Wednesday, March 6, 2024

2024 Summer Forest School

 

Summer Forest School 2024: June 24 - July 19

It's time to enroll for our summer session of Forest School!

Summer forest school runs June 24 - July 19.

The Mixed-Age summer forest school allows all the children to play, interact and learn together, but the hours are different for the nursery-age and preschool-age children:

  • Nursery age (2s): 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ($105/wk for T and Th + $25 registration fee per family)
  • Preschool age (3-5s): 8:45 am to 1:00 pm ($340/wk for M-F + $25 registration fee per family)

Our morning schedule will mostly be the same as it is during our school year:

  • After the younger children arrive we will have our morning circle.
  • Snack all together at 10:30 am.
  • At 11:40 we join together for a goodbye circle before the nursery children are guided back to the park entrance to be picked up.
  • In between the children will sing, have a movement circle, play with each other, climb, run, roll, and dig with sand and sticks.                

Are you interested in having your child participate? Please email us and we'll get the process started. 

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Now enrolling for 2023-24!

Mixed-Age Forest Preschool

Fort Tryon Park


Tuesdays, Thursdays

Semester 1: Sept 11 - Jan 26

Semester 2: Jan 29 - June 21


9:15 am to 12:30 pm for kids age 2 to 3.5




A typical morning in forest preschool

Children explore, play, imagine, and work together outdoors in Ft. Tryon Park for the entire morning. Our nurturing teachers lovingly guide the children while observing each child individually and each situation with care.

  • Play in open places with rocks, logs, sticks, and leaves, look at nature, climb trees, and be physically active

  • Children practice and develop

✓ their physical bodies (balance, coordination, physical strength)

✓ social-emotional skills while building connections and friendships

✓ respect for each other

  • Movement circles with songs and verses (e.g. greeting each other, greeting the forest)

✓ Expand language, including small Spanish component 

✓ Develop fine- and gross-motor skills

✓ Follow directions

✓ Forming a sense of being part of a group

  • Sharing a snack together of fresh fruits and vegetables, sandwiches, and tea 


Benefits of forest preschool

  • Develop an appreciation for nature and the environment as they experience all the seasons outdoors

  • Build lifelong resilience 

  • Direct their own play and follow their own curiosity, strengthening their imagination because they are in a natural environment where they create and play with what’s there


    Tuition starts at $1,860 for two mornings/wk, plus a one-time registration fee of $50.


For more information and registration, email admin@thewoodenbutton.com



Monday, February 28, 2022

WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 Dear Community,

We are building a new website that will be easier to navigate and find information about our programs.

For now, if you have any questions, please email us at admin@thewoodenbutton.com. You can also follow us on Instagram: The Wooden Button School.

Be well!

Friday, August 13, 2021

 Enrolling now for all classes for 2021-22!


Child-Parent/Caregiver Class – children ages 9 to 36 months
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
 
Enroll in 6-week sessions

First session:
Tuesday, Sept. 14 – Thursday, Oct. 21 - $390 for the session 
 
Meeting at the Margaret Corbin Circle entrance to Fort Tryon Park
 
This class is designed to introduce families and children to our forest school. Lead by an experienced teacher, Ms. Tara Monaghan, children will explore nature, build motor skills, language and socialization within a safe and nurturing space. Age-appropriate songs, stories and games will be shared during our morning circle, after which we will enjoy a light snack of homemade bread, butter and sliced apples.
 
With gentle guidance, children and their parents or caregivers will learn new skills, and parents will have time for open discussions with the support of Waldorf-inspired parenting articles.
 
Families are invited to bring a blanket to sit on and a water bottle for your child. You may also bring your preferred method of hand washing. The teacher will have wipes and sanitizer available as well.


REGISTER HERE FOR PARENT/CAREGIVER-CHILD

Nursery Drop-off Class – children ages 2.5 to 3.5 years
Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
 
Enroll in 6-week sessions

First session:
Monday, Sept. 13 - Friday, Oct. 22
$650 for the session + $25 registration fee
 
Meeting at the Margaret Corbin Circle entrance to Fort Tryon Park
 

This class provides a loving bridge for children between the Child-Parent/Caregiver class and our older forest day class, but the Child – Parent/Caregiver class is not a prerequisite for nursery. 

 

Like in preschool, children explore, play, and imagine outdoors for the entire morning. The nursery class is smaller and moves at a little slower pace. The class is a little more protective, allowing the children at their tender age to have a safe environment to grow and form attachments with each other and their teachers. In nursery they develop self-confidence for their next steps.



REGISTER HERE FOR NURSERY DROP OFF

Forest Preschool – children ages 3 to 5 years
Monday-Friday 8:45 AM to 12:30 PM
 
Enroll by trimester

First trimester:
Monday, Sept. 13 - Friday, Dec. 3
$3,365 for the trimester for full time, goes down for part-time enrollment + $50 registration fee
 
Meeting at the Margaret Corbin Circle entrance to Fort Tryon Park
 

Forest Preschool is a wonderful experience where the children explore, play, and imagine outdoors for the entire morning. Parents and caregivers bring their children to meet their teachers at the entrance of Ft. Tryon park at Margaret Corbin Circle. From there they will head to open places with rocks, logs, sticks, and leaves, all ripe for the children to create the worlds of their imaginations, look at nature, and be physically active. Mid-morning the teachers and children sit for snack: fresh fruits and vegetables, sandwiches, and tea. They finish their last bits of play before taking a “hike” to meet their parents and caregivers where they were dropped off.


