Origins

The Danish word “Skovbørnehave” means “forest children’s garden” and it refers to an early education setting where children spend most of their time outdoors. Children learn through free play, exploration, and activities. Children are outside in nearly all weather; the Scandinavian “there is no bad weather, only bad clothes” gives insight to a philosophy of embracing nature, preparing for the elements, and learning resilience. 

Forest Schools originated in Denmark in the 1950s as a grassroots movement by parents who noticed how much happier and healthier their children were outdoors. It began as simply as a Danish mother taking a group of children to the forest every day. People noticed their children were calm and imaginative upon return, and the concept grew until it was recognized by the Danish school system, influencing surrounding countries and, lately, it’s growing in the U.S.