Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find the answer to your question please reach out via our website, email, phone or text!
We are accepting new students! However, with our low student to instructor ratio, our attendance fills up rather quickly. Registration for Fall 2023 will open on June 19th. To register, click on the link on the top right corner of the website, if all spots are filled, you will receive contact about being placed on the waiting list.
Our programming begins at 9:00 each day and ends at 4:00. We will be signing your child in and out at the beginning and end of each day, so please make sure you or your child has spoken to one of our leaders before arriving or leaving.
Our regular 5 week programs cost $299 (HST included) per session per child. Payment is due upon registration via email money transfer to pictoucountyforestschool@gmail.com. Payment plans and financial assistance may also be available. Please reach out to discuss.
Yes! There’s a Scandinavian expression: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.” Experiencing nature in all weather is a building block towards creating resiliency. If your child/children do not have the appropriate outerwear we will do our best to outfit them for the day. Most importantly though, we strive to offer only positive experiences in the forest. If the weather is truly miserable we will break the day up with the use of our indoor space above the barn, where we will offer nature based games, initiatives, and crafts.
School groups should come with seasonally appropriate outerwear and footwear. The forest often feels colder than the forecast and the fields can get very warm in full sun. We recommend dressing in layers, and avoiding cotton. At Forest School we traverse a variety of ground, and some can be very wet. Waterproof footwear is always a good idea. If students do not have their own we will do our best to supply it. Depending on the time of year, sunscreen and bug spray or tick repellant should also be brought. You will need to bring water bottles, snacks and lunch, unless our day includes a group cooking experience (please ask us about this!). If your students possess phones or tablets, they may use them for photography, however we would prefer limited screen usage during Forest School.
The Pictou County Forest School focuses on teaching practical skills to our students to help them become more independent, confident and connected to nature. Our staff and students are committed to nurturing a strong connection to our community and frequently participates in outreach programs. The current curriculum includes; animal tracking, plant and fungi identification, map and compass, as well as survival skills: such as shelter building and fire tending. We also focus on games, crafts, group initiatives and local hikes to keep our minds and bodies active and dynamic.
Our Forest School is located on 23 acres of land alongside MacBain Road, in Meadowville, Nova Scotia. Look for the Pictou County Forest School sign on MacBain road or follow this pin drop: https://goo.gl/maps/fJUb8AGCPxrXob548
Drop off location has changed from last year!
If you enter “Pictou County Forest School” in Google maps it will take you to our civic address, this is NOT the entrance to forest school.
Our Nova Scotia weather varies as often through the day as it does through the year. Backpack lists are broken down by session. While it may seem a lot to bring everything everytime, it is important to do so as it will allow your child/children to stay comfortable no matter the change in weather.
Please send your child/children with all of their belongings contained in one backpack. At forest school, we traverse a wide space across fields, forests, and trails. We take all of our things with us so we are all prepared for inclement weather, necessary clothing changes, or the potential of a picnic lunch or snack wherever we may be. With everything in one backpack for each student, we are able to more freely move.
*Extra clothes should be packed in a plastic bag inside the backpack to keep them dry and to be used for wet or soiled clothing*
Waterproof boots are strongly encouraged EVERYDAY. Morning dew often ensures our feet will be wet.
Session 1
- Sun hat/ball cap
- 1 full change of seasonally appropriate clothes, including non-cotton socks (plastic bag)
- Rain jacket and pants
- Thin long-sleeve shirt (to wear on hikes to protect against ticks)
- Rain boots (sneakers are an optional addition)
- water bottle, snacks, lunch
- Sweater
- Journal and pen/pencil
- Sunscreen
- bug spray/tick repellant (optional)
Session 2
- Sun hat/ball cap or light winter hat
- Light mitts/gloves
- 1 full change of seasonally appropriate clothes, including non-cotton socks (plastic bag)
- Rain jacket and pants
- Thin long-sleeve shirt (to wear on hikes to protect against ticks)
- Rain boots (sneakers are an optional addition)
- water bottle, snacks, lunch
- Sweater
- Journal and pen/pencil
- Sunscreen
- bug spray/tick repellant (optional)
Session 3
- Winter hat
- Light mitts/gloves and waterproof mitts/gloves
- Buff (tubular neck warmer) or similar
- 1 full change of seasonally appropriate clothes, including non-cotton socks (plastic bag)
- Rain jacket and pants or winter jacket and pants
- Thin long-sleeve shirt (to wear on hikes to protect against ticks)
- Rain boots or winter boots
- water bottle, snacks, lunch
- Sweater
- Journal and pen/pencil
Session 4
- Winter hat
- Waterproof mitts/gloves
- Buff (tubular neck warmer) or similar
- 1 full change of base-layer clothes, including non-cotton socks (plastic bag)
- Winter jacket and pants
- Winter boots
- water bottle, snacks, lunch
- Sweater
- Journal and pen/pencil
Session 5
- Winter hat or sun hat/ball cap
- Light mitts/gloves
- 1 full change of seasonally appropriate clothes, including non-cotton socks (plastic bag)
- Rain jacket and pants or winter jacket and pants
- Thin long-sleeve shirt (to wear on hikes to protect against ticks)
- Rain boots or winter boots
- water bottle, snacks, lunch
- Sweater
- Journal and pen/pencil
- Sunscreen
- bug spray/tick repellant (optional)
Session 6
- Sun hat/ball cap
- 1 full change of seasonally appropriate clothes, including non-cotton socks (plastic bag)
- Rain jacket and pants
- Thin long-sleeve shirt (to wear on hikes to protect against ticks)
- Rain boots (sneakers are an optional addition)
- water bottle, snacks, lunch
- Sweater
- Journal and pen/pencil
- Bug spray/tick repellant (optional)
We will be looking at each winter storm event on a case by case basis. We will consider what other schools are doing but we may go ahead on some days that traditional school is cancelled. We will try our best to be open provided the roads are not icy. If there is an ice storm or a large amount of snow we will generally cancel the day. As well, if the majority of our staff can’t travel safely we will cancel. The best way to find out if we will close is to check our facebook page. There will be a decision posted no later than 7:00 AM if we are cancelling or delaying opening. Scott will be also sending out email for those parents that are not on facebook. Your safety and the safety of your children is our main concern, please stay home if you feel road conditions are not safe.
Children will inevitably miss some classroom content by taking a day away. However, research and experience from other outdoor schools indicates that a child’s participation in a weekly nature immersion program supports success in their other weekly endeavours. This can mean higher grades, more positive social interactions, increased participation in family and household activities and chores, and a generally increased sense of autonomy and well-being.
Our programs are designed to complement conventional classroom learning and homeschooling/ unschooling choices. Our goal is to work with schools and classroom teachers to help students reach their full potent