Forest After School – children K to 2nd grade
Monday-Friday 2:45 PM to 5:00 PM

NOW OFFERING PICKUP AT PS 187 from 2:20-2:30 PM!

Enroll by trimester

First trimester:
Monday, Sept. 13 - Friday, Dec. 3
$2,142 for the trimester for full time, goes down for part-time enrollment + $50 registration fee
$390/trimester additional fee for pickup at PS 187
 
Meeting at the Margaret Corbin Circle entrance to Fort Tryon Park
 

Forest After School is a wonderful experience where the children explore, play, and imagine outdoors for the entire class time.

Parents and caregivers bring their children to meet their teachers at the entrance of Ft. Tryon park at Margaret Corbin Circle. From there they will head to open places with rocks, logs, sticks, and leaves, all ripe for the children to create the worlds of their imaginations, look at nature, and be physically active.Forest After School is a wonderful experience where the children explore, play, and imagine outdoors for the entire class time. Parents and caregivers bring their children to meet their teachers at the entrance of Ft. Tryon park at Margaret Corbin Circle. From there they will head to open places with rocks, logs, sticks, and leaves, all ripe for the children to create the worlds of their imaginations, look at nature, and be physically active. There are wonderful climbing trees, which become whatever your child imagines, while sharing that space with old and/or new friends. Children will get to strengthen their social-emotional skills. They will be able to work on creating games and some artworks with nature objects.



Thursday, February 25, 2021

Enrolling now for final trimester of forest preschool and forest after school

Trimester 3: March 22 - June 25


Forest Preschool – ages 3 - 5

Monday-Friday 8:45 AM - 12:30 PM in Ft Tryon Park (part-time welcome)


explore, play, look at nature, and be physically active; includes snack; partial instruction in  Spanish

 

$3,205 5 days/wk + registration fee*

$2,628 for 4 days/wk + registration fee*

$2,019 for 3 days/wk + registration fee*

$1,410 for 2 days/wk + registration fee*

 

Forest After School – ages 5 - 7

Monday-Friday 3:00 - 5:00 PM in Ft Tryon Park (part-time welcome)


explore, play, look at nature, and be physically active; specific class sessions focused on dance, hiking, or hand crafts

 

$1,815 per trimester 5 days/wk + registration fee*

$1,488 per trimester 4 days/wk + registration fee*

$1,143 per trimester 3 days/wk + registration fee*

$799 per trimester 2 days/wk + registration fee*




*One-time, nonrefundable fee of $150. $100 is applied to tuition.


Email admin@thewoodenbutton.com for more information.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

New Session of Outdoor Parent/Caregiver-Child Class 10/13/20-11/5/20

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30 AM

ages 9m-36m

Fort Tryon Park




Children explore in nature, build motor-skills and language, and socialize within a comfortable distance from caregivers. With the gentle guidance of our experienced teacher, children and caregivers will learn new skills, and caregivers will have time for questions and open discussions with the support of Waldorf-inspired parenting articles.

In a safe and nurturing environment, children play with things from the natural world that allow and encourage the use of imagination. We strive for an 'extended-family’ or community atmosphere as children gradually interact more with their peers or start to engage in the nursery rhymes, finger plays, and simple songs.

Email info@thewoodenbutton.com for more information and registration.





Sunday, August 16, 2020

Forest School Offerings 2020-2021

All classes will follow strict protocols* for Covid-19.

Trimester 1    Sept 14 - Dec 4

Trimester 2    Dec 7 - March 19

Trimester 3    March 22 - June 25

Forest Preschool – ages 3 - 5

M-F 8:45 AM - 12:30 PM Sept-June in Ft Tryon Park (part-time welcome)

    explore, play, look at nature, and be physically active; includes snack; partial instruction in Spanish


$3,205 per trimester 5 days/wk + registration fee**

$2,628 per trimester 4 days/wk + registration fee**

$2,019 per trimester 3 days/wk + registration fee**

$1,410 per trimester 2 days/wk + registration fee**


After School Forest – ages 5 - 7

M-F 3:00 - 5:00 PM Sept-June in Ft Tryon Park (part-time welcome)

    explore, play, look at nature, and be physically active; specific class sessions focused on dance, hiking, or hand crafts


$1,815 per trimester 5 days/wk + registration fee**

$1,488 per trimester 4 days/wk + registration fee**

$1,143 per trimester 3 days/wk + registration fee**

$799 per trimester 2 days/wk) + registration fee**


Parent-Child Outdoor Class – ages 9m – 36m

T/Th 9:30 - 11:30 AM 4-week sessions in Ft Tryon Park

children learn to play on their own, movement, songs, finger play, nature play, parent conversation/questions with Waldorf educator


$200/4-week session

First session:

    Tues 9/15        Thurs 9/17

    Tues 9/22        Thurs 9/24

    Tues 9/29        Thurs 10/1

    Tues 10/6        Thurs 10/8


*Families will be required to abide by Covid-19 protocols that will include mandatory masks for children and adults (including parents/caregivers at drop off and pick up), daily health screens and temperature checks at home (health screen performed at school if parent hasn't already done it at home), notification of teachers if the child or someone in close contact with the child has Covid. We will share a list of symptoms that preclude a child from attending until she or he is symptom free for 24 hours). In the event of an active case of Covid among the group, we will follow the protocols in public schools for closing and reopening.

**Registration fee: One-time nonrefundable fee of $150, $100 of which is applied to tuition