January 8, 2026
Dressing for the Cold: The Forest School Way
Stop waiting for "the perfect day" and start dressing for winter the Forest School way with these tips from FortWhyte's educators.
FortWhyte Forest School is an outdoor, multi-age program that takes place rain or shine in the forests of FortWhyte Alive.
Forest School is an educational approach that builds resilience and knowledge of the natural world in children through nature exploration no matter the weather. Our program is modelled from the principles and guidelines developed by the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada.
Forest School uses hands-on nature experiences to support an emergent curriculum which is, in part, derived from the daily and seasonal changes observed in nature. The children and their curiosity are the driving force behind the direction and outcomes of each day, with a flexible daily routine that includes a snack break, nature hikes, time for unstructured nature exploration, and two group gathering times where we discuss plants, animals, and nature.
Our Forest School leaders spark engagement with nature by modelling excitement about outdoor play. They explore, create, build and celebrate alongside the children. They then step back to observe the many connections that unfold.
“The really magical thing is that it changed our whole family’s perspective on being outside. It’s helped us all appreciate the outdoors.”
—Lauren MacDiarmid, Forest School parent
Pollywogs is designed for you and yours to play, the Forest School way. Each session is infused with child-led nature play, while you take in some tips and tools on how to bring this ethos home for your family adventures. Grounded in these principles, we work with families to support their child’s secure attachment and explorative nature.
Join us for one morning a week as we explore the trails and find the magic of learning embedded in the forests and marshes at FortWhyte.
Pollywogs are no longer tadpoles and not yet frogs but that magical phase of metamorphosis that gives them freedom to explore the greater world with the comfort of familiar ponds close by.
How to enroll
STEP 1: Register for Pollywogs
Upcoming Sessions:
Summer 2026
Tuesdays
July 7- August 25, 2026| 9 am – 12 pm
$240 non-members/ $216 members
General Registration opens May 12, 2026, at 10 am
Aspen Blooms are the tree’s natural display of resiliency. This forest school programming for young children has a primary focus on cultivating factors of resilience for their overall wellbeing and capacity for emergent learning.
With curriculum centred around connection to nature, self-awareness, pro-social behaviours and creative problem solving, these preschool sessions give children the tools they need to fall in love with the learning process.
How to enroll
STEP 1: Review the Eligibility and Readiness Criteria
STEP 2: Complete the Goodness of Fit Survey
STEP 3: Register with the link sent to you upon completion of the survey
Upcoming Sessions:
Summer 2026
July 6, 2026 – August 27, 2026
*No Classes Monday, August 3
Mon/Wed: 9 am – 3 pm
$750 non-members, $675 members
Tue/Thu: 9 am – 3 pm
$800 non-members, $720 members
General Registration Opens: March 24, 2026 @ 10am
School Year 2026/27
September 14, 2026 – June 17, 2027
Fall: September 14 – December 17
Winter: January 4 – March 18
Spring: April 5 – June 17
No classes on the following days: Sept. 30, Oct. 12, Nov. 11, 2026; Feb. 15 & May 24, 2027
Mon/Wed: 9 am – 11:45 am
$2010 non-members, $1809 members
Mon/Wed: 12:45 pm – 3:30 pm
$2010 non-members, $1809 members
Tue/Thu: 9 am – 11:45 am
$2160 non-members, $1944 members
Tue/Thu: 12:45 pm – 3:30 pm
$2160 non-members, $1944 members
General Registration Opens: April 28, 2026 @ 10am
Registration is also still available for our current 2025/26 year!
Nestled in the Aspen groves, this forest school program offers children a space to bloom. Emergent curriculum centres a child’s learning around their innate curiosity through immersion in the natural world.
Following their lead in play-based and place-based learning, our educators provide rich experiences and opportunities to foster a child’s understanding of their passions and needs for freedom, trust and reciprocity.
