A New School Year
A new school year for Playful Acre and our Family
Playful Acre is a nature-based learning program that connects children with the natural world and their own creativity. We offer outdoor classes for all ages, from babies through adults. We are based on the eastside of Cincinnati Ohio, and serve clients throughout the world. If you are interested in learning outside and hands-on, contact us today at playfulacre@gmail.com!
Outdoor Learning Programs
Outdoor learning is a great way to learn, and you can use it to foster a love of learning in your children. It also provides an excellent outlet for physical activity, which kids need more of these days as they spend so much time indoors. Outdoor learning programs help build community by bringing kids together with their peers and encouraging teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Kids are natural-born explorers; they love exploring new environments and connecting with nature at an early age, so outdoor learning programs give them the chance to do just that!
Outdoor playtime allows children to develop essential life skills like creativity, confidence building, and decision making through exploration activities such as trailblazing through leaf mazes or building snowmen using only ice cubes from melted bottles of water (if you live in a warmer climate).
Family Forest School: Parent/Child Classes
In this class, you and your child will learn together by doing. We take inspiration from the natural world and make it accessible to all. Together, we will create a space where you can build community with like-minded families while experiencing the joy of being outdoors.
How Does This Class Work?
Each session is scheduled individually based on our availability; some classes are held at Playful Acre's home base in Anderson/Mt. Carmel and others are hosted at other locations around the Cincinnati area parks and nature preserves—check our website for more details! There’s no experience necessary—we believe that everyone has something valuable to share with their children. In fact, parents who have never done any outdoor activities before are often surprised at how much fun they have! Every class is structured differently: some sessions focus on sensory play or science experiments, while others may include structured games or art projects followed by free play time outside (weather permitting). Our goal is for both parents and children alike to feel empowered to get outside as often as possible throughout the year!
Treeschool: 4 and 5 year old program
Our Treeschool program is a four and five-year-old outdoor learning experience where little learners can explore the natural world through a variety of activities. Activities include planting, watering, and caring for trees; story time with the forest friends; arts and crafts; games; Free Play in the woods. The program runs Thursdays and Fridays 9-4 (for ages 4-5).
Tree Tots: 2 and 3 year old program
Tree Tots is a special program for 2 and 3-year-old children. It’s a morning program that takes place outside on our playground each weekday from 9:00 am - 11:30 am. It’s the first adventure into nature play with Playful Acre, where your child will be encouraged to explore their world through play, socialization, independence, risk-taking, and skill building. Our goal is for each child to have an opportunity to experience nature as they learn how it works around them. We do
this by providing opportunities for exploration in natural settings while working on age-appropriate development goals such as gross motor skills (running/jumping), fine motor skills (reaching), cognitive development (thinking) along with language development while at play in our outdoor classroom.
Homeschool Programs: Bring me to your co-op
Bring us to your co-op!
We offer a variety of programs, ranging from field trips to nature preserves and museums to hands-on workshops and classes. We’re able to tailor our programs to suit your needs, so don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns that might arise during the planning process.
Private Consultations: Work with me one on one
If you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all the ideas and advice, or if your kids are having a hard time getting into nature play, I can help. I offer private consultations—a one-on-one session where we can talk about your questions, concerns and goals for nature play. We'll discuss how to get started with nature play at home or in the classroom, how to keep it fun for everyone involved, and how to create a safe and supportive environment for children who want to engage with the outdoors. You'll receive feedback on what's working well as well as tips on how to improve upon what isn't working so well!
Whatever questions you have about nature play, I'm here to answer. And if I don't know the answer, I'll find it by reaching out to my amazing network of educators and scientists who specialize in whatever area you are needing questions answered.
If you are interested in learning outside and hands-on, contact us today.
What better way to get a child excited about learning than through an outdoor adventure? At Playful Acre, we offer a variety of programs for families and educators. We are open year-round so you can visit us anytime with a pre scheduled appointment! We are a small, family-owned business that lives and breathes what we do.
Our mission is simple: Inspire, Educate, and Equip families and educators to get outside and preserve the magic of childhood through nature.
If you’re interested in learning more about our nature school programs, check out our open house August 20th and 21st or email playfulacre@gmail.com to set up a private tour!
