Overview

What do you do?

Wander & Root programs bring our mission to life—cultivating joy, resilience, and learning through nature play. We offer strengths-based, playful outdoor learning for children ages 4–11, guided by seasonal rhythms, curiosity, and deep connection to the natural world. We welcome families who homeschool, wildschool, unschool, and everything in between. 

Our approach is grounded in forest school and place-based education, emphasizing child-led exploration, managed risk, sensory-rich experiences, and repeated time in nature. All Wander & Root programs occur outside, in all safe weather, rain or shine. During severe weather, we take shelter inside our basecamp.

Scroll to explore our programs: Nature School, Natural Leaders Club, Summer Adventures, and Play for a Day.

Where is it?

Year-round learning takes place on a 50-acre private homestead in rural Jackson Springs, NC. Our outdoor "classroom" includes a basecamp shelter, forested cove with stream, trails, mud kitchen, fort-building areas, campfire circle, a forest theatre stage, fields, orchard, garden, chickens, wetlands, and more. Learning has never been so fun.

What curriculum do you use?

Wander & Root does not adhere to a single curriculum or educational doctrine. You may notice familiar threads from Montessori, Waldorf, Charlotte Mason, Reggio Emilia, Project-Based Learning, and other educational philosophies woven throughout our programs... but none define us on their own.

Our lessons emerge from the land itself, shaped by seasonal changes and guided by children’s curiosity. All programs follow the principles and guidelines of The Association for Nature-Based Education and are strongly influenced by place-based education, grounding learning in relationship with our local environment and community.

Our core beliefs include:

1. Nature connections are essential to healthy development and well-being 

2. Children deserve opportunities for daily outdoor learning and play in all kinds of weather

3. Children as well as educators and families reap benefits of nature-based education and  outdoor play

4. All children deserve safe, frequent access to nature

5. An educator’s primary role is to facilitate learning experiences that honor children's interests, background, and needs

6. Unrestricted and unstructured outdoor play are cornerstones for nature connection, ecological identity, and environmental literacy

7. Confidence and independence are nurtured when children direct their own learning; we embrace the benefits of risk-taking and the potential of emergent, child-directed curriculum

8. Like nature, all children deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion, empathy, and respect

You can expect:

• Low ratios (1:7 or lower)

• Daily all-weather nature immersion

• Child-inspired, emergent learning

• Inquiry-based teaching

• Place-based experiences

• Compassion-centered guidance

What's a "day in the life" like?

Our days are child-led, nature-immersed, engaging, brain-boosting, and FUN. Mother Nature always has the final say, but generally, our days will follow this routine: 

• Morning circle with time for connection with friends, seasonal songs, and mindfulness practice

• Nature walk

• Group lesson 

• Small group work

• Lunch with friends

• Forest free play and learning invitations

• Goodbye circle

What do students learn?

Wander & Root Nature School is designed to build a variety of target skills and appeal to different learning styles through hands-on experiences:

• Practical life: gardening, animal care, stewardship

• Movement: hiking, climbing, building, play

• Fine motor: drawing, measuring, planting

• Social-emotional: collaboration, empathy, communication

• Literacy: stories, songs, imaginative play

• Science & reasoning: exploration, experiments, observation

• Creativity: art, music, journaling, dramatic play

What do parents do?

All of our programs are drop-off; however, opportunities for the whole family to play and learn in nature will be held throughout the year, including special events for students’ families (including siblings, grandparents, and other special caregivers) and field trips. Parents are also welcome to sign up as a parent volunteer. All parent volunteers must pass a criminal history check and schedule their volunteer days in advance. 

Do you offer financial assistance?

YES! We are thankful for the many donors who make our scholarship program possible! When you fill out an Interest Form, please note that you are interested in being considered for a scholarship. Priority is given to families that reside in Eagle Springs or Jackson Springs; and/or are experiencing family challenges; and/or are eligible for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Free or Reduced Price School Lunch, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

ENROLLMENT PROCESS

How do I enroll?

Children will get dirty, be outside for the majority of the learning time in many kinds of weather, and engage in supervised, safe play in the big outdoors. Think this is a great fit for your child? Please submit an interest form! 

Interest Form and Waitlist

Interest forms are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Spaces are limited and early submission is highly recommended. An Interest Form must be submitted to be added to our waitlist and considered for a tour and future enrollment.

Timeline

In the spring of each year, currently enrolled families receive information on the upcoming school year and are given the opportunity to re-enroll. If there are spaces still available after this priority enrollment period, families on our waitlist that best fit our enrollment considerations will be notified. Considerations for each annual cohort of students in each program include: priority enrollment for the siblings of current/previous students; balance of preschool and school-aged children; and scholarship spaces. Although most enrollment decisions are made during this time period, it is always a possibility that a space will open during the school year; therefore, Interest Forms are accepted and considered all year long. 

Tours

Families who have submitted an Interest Form and are being considered for enrollment will be contacted to schedule a tour. 

Enrollment

If it is agreed upon by both parties that Wander & Root is a great fit, the family will be offered an invitation to attend Wander & Root. Next steps include reading our parent handbook, completing enrollment forms, and payment of deposit.