How to enroll
STEP 1: Review the Eligibility and Readiness Criteria
STEP 2: Complete the Goodness of Fit Survey
STEP 3: Register with the link sent to you upon completion of the survey
Upcoming Sessions:
Summer 2026
July 10, 2026 – August 28, 2026
Fridays: 9 am – 3 pm
$400 non-members/$360 members
General Registration Opens: March 24, 2026 @ 10am
School Year 2026/27
September 14, 2026 – June 18, 2027
No classes on the following Mondays: Oct. 12, 2026; Feb. 15 & May 24, 2027
No class on Friday, Oct 2
Every Monday: 9 am-3 pm
$1650 non-members / $1485 members*
Every Friday: 9 am-3 pm
$1800 non-members / $1620 members*
General Registration Opens: April 28, 2026 @ 10am
*For the option of every second week, please see our date and price options.
Registration is also still available for our current 2025/26 year!
Connecting to land stewardship in an intentional and immersive way to foster a sense of Home. In this program we place bushcraft skills, sustainable practices and involvement with the greater FortWhyte community/ecosystem at the forefront of our curriculum goals. While still in line with Forest School ethos, child-led projects, free-play and relationship with place will be the integral backbone of what we do.
Following their lead in play-based and place-based learning, our educators provide rich experiences and opportunities to foster a child’s understanding of their passions and needs for freedom, trust and reciprocity.
How to enroll
STEP 1: Review the Eligibility and Readiness Criteria
STEP 2: Complete the Goodness of Fit Survey
STEP 3: Register with the link sent to you upon completion of the survey
Upcoming Sessions:
School Year 2026/27
September 18, 2026 – June 18, 2027 9am-3pm
No class on Friday, Oct, 2
Every Friday:
$1800 non-members / $1620 members*
General Registration Opens: April 28, 2026 @ 10am
*For the option of every second week, please see our date and price options.
Akin to the Aspen tree’s interconnected nature, this forest school program offers a time to root into the natural world as a family unit, whatever family looks and feels like to you. Supporting the innate curiosity of the children through immersion in the forest, bog and marshland, you’ll experience opportunities that foster your understanding of their passions and share in the delight of those discoveries.
Forest School is founded on Freedom, Trust and Reciprocity, principles that will build healthy attachments within your family as each member has the space to grow and learn at their own pace. This session offers time for unstructured nature exploration, and two group gathering times where we discuss the plants, animals, and elements that we’ve encountered and celebrate our resilience as we thrive in all weather.
How to enroll
STEP 1: Register here.
Upcoming Sessions:
Winter / Spring / Summer 2026
November 2025 – June 2026 | 11 am – 2 pm
Select Saturdays:
Winter: January 31, February 28, March 21
Spring: April 18, May 23, June 20
Summer: July 18, August 15
Daily Rate $40 non-members / $36 members*
General registration is open!
*Flat rate enrolment price for any size family, however you define it (we recommend no more than two adults per family, exceptions may apply)
*Please note that experiences at FortWhyte Alive are non-refundable.
Learn more about how Forest School Works, the benefits your child will bring home, and about our policies and procedures by reviewing our Forest School Parent Handbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FortWhyte Forest School program for preschoolers is a lightly structured, child-led outdoor learning experience. Their day typically includes free-play nature exploration and walks, sharing circles, snacks, and reflection time. There are no toys at Forest School. Instead, the children spend their time creating in the mud/snow kitchen or exploring their surroundings using their imaginations with some simple tools such as trowels, buckets, magnifying glasses along with some human-powered tool use. Through repeated access to this magnificent natural space, children will get to know it as well as their own backyards!
Child-led play is an unstructured, voluntary, child-initiated activity that allows children to develop their imaginations while exploring and experiencing the world. It is spontaneous play that comes naturally from children’s curiosity, love of discovery, and enthusiasm. By respecting and valuing free play, children’s interest gets to be the foundation for their learning, and we let the children own their own learning process. It is vital for children’s development and learning, and it treats the child’s emotional, physical, and social selves as encouraging depth of experience. Our Forest School facilitators act as springboards for learning. The forest schoolers have direct involvement in deciding how their day will unfold. We are there to keep them safe, spark engagement, learn alongside them, and create connections to each other and to the natural world.
Navigating risk is an essential part of child growth and development. Some examples of risky play activities that children may engage in at Forest School include balancing on a log, climbing a tree (to a low, safe height), jumping off a rock or across a small ditch. Forest School supports children as they learn to self-regulate through risky play in healthy, age-appropriate, and controlled doses. As children experience risky activities and terrain, they learn to determine for themselves whether something feels safe or not, rather than looking externally to adults to decide for them. Risky play activities are closely supervised by staff at all times so that we can continually ask questions to help them problem solve their experience.
