When it comes to choosing an Early Childhood Program for the smallest members of your family, it can be daunting to know which direction to go. I decided to sit down and list out the Top 10 reasons that I believe our nature-based early childhood program is the best choice for your family.

1. We are a sustainable “green” program.  We realize the impact our group has on the natural spaces that surround us.  We carefully monitor our impact, and because of the size of our camp, are able to rotate to various areas before our impact becomes too great.
2. Children spend their entire day, except for a rest period, in the outdoors, unless there is severe weather.  This allows for a substantial portion of the day, almost 75% in fact, for children to immerse themselves in the natural world around them. Research shows that children who spend large amounts of time outdoors are calmer, more focused, have more confidence, are more creative, and are more likely to become healthier adults.
3. We follow a place-based model of education, that emphasizes the importance of children visiting a site consistently to note changes, continue projects, and build a deep connection to the land.
4. We follow the community model of education, that allows for children to freely explore and play, with adults who act as “elders” who are there to guide them and pass down knowledge and traditions of nature connected communities, who historically inhabited the land surrounding us.
5. All lead educators have a Forest Kindergarten Teaching Certification or a Nature-Based Teaching Certificate.  All staff are Central Arkansas Master Naturalists who are knowledgeable of the flora and fauna found in our area of the state.
6. The program is run by a Certified Early Childhood Special Educator with 14 years of experience and knowledge in the field.
7. Our teacher to student ratios are 1:6, which meets the requirement of small class sizes set by the American Forest Kindergarten Association.  This is the best student to teacher ratio offered in our state.
8. We are a licensed child care facility within the State of Arkansas and are a member of the American Forest Kindergarten Association.
9. We have trained with practitioners in the Northwestern, Western, and Eastern, United States, where Forest Kindergartens have been prevalent for the last 30 years.  All of these areas have unique practices and we are working to create a Central US model that incorporates them all.
10. We have a blast and leave covered in Earth everyday!!

These are just a few reasons you should choose a nature based program for your little learner, but more specifically why you should choose Ferncliff Nature School!

-Rachel