Outdoor Elementary Education:
Forest Microschool
Experience joy in learning through connection with nature!
Get outside and thrive!
Seeds of Love Collective
Seeds of Love Collective empowers teachers, families, and students to collaborate and support each other in developing holistic educational pathways in connection with nature.
* Due to increased feedback and requests, we have made vaccinations optional.
Expand Community
Be Kind & Safe
Appreciate Languages, Cultures and Neurodiversity
Play Cooperative Games
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
Explore Nature
Consistent Sites: Camp Herms, El Cerrito; Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley
Summer 2024 Site: Wildcat Canyon, Richmond
Occasional Sites: Lake Anza, Berkeley; Oakland Zoo, Albany Bulb, Albany; Joaquin Miller, Oakland
Experience Joy
Morning Message/Meeting & Greetings
Sit Spot
Literacy Support
Skill Building
Roses, Buds, and Thorns
The Bay Area Open Wilderness Literacy and Science (OWLS) forest microschool class facilitates a kind and safe community for children ages 6-11 to enjoy authentic, hands-on learning experiences outdoors Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday to cultivate community, friendships and joy in learning!
Individualized and Differentiated Academic & Social/Emotional Support
•Reading •Writing •Scientific Knowledge Development
Now Enrolling:
Get Started:
Fill out the 2024/2025 School Year Interest Form to schedule a phone call
9:30am-11am or 1:45pm-3:15pm
*$50 first visit!
Our Community
Founder, Director & Outdoor Educator Brooke is a dedicated educator with a lifelong passion for learning. She has her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, an MA in Education, as well as a Child Development Site Supervisor Permit and has worked within various schools and camps throughout the Bay Area. Brooke's passion is nurturing children’s curiosity and development through meaningful connections with nature. She fosters a mindful community that is both kind and safe, to nourish the development of lifelong, empathetic learners who have the tools and resources to problem-solve. She has recently completed the second academic school year as the Open Wilderness Literacy & Science (OWLS) Founder, Director & Teacher and her first Days Exploring Nature Summer Camp.
Outdoor Educator M has worked with kids ages 4-14 at multiple different Bay Area forest schools for the past six years. They have been learning forest crafts their whole life, growing up on a farm in rural Northern California before moving to the Bay and pursuing a Biology degree before turning fully towards teaching outside of traditional school settings. They have learned to really value chances to cultivate childrens' self-determination, something the forest often offers.
The Forest Skills Fridays microschool class facilitates a kind and safe community for children ages 6-12 to enjoy authentic, hands-on learning experiences outdoors to cultivate community, friendships and joy in learning!
Personalized Outdoor Skills Development & Social/Emotional Support
•Hiking •Shelter Building •Fire Safety •Carving
Get Started:
Fill out the 2024/2025 School Year Interest Form to schedule a phone call
*Coming Soon: Monday Math Magic in the Garden (Spring 2025)
The Days Exploring Nature (DEN) Summer microschool class facilitates a kind and safe community for children ages 6-12 to enjoy exploring the outdoors to cultivate community, friendships, and joy!
Personalized Nature Knowledge Development & Social/Emotional Support
•Hiking •Plant & Animal ID •Community Nature Journaling •iNaturalist Citizen Science
Sign up for the OWLS Community Newsletter by subscribing to our list below. You will receive, at most, one email a month with highlights and updates about our program.