Program Details

Our Mission

To nurture a deep connection with nature for children and families. We offer programs that facilitate child-led explorations guided by their natural process of inquiry.

Philosophy

Into the Woods philosophy is deeply rooted in honouring each child’s individuality and fostering their innate curiosity and capacity for deep and complex thoughts. We believe in creating an environment that not only respects but also celebrates the uniqueness of every child. Understanding children requires considering their families, languages, cultures, and communities. We view families as the primary influencers and recognize the importance of families in the development and well-being of their children.

We prioritize an environment where children are encouraged to explore, inquire, and engage in play as essential pathways for learning and growth. We firmly believe that children learn best when they are actively engaged in their learning, with their interests and inquiries valued, considered, and supported.

We provide a nurturing environment where children can thrive and discover the wonders of the world around them, rain, or shine. As we aim to spend most of the day outside, our program is deeply rooted in the belief that outdoor play offers unparalleled opportunities for improved health, learning, growth, and exploration. We embrace the principles of child-directed learning and play-based education, recognizing that the outdoors can serve as the ultimate classroom for children. Our curriculum is designed to harness the power of outdoor experiences, inviting children to engage with the elements in all their sensory richness. From the earthy scent of pine needles to the freshness of a rain shower, nature delights our senses in countless ways.

Children are encouraged to immerse themselves fully in these sensory experiences, allowing the sights, sounds, textures, and smells to ignite