Public School Partnerships

Promoting Equity

BOPN Forest Days brings the benefits of outdoor education to urban schools.

Commitment to Equity

Since BOPN launched in September 2019, we have awarded hundreds of families partial and full scholarships for our school year and summer programs. In addition,

we are actively pursuing opportunities to expand access to nature-based early education in underserved communities. We are currently collaborating with a

Boston public school and are planning to open new tuition-free classes through

Universal Pre-K.

Curriculum Beyond the Classroom!

In September 2022, we launched “Forest Days,” a collaboration with Charles Sumner Elementary School in Roslindale to provide consistent outdoor play and nature-connection for three K1 (4-year-old) classes. This work is part of a growing movement to get public school children into nature (see this documentary). Each K1 class spends a joyful morning each week exploring nature with guidance from BOPN's outdoor educators, their classroom teachers, and family volunteers.

Benefits of Forest Days

The benefits of play in nature are undeniable: children’s immune systems improve, social-emotional skills are honed, self-confidence and self-esteem develop, and creative and critical thinking skills sharpen. There are academic benefits as well, including better hand-eye coordination and core strength, which are essential for children to later sit at desks and write. BOPN Forest Days incorporates place-based literacy as children explore maps, signs, and field guides, and math skills are developed naturally as we count and sort pinecones, measure sticks, and find shapes in nature. Forest Days ensure that children in urban areas have these invaluable experiences in natural environments within their own neighborhoods. See this presentation for a window into BOPN Forest Days at Charles Sumner Elementary School.

Weather

Children build resilience and self-regulation by playing and learning outdoors in a wide variety of weather conditions. All children and teachers are provided with rain gear, boots, wool socks, mittens, and insulated layers to stay safe and healthy outdoors. On rainy and chilly days, children step into their Oakiwear rain suits and Bogs boots upon arrival at school, participate in Forest Days, then step out of their outerwear mostly clean and dry, and ready for their afternoon back at school.

Next Steps

Are you an educator, administrator, or parent interested in bringing Forest Days to your school? Are you interested in supporting BOPN’s initiative to open the first nature-based program through Universal PreK in Boston?

Email Us to Collaborate!