Practical life activities develop the whole child as well as knowledge of important life skills. There are endless opportunities for this on the farm. For example, preparing food, caring for animals, gardening, woodworking, fire starting, arranging flowers. As well as learning handiwork skills such as felting, sewing and whittling. This is a valuable kind of play that supports their coordination and control of movement as well as many other benefits that develop the WHOLE child. We also teach important skills that have been lost in our modern day world such as baking bread, canning, candle and cheese making.

The farm and forest offers children the most sensory rich environment possible and we take advantage of that to the fullest. Children are allowed to get as dirty and messy as they’d like because we see this as a developmental need to refine and integrate all of their senses. 

Art, music and self expression is valued on the farm. We believe in process art where the child can fully use their own creativity and self expression. Most days this will look like an easel with art materials to paint outdoors. Children can make handmade musical instruments from items in nature.

The best way to learn science is through direct experience in nature in all seasons. On the farm, children explore a variety of science concepts, including animal science, food literacy, plant and animal identification, foraging, and discovering the medicinal uses of wild forest plants. They also engage with physical science concepts through hands-on experiences in the natural world.

We view language development as a natural part and progression of the development of the child. Children who are experiencing an interest in this can find utensils to write on our outdoor chalkboards, play games with our alphabet rocks, join in on a nature scavenger hunt and enjoy journaling about nature and animals and project making.

Children are born with a mathematical mind. They come out of the womb seeing patterns and absorbing other mathematical concepts and this is nature’s amazing design to prepare children for the world. On the farm, they’re given many opportunities to absorb mathematical concepts from playing and building with different materials, counting eggs, to measuring baking and being involved in our school fundraisers.

We believe in the benefits of unstructured free play. This just means during free play time adults are observing and we try our best not to interfere or interrupt unless it is absolutely needed. We value PLAY above anything else at LFNS because it is the foundation of which children are able to educate themselves.