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(September spots filling fast!)
About us
The Outdoor Learning Association (OLA), also referred to as the Victoria Nature School Society is a non-profit, community based organization committed to inspiring a love of child-led play and exploration in nature. This progressive organization began as Victoria's first forest school in September 2013 and offers the following:
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Three-Five Year Old Preschool Program
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Teacher-Training Workshops
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Nature Days Kindergarten Pilot
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Resources for Teachers & Parents
Vision
OLA's vision is to be a leader in forward-thinking, child-led, nature-based programming. Through modeling and teacher training OLA prepares children and educators to be inquisitive, happy students of life-long learning, with a passion for taking care of their natural environment.
Mission
To inspire educational communities to embrace child-led play and exploration in nature.
Collaboration
OLA aims to be a model of collaboration, sharing passions and talents with other educators looking to create new systems of education.
Preschool Program Schedule:
3-5 Yr Old Preschool Program
Full Days
Monday/Wednesday/Fridays
9:00am-3:00pm (3:30pm late pick up option)
3-5 Yr Old Preschool Program
Half Days
Tuesday/Thursdays
9:00am-11:30am or 12:00pm-2:20pm
Preschool location
The morning programs take place in the forest and beach at Mt Douglas Park/Pkols. -see map.
Children attending the full day 3-5 Year Old Preschool Program (M/W/F) take a public bus at lunch time from Mt Douglas/Plols to Gordon Head Recreation Centre -see map. In the afternoon they spend time in a classroom for lunch and quiet time before they head out to the outdoor classroom. The outdoor classroom, mostly created by the Victoria Nature School parent community consists of a mud kitchen, sand box, garden boxes, sheltered area and lots of stumps and logs for exploring with loose parts.
Philosophy
OLA is committed to providing forward-thinking early childhood and teacher-training programs, designed using current research to inspire and challenge learning thorugh child-led play and exploration in nature.
OLA's philosophy is rooted in the forest school model and is based on the belief that bringing children into nature helps them learn in a self-guided manner, and enables them to flourish as creative and innovative learners, responsible adventurers, and playful, collaborative thinkers.
The Victoira Nature School is a preschool that has a child-led, inquiry-based philosophy and creates an environment where play, exploration, music and movement, and creative self-expression emerge to create a happy and vibrant learning community. It is within this foundation that developmentally-appropriate early literacy and numeracy skills will be explored. Children will also experience daily practice of mindfulness and gratitude through activities such as 'thank-yous' before snacks, reflections, meditation and yoga.
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