All three of our kids have now been a part of Blessing Farm and Forest School and I will forever be grateful for how this school has shaped them. I first heard about outdoor schools in my masters program for education and fell in love with the concept immediately. When we moved to Spokane, the first thing I looked up was if there was an outdoor school and was thrilled to find BFF. It was exactly what we were looking for and has exceeded our expectations.
If we look at all of our kids, this school has helped their confidence tenfold. Our daughter Nora specifically was extremely reserved before she started school and we wondered how it would all work out both at school and life in general but within just a few months we noticed a difference in her. She was climbing on trees, jumping off stumps, getting near fire (all of which she was terrified of before starting school). These things might seem simple to some children but for Nora, it was amazing to see this transformation. She now regularly pushes herself outside her comfort zone and we owe it all to BFF.
Our son Rhett who graduated two years ago was able to transition smoothly into his outdoor grade school because he was so accustomed to learning outside, despite cold weather. He has always been more of an observer but after his time at BFF, we notice that when he is outside, a fire is sparked within him and he takes charge of more situations. We have experienced nothing but positive growth in our kids because of this school.
Our youngest daughter Mia has always been quite the spitfire and we love that she can often be seen exploring nature while singing with mud caked all over her princess dress. Outdoor school truly gives children such an amazing childhood!
Something that BFF has reiterated to us is the idea that children need time to be children and to not rush into life or even academics at their age. So many preschools have children sitting at desks and doing worksheets. BFF allows kids to get curious, get messy, take risks, ask questions, and discover the things they are truly interested in. They move their bodies just as they were designed to do. Because of BFF and its emphasis on letting kids be kids and explore outside, our family has made being outside one of our strongest family values. BFF helped us shift our mentality from thinking we need to teach our children everything to taking a step back and allowing them to experience life for themselves and connect to the world around them. We have also learned to slow life down and not have to keep up with everyone around us.
When we are with other families in an outdoor setting, they make comments about our kids’ ability to stay outside and I always respond that it’s been a joint effort between us and Sommer. She has been a huge part in instilling positive values of the beauty of being in nature and respecting it.
If I were to give any advice to new families, I would say to trust the process And Sommer. There were a time or two when I questioned what Sommer had in mind for one of my children, only to be completely blown away by the outcome. She truly knows what the children need. She has gone out of her way and even recorded her own story that was applicable specifically for our daughter to listen to, to help with what she was struggling with. My kids have always come out stronger and more resilient because of what Sommer teaches them. She is able to connect to our kids in a way we can’t, and it is a beautiful relationship that is so hard to find. I am incredibly grateful that my kids get to be part of such a meaningful experience and we will forever cherish our time here.
