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redwood learning

Welcome

Welcome to our play-based nature program in the Santa Cruz Mountains,

 

Where exploration, learning, and play blend effortlessly.

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We offer space for children to explore nature and friendship Monday through Thursday, all year long, on our beautiful 30 acre campus in Felton, California. 

About Us

The Santa Cruz Forest School is an entirely outdoor, nature-based program for 3 to 6-year-old children that began in 2016, wandering the green spaces in Santa Cruz County.  Eventually partnering with the owners of the NEST, a space for outdoor education, we have built a program centered around cultivating friendship and experiencing the land season by season.​

 

The outdoor classroom offers engaging learning experiences that develop all of our senses. It offers open-ended materials, opportunities for imaginative play, and both large and fine motor challenges, all of which are necessary for early childhood development.

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The NEST offers nature's original playground, the space to run and the room to explore.  Rain shelters and campfires are available for Winter. 

outdoor kids
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Current Program 
​​August 25, 2025 - May 21, 2026

 

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Our motto is "flexible as the trees" at SCFS this year! 

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  • Choose regular or extended day hours

    • 9:00 - 2:00​

    • 8:30 - 3:30

  • Choose how many days per week

    • one- to four-day options​

  • Choose which days you attend

    • Monday-Thursday​​​

  • Drop-ins are available and subject to availability

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Structure of a day at Forest School

8:30-9:00 Extended Day drop off

9:00-9:30 Trickle-in free play

9:30-10:00 Everyone has arrived; continued play

10:00 Morning circle

10:15 Snack

10:30-12:00 Free play

12:00 Lunch

12:30-1:30 Free play

1:30-1:40 Clean up

1:40 Closing circle

2:00 Parent Pick-up

2:15 Snack 

2:30-3:30 Stories and rest

3:30 Extended Day Pick-up

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Activities may include:

  • Climbing, building and crafting from what nature offers us

  • Whittling sticks using a potato peeler

  • Discovering and naming plants, birds, mushrooms, insects, lizards, and salamanders

  • Dramatic play (the opportunities are endless in the forest)

  • Hide and seek 

  • Puddle-stomping and rain dancing

  • Hole digging

  • Looking for creatures under logs

I love everything about this forest school. My daughter is about to complete her second year, and she has grown into a kid that can spend hours playing outside entertaining and enjoying herself. Any nature space is as fun as a playground, and she is rich with knowledge about plants and animals. The teachers are wonderful, and we are so grateful to have them in our child’s life. This school has been such a blessing for us, I would recommend it wholeheartedly to any family.

Danielle Ferretti

Forest school has been amazing for my child. He has blossomed into such a confident little guy. He teaches me about plants and animals he learns about, and is always excited to go to school as every day brings new adventures and fun.

Vanessa Valencia

Santa Cruz Forest School is just what we were looking for! Our daughter gets to spend all day playing outside and learning about nature. She absolutely loves it and comes home each time with artwork and/or fun nature inspired crafts they made. The teachers are so much fun, very kind and great with the kids, I couldn’t have asked for a better duo. I’m so glad that we found SCFS.

SCFS Parent

Some of the Fun!

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