School Year Programs
Our early childhood program for 2-6-year-olds is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education and by Scandinavian Forest Schools. Kids are outside almost all day, doing things like hiking, gardening, raising chicks, exploring forest wildlife, playing in the mud, etc. Plus they spend lots of time doing art and drama every day.

Summer Camp
DWLC camps (for ages 3-8) offer a return to the summers of yesterday. Children spend most of their time outside exploring, imagining, learning and enjoying the activities that many of us did when we were young. It's a perfect balance between a structured learning environment and lots of unstructured exploration and play time. We promise that your children will be dirty, delighted, inspired and exhausted at the end of each day!

To apply, please complete our online form.

DWLC activities include things like:

* Planting and harvesting in the garden
* Cooking with harvested vegetables and herbs
* Flowers, birds and native animals
* Raising chicks
* Hiking & meadow walks
* Forest & creek exploration
* Mud and water play
* Sandbox play
* Building with natural materials
* Clay work, painting and drawing
* Books
* Drama

Spaces for DWLC typically fill up very, very quickly, so if you are interested, please complete our simple online application form to receive an invitation to our Open House. During the open house you will be able to meet the teachers, ask questions and see our environment. Following the open house, if you are interested in enrollment, we will ask you to secure your space with the appropriate deposit, depending on which program your child will be joining.

Current Openings

Program Options:
Three - five days per week, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Children may optionally enroll in extended care hours (7:00 - 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.)

"Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb. Brooks to wade, water lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of education."

-The great horticulturalist Luther Burbank.