Time Spent in Nature is Doing More Than You Think...

The time spent outside continues to have a noticeable, positive impact on the children. Being in nature helps regulate the nervous system and supports emotional regulation. Fresh air, open spaces, and varied sensory input, such as the sounds of birds chirping and water flowing, signal safety to the brain. We often notice that after time outside, children show improved focus, more balanced energy, and generally more positive moods. These experiences in nature offer more than just play, they help children feel steady, supported, and connected to the world around them.

We are so grateful for all the forest has to offer us. :)

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Fall Enrollment Now Open!

Enrollment for the upcoming school year is now open, and we’re looking forward to welcoming both new and returning families into our community this September. :)

For families considering part-time enrollment, we currently have a small number of part-time spaces remaining on Tuesdays and Thursdays for children ages 5–12. If this is something you’ve been considering, we invite you to reach out to learn more or begin the enrollment process.

Beginning this fall, we’re also introducing a sliding scale tuition model to support families facing financial barriers. Creating an accessible and inclusive community is important to us.

Check out our website for more details:
www.cedarwoodcommunity.com‍

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Family Stay & Play ‍

Our next Stay and Play is Friday, May 22nd, 1pm - 3pm‍

Once a month, we’ll be opening up our space on a Friday for a relaxed, child-led afternoon in the forest. This is a time for families to come play in nature, and connect with others.

Our Stay & Play is open to all families with children of any age, and it’s completely free to join.

If you’d like to attend, please email us to sign up.

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Cedarwood Community Book Club
This month we’ll continue reading: The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik.

In our last book club meeting, we explored Gopnik’s perspective on parenting: that raising children can be as simple as providing safe, stable, loving homes and embedding them in daily life and community. We also discussed play, which she argues is the very purpose of our long childhood; from an evolutionary lens, children are designed to learn through play, and over-directing or teaching too explicitly can actually narrow learning. When adults demonstrate the “correct” way to use something, children tend to explore less and discover fewer possibilities, which led to meaningful reflections on our own early academic experiences and where we see child-led learning showing up today.

Join us for our second gathering on Saturday, May 23rd at 3:00pm, where we’ll be discussing the remainder of the book. ‍Email us to sign up.

-Laura & Brigitte

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