science, art, and language through the world around them.

This is farm & forest school.

Through it, we believe we can provide hope and healing

to our community from the start.

GET ON THE WAITLIST FOR 2025-2026 NOW

OUR OBJECTIVES:

Through Outdoor, Faith-Based Learning, We Will…

Connect children (ages 6-12) and families in community.
Enhance brain development and reduce mental stress.
Facilitate physical activity and motor development through “seeing, getting, creating, and doing.”
Instill a life-long love for being connected to God through nature, movement, exploration, and learning.
Prioritize child-led learning and inquiry-based Socratic method of questioning for a deep, thoughtful, and engaged learning experience.
Create a foundation for Christ-centered environmental knowledge, care, empathy, and hope.
Allow cognitive rest from executive functions and technology, making room for creativity.
Develop communication and problem-solving through teamwork.
Learn knowledge about animals, plants, ecosystems, natural resources, and survival skills for both farm and forest environments.
Observe the learner in their natural environment and assess according to appropriate age-based standards.
Encourage self-reflection to encourage intrinsic motivation at an early age.

100% OUTDOORS

RAIN OR SHINE

CHECK OUT THE FAMILY GUIDEBOOK BELOW TO LEARN MORE

FAMILY GUIDEBOOK

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Please feel free to e-mail Shelly at styler@fiddlewood.farm with any additional questions.

What are the hours of operation for the school?

Mondays and Wednesday afternoons from 1:05pm-4:00pm

How much is tuition for the school year?

Tuition for the school year is $2450 divided equally over the span of 10 months.

This brings your tuition costs to $245/month.

There is a $200 non-refundable Registration Fee to hold spot for each child due upon registration.

*There will be a 5% discount given for the second child registered in the same immediate family.

What are the age requirements for attendance?

All explorers must be between the ages of 6-12 years old by August of the school year they are beginning.

Does my child have to attend BOTH days of school?

Yes. We have made exceptions for this in the past in special circumstances. However, in the 2025-2026 school year, we will only be accepting applicants that can participate in BOTH days of school in order to keep the flow of learning cohesive throughout for all students.

When do you decide who will be attending the next school year?

Current families must make a decision to re-enroll by March 1, 2025. We will then begin to reach out to those on the waitlist to begin site visits and interviews to fill all remaining spots. All final decisions will be made by April 2025.

When does school begin?

Typically, we will have an orientation evening at the beginning of August. You will be handed a full calendar at that time. Most breaks are taken along with the DCPS calendar. We typically start school the week FOLLOWING DCPS.

What does a typical day look like at farm school?

This is our typical flow of the day. The great thing about farm school is that despite some structure, there is always room for creativity and spontaneity depending on the season and our interests.

Worship & devotional

Calendar, poem, & literary devices

Group learning & projects

Snack time

Sit spots (quite journaling & drawing)

Free play

How many children are in a class?

We keep a 5:1 ratio of guides to explorers in our class.

Where can I learn more?

The best way to learn if this is a good fit for your family is to come for a site visit. Please e-mail styler@fiddlewood.farm to arrange this.

Otherwise, make sure you are following our Facebook Page and Instagram Page to get all of the inside details about what we are doing here on the farm.