Wild Roots Nature and Forest School
3685 Wilhaven Drive K4A 3Z7 Ottawa, ON, Canada

We encourage you to opt OUTSIDE this Black Friday and reconnect to nature! If retail therapy is a source of comfort to you during this pandemic, why not support local and give someone the gift of nature by registering for the upcoming Art of Manifestation Retreat at The Healing Circle Farm on December 27th. Before we ring in 2021, Stef and Alyssa wanted to offer a day of intention and vision alignment. And we hope you'll join!... The retreat includes; a guided manifestation workshop with concrete tools & exercises, a 2 hour forest bathing experience to rein in that inspiration and a creative workshop where we will make our own crystal bead bracelets to remind us of the path we want to take for the new year. There will also be an abundance of food and warm drinks throughout the day to keep your belly full and inspired. To honour the spirit of giving, The Healing Circle Farm is donating part of the profits to Indigenous Roots Ottawa East. You can register yourself or your loved ones @thehealingcirclefarm #supportlocal #shoplocal #blackfriday #greenfriday #getoutside #forestbathing #foresttherapy #shinrinyoku #ottawaevents

Winter has arrived at Wild Roots! There are many benefits to being outside all year round. Our students learn about the weather and nature in the realest way possible. Being outside in the winter also reminds us of our fortitude, we can do it! The magic and beauty of the snow had our students creating snow angels and working together to build a fort and giant snowman. We made ice slides, followed animal tracks, had an epic snowball fight and enjoyed a winter picnic.... On our hike today, we saw a spider in the snow, which sparked alot of questions. Do spiders hibernate? How do they stay alive in the cold? We discovered that spiders produce their own antifreeze when the temperature starts to drop. We know our attitudes influence our kids' experiences, so we're encouraging you to find some joy in winter with your family this year! Stay warm and have fun in nature. #getoutside #forestschoolcanada #forestschool #vitaminN

Forest School touches on all subjects. In any given moment an outdoor experience can cut across science, math, art, language and physical education. What may look like kids jumping off rocks, was in fact a language arts game. What may look like a creative moment on a hike through the forest, was also an inquiry-based learning opportunity.... What may look like a wander on the beach, was actually a science lesson on birds. What may look like gymnastics in the forest, was just that, gymnastics in the forest! But, it is also a child connecting to nature at Petrie Island through direct experiential contact. It's an honour to watch our students learn and grow through exploration and interest. #forestschoolottawa #forestschoolcommunity #forestschool #forestschoolcanada #getoutside #riskyplay #naturekids

Using dangerous tools is another example of risky play. With a Forest School Practitioner supervising closely, this 6-year-old whittled a magical wand out of a stick he found on the beach. He made his own blood bubble in the sand and politely explained to his Forest School friends that they needed to give him space as he was using a knife. Other benefits of tool use include: The development of their motor skills and coordination.... It teaches them to manage risk. Children often feel empowered by being trusted and given responsibility to work with a real knife. It was amazing to watch this little boy's concentration and interest in his project. He was so proud! #forestschool #forestschoolcanada #getoutside #riskyplay #naturekids

The forecast is calling for sunshine and a high of 18 this Sunday. The perfect weather for our final Nature Yoga and Forest Bathing Chakra series. For the past six Sundays, we feel like we've been able to escape the heaviness of the pandemic for a few hours (in a safe and socially distanced way, of course). We have focused on different chakras through a gentle yoga class outdoors, relaxed in the forest and deepened our connection to nature through a forest bathing experience.... We've always been spoiled with teas harvested from the land and delicious treats around the campfire. Our final retreat will be catered by @cafesurlarive We are so grateful to this wonderful community for their support and open hearts. We still have space available for our Crown Chakra session this Sunday, November 8th. If you've ever been interested in forest bathing or wondered what it would be like to take a yoga class outdoors, sign up today. We would love to see you there on the most beautiful November weekend! Register today through @thehealingcirclefarm #ottawaevents #forestbathing #shinrinyoku #natureyoga #ecoyoga #getoutside

Risky play in action. By climbing this fallen tree and sliding down nature's fire pole, this 5-year-old learned how to independently manage risks and be safe. This is why risky play is so important! That confident smile at the end of the video is everything #beachschool #forestschoolcanada #forestschool #getoutside #naturekids

We found Lamb's Ear along the river! #beachschool #forestschool #forestschoolcanada #getoutside #naturekids #natureisourtheme

Lessons from a Forest School: Today, we discovered and learned about sedimentary rocks and trilobite fossils! We also found wild grapes and even learned how to identify sweet gale along the shoreline. #beachschool #forestschool #forestschoolcanada #outdoorclassroom #naturekids #wildandfree

Rain or Shine Our forest schoolers are always prepared no matter what the weather is! Today we helped @dailypetrie with one of their projects, looked at bugs underneath the bark of dead trees, worked as a team, and also found some pretty amazing fossils on the beach!!