The FortWhyte Forest School program takes place in the natural area near the Siobhan Richardson Field Station located on Lake Cargill. This area is closed to the public outside of group programming and is only accessible by appointment.
Our program has a maximum group size of 12 children and supervision is offered at a ratio of 6:1. We have two trained staff Forest School Facilitators, as well as a FortWhyte Alive volunteer per group. We recognize the importance of low ratios in our unique forest setting.
The success of our Forest School program depends on the support of the families who are enrolled. To ensure children have the most positive experience possible, it is important that family expectations of the program are in line with what we offer. Before enrolling, parents are asked to complete a Goodness of Fit Survey to see if Forest School is right for their family.
The Goodness of Fit Survey is designed to assess their ability and/or comfort level with:
Independence – We encourage independence at every turn, from dressing, snack container management, being responsible for their belongings, carrying their own backpacks on hikes, to learning how to assess their own risk when trying something new.
Following directions and rules – Our rules at Forest School are simple and always relate back to being safe, kind, and respectful. We show kindness to others and respect the plants and animals that call FortWhyte home.
Asking for help – Verbal skills to ask a grown-up or a friend for help are important so that we can do our best to assist them in meeting their needs.
Mud! Snow! Rain! – Willingness to immerse themselves in nature often involves getting a little wet and dirty.
Yes, children must be able to use the toilet independently. No diapers or pull-ups. Staff are on hand to help with shedding heavy winter layers so that children can access the bathroom quickly if needed.
Many of our days include short nature walks, but occasionally we go on longer “hikes” to other destinations such as the Treehouse or Bison Butte which on average, have a round-trip distance of approximately 1.5 km. On these mini excursions, children may wear their backpacks carrying their snack, water and a change of clothes. We walk at the pace of the group and try not to be in a hurry so we can stop and smell the flowers along the way. We believe the journey is just as important as the destination!
Yes, with the exception of extreme weather. When we play outside in all types of weather, it builds resilience and doesn’t leave us waiting for only “nice” days to enjoy the natural world around us. When the weather gets too cold for us to eat our snacks outside without mittens, we head into our heated yurt or cabin to keep warm. In the case of extreme weather, we have access to indoor spaces for shelter with alternate activities. In case of hazardous road conditions, cancellation of the program would be considered and families would be notified in a timely manner.
Our Forest School program is open to everyone despite various disabilities and medical conditions. However, we do not have the staff capacity to provide individual support for children that require one-on-one assistance. If your child requires individual support, a family-provided support person may attend Forest School with your child free of charge.
Forest School offers a wide variety of mental, physical, and social benefits but please note it is not a recognized school through Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning.
If your child is enrolled in a school please speak with the principal or education team to make a plan for your child’s absences in order to attend this supplementary educational program.
January 8, 2026
Stop waiting for "the perfect day" and start dressing for winter the Forest School way with these tips from FortWhyte's educators.
April 28, 2025
When we give children meaningful roles within their communities, we don’t just teach them how to contribute—we show them they belong.
October 18, 2023
The benefits of nature-based play at Forest School are endless and now you can bring these benefits to your own playtime.
July 31, 2023
Take a deep dive into the Forest School ethos and how Freedom, Trust and Reciprocity create benefits that last a lifetime.
September 30, 2020
Thanks to the support of our donors, volunteers, members and partners, it's possible for more visitors to get up close with nature in many different ways — like Tessa, who is learning about the world at Forest School.
October 9, 2019
At FortWhyte Forest School, we see how each season has a rhythm all its own. We listen and let it guide school.
October 8, 2019
Meet Mavis. After a career in Early Childhood education and teaching on the topic at Red River College, joining Forest School was a natural fit.
July 30, 2019
Forest School is ideal for parents who are passionate about sparking a sense of curiosity in their children and laying the foundation for a life of environmental stewardship.
April 30, 2019
Forest School is a pre-school alternative favored by parents that are passionate about spending time outdoors, and about protecting the environment.