We’re off, off and away for a different kind of adventure. Lots of outdoors, but not quite as many forests, as we take off today for Jordan to see some of the treasures of Petra, the wide open seas, and some overnights in the desert. Hopefully we’ll get a few shots along the way on our instagram – we’ll see you on the flip side!
When we still lived in Denmark, we had the pleasure of meeting the director and team behind the NaturePlay movie. All about outdoor education and the scandinavian model, the movie takes you through several schools and the fundamental principles behind outdoor learning.
A few have written in to ask where they can see that movie and I’m pleased to pass on that it will be screening in Copenhagen in February – so this month! Specifically, the screenings will take place on February 17th and February 26th.
There will be a discussion on the 26th in English about some developments about an international forest kindergarten and some summer options in the works – so for all of those who have written about how you could get exposure to some of these schools without registered in the Danish system, looks like more opportunities are on the way! More information is on the film’s Facebook page and tickets are available for the screenings at the Cinemateket in Copenhagen.
Enjoy the show!
Although I haven’t been too prolific on the blog, readers have been great about stopping by and checking in on us. We’ll see if we can do something about the sporadic posts in 2019, but in the meantime, here have been the most popular posts in the past couple of years. I know know we’re in mid-January but I feel like if you get a review out in the first month of the year, it still counts! Please say you think so too!
How do we visit a Danish forest school?
This is probably the top question that I get even still today. I get it so often by email and various messages, that I decided to compile all my advice into one post and it seems to have resonated. Whether it’s parents wanting to find a school for their kids, or aspiring teachers wanting to learn more about outdoor schooling ways, or eager visitors to Copenhagen looking to observe another way of approaching elementary education. I hope this helps with ideas on how to get a bit closer to observing the model as admittedly, it’s not easy.
A forest school study tour in Denmark
Similar to above, once a study tour option came out, it became a popular post for the curious. While the tour mentioned in the post was this past summer in 2018, I imagine that there will be others. I have never done one with Nome myself but if some help getting to a scandi forest school is for you, check out the post and reach out to them directly.
So this isn’t one blog post per se, but rather the full series of posts on the common questions that I tend to get everything related to what forest school is really like to how much it costs to where they go to the bathroom and all sorts of things that people tend to worry about.
8 Tips for Hiking with Kids in El Yunque Forest
This was a really popular post when we first wrote it, and we absolutely loved our long weekend outside of San Juan, now two years ago. Little did we know how much that area would be subjected to during and after the hurricane. But things are changing – Puerto Rico was featured as the #1 destination on the New York Times 52 Places this year. It doesn’t mean that Puerto Rico is done with recovery – there is still a ways to go – but from what I read, the island is most definitely opening it’s front door to welcome everyone back. Perhaps that accounts for the huge spike in activity on this post since January but regardless of reason, we hope you will go to Puerto Rico and and love it – we certainly did. You can also see our separate post on El Yunque Rainforest as well.
9 Tips for Yayoi Kusama with Kids
Although this post is older, it still continues to popular, usually around the time a new Yayoi Kusama exhibit opens up somewhere out there in the wide world. I still – and my children still – love Yayoi Kusama. We have the luxury of getting a refresher of the Infinity Room when we visit the Louisiana Museum in the summertime in Denmark, but here’s a great guide of where to see her work in the US.
Cedarsong Nature School + Erin Kenny
Erin Kenny, for those that don’t know her, is truly the godmother of all things forest kindergarten in the US. Sadly, Erin – whom I had the privilege of knowing while working with the American Forest Kindergarten Association board – passed away this past year, leaving a void of physical presence for all of us in the forest education community, but she also leaves strong legacy for us to uphold.
10 Tips for Visiting Mon Island Cliffs
When we lived in Denmark, and now when we return, Mon is by far and away one of our favorite day trips. The cliffs are gorgeous, the nature center is a hit with kids and its’ a beautiful drive – completely worth it – bonus, kids can pick up chalk rocks right off the beach and draw with them right there.
Mt. Floyen’s Playground in Bergen, Norway
This playground is an awesome one – as is Bergen in general – we traveled there both in winter and summer time and while we’ll take it either way, the benefit of doing it in the winter is that you have it nearly all to yourself!
What can I say, playground posts are popular on a children’s blog! Once we came back to the US, we had to look a little harder but there are a ton of great playgrounds out and about and Hecksher in New York is perhaps one of the most classic – it’s amazing that it is in one of most iconic cities and yet green, and rocky, and free-spirited through and through.
And like every year, the previous round-up always does well! Happy reading!
We blinked and it became 2019 – snow is down and around our area which means snowballs and snowmen and hot chocolate.
I know I haven’t been around the blog here much – there are a million reasons for that – none of them that great and most of them related to time and trying to figure out what to do with this space but I’m hoping to at least get a few updates in. Let’s give this a go in the new year – happy winter and happy January to all!