Where are we getting these wacky ideas ?
Philosophy
You may remember 2021. The kids had been out of school for almost two years. Some would be 1st graders hadnt even started yet.
Vonda and Jamie decided they needed to get kids together and get them outside, and that is how camp was born.
They started out with delusions of academics, but quickly realized that what our kids really needed was time to learn and grow at their own speeds through independent adventure and play in an outdoor community - less direction and more discovery and shared open-ended experiences.
So camp switched gears through forest closures and location changes, lightening plans and food prep improvements, until we got to where we are today, with a solid community of campers and families devoted to helping each member of the community into find the best that is in themselves while forming core memories and friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime.
With this idea of helping the campers to learn from eachother and from the natural world while self-directing a large chunk of their time and aprticipating in building the community and the experience, Forest Magic looks to several dirrent teaching philosophies including Montessori, Regio Amelio, Place based Learning, Project based Learning, Dual Language and Total Physical Response methods, as well as Wild Schooling, Forest Schools, and Expeditionary Learning.
MFA staff have used our own experiences and our experiences of these philosophies to create a conglomerate working philosophy based on the independence, coordination, focus and self-motivation of Montessori, along with the wonder and curiosity of Wild Schooling and Forest Schools, the beauty and focus found in Regio schools, the community building and challenges found in camps and expeditionary learning, and the interdisciplinary approach of project and place-based programs.
Our goal is an individualized educational outdoor experience for your child that will challenge them while engaging their minds and bodies as they have fun and connect with their world and each other.
It is our whole hearted belief that learning is fun and that children feel better about themselves and the world around them when given the chance to accomplish challenging tasks and to help direct their own learning through play.
We believe every child is an artist, a writer, an adventurer, a questioner and a natural experimental scientist.
We help to engage each camper in experiences that will help them to believe in and see the very best of all these things in themselves. We want them to really dig into play with each other and with the natural world, and to value these experiences as they grow.
If your child doesn’t come home every day knowing that they can be a genius in countless ways, and excited for the next day, yet tired to the bone, we have not achieved our goals.
As our community grew we added Forest Friday adventures and Service Saturday Projects during the school year.
Then as our campers continued to grow older, we expanded into the Trail Wizard and Trail Wizard in Training Leadership program for adventurers 13+!
We also participate in the Christmas Parade and 4th of July Parade every year.
Thanks for checking us out!
We would love to welcome you into the Forest Magic Family!
