Learning to Walk between the Raindrops: The Value of Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens

Abstract

Nature preschool and forest kindergarten are two distinct species of nature-based early childhood education that emerged in the United States and Europe in the later half of the 20th century. They owe some of their genetic lineage to Froebel's creation of the kindergarten, with an emphasis on children in nature, in mid-18th century Germany. New nature preschools and forest kindergartens are cropping up across North America. This article explores both the cognitive readiness mindset and the initiative/resiliency mindset that undergird these two different approaches. Examples from programs in New England, Minnesota, Scandanavia and Switzerland provide illustrations of the differences of these programs from conventional, mostly indoors, early childhood programs.