Wilderkin Forest Learning is the first of its kind in Traverse City – a place for Northern Michigan children ages 3 - 5 to learn through direct interaction with nature. Wilderkin Forest Learning will focus on an outdoor, experiential-based curriculum developed by seasonal curiosities, hands-on exploration, supported risk-taking, and student-led exploration in a woodland setting.
Our students interact with the natural environment on a daily basis, exposing them to the natural cycles of the seasons and helping them develop independence, resiliency, and confidence.
Opening Autumn 2026 for the 2026-27 school year.
2026 - 2027 Forest Learning Schedule
Monday - Thursday | 9 am - 3 pm*
Our official start date is still TBD, but class will be in session 140 days after our start date.
*Early drop-off is available starting at 8 am; late pickup is available until 4 pm. Both incur a $10 fee.
Camp Greilick
Whitetail cabin
Why Forest Learning?
Engaging with the outdoors and experiencing the natural rhythms of nature benefits the development of preschool-aged children in many ways. Recent studies suggest the following benefits from children learning and spending time in nature:
-
Forest learning is interactive and physical with a heavy emphasis on movement – climbing, running, and jumping are essential elements to our learning practice. Spending time outdoors gives children natural opportunities to move, explore, and build healthy, active bodies while supporting lifelong physical health. Research shows that combining physical activity with time in nature can offer even greater health benefits, making outdoor play an important part of a child’s overall well-being.
Source: Christiana RW, Besenyi GM, Gustat J, Horton TH, Penbrooke TL, Schultz CL. A Scoping Review of the Health Benefits of Nature-Based Physical Activity. J Healthy Eat Act Living. 2021 Sep 1;1(3):154-172. PMID: 37799195; PMCID: PMC10550037.
-
Regular time outdoors gives young children opportunities to explore, move, connect, and experience the calming benefits of the natural world, which may support healthy emotional development. Research involving more than 69,000 preschoolers found that children who spent more frequent and longer periods of time outdoors during their early years were less likely to screen positive for anxiety symptoms later in preschool, highlighting the importance of making outdoor time a regular part of childhood.
Source: Wu JB, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Qiu SY, Zhou Q, Li J, Zhang JY, Xian D, Zhou F, Zhao Z, Guo Y, Zhang Y, Lu D. Association between early childhood outdoor activity and anxiety symptoms in preschoolers. BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Apr 17;25(1):388. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-06831-2. PMID: 40247256; PMCID: PMC12007297.
-
Wild childhood nature experiences (e.g., camping, hiking, and fishing) that include skill building, are immersive and engaging, and that involve opportunity for social interaction may translate better into adult nature activities. Programs that introduce and support wild experiences may increase lifelong time spent in nature.
Source: Kellstedt DK, Suess CS, Maddock JE. Influences of Outdoor Experiences During Childhood on Time Spent in Nature as an Adult. AJPM Focus. 2024 May 7;3(4):100235. doi: 10.1016/j.focus.2024.100235. PMID: 39005966; PMCID: PMC11245967.
Children are born with an avid desire to learn about the world around them.
when nurtured, this desire instills a sense of belonging and care for the world and all its creatures.
Meet the teacher
Wilderkin Forest Learning is owned and taught by Erin Fitzpatrick, a Certified Teacher for over 18 years with a Level 3 Forest School Leader certification from Forest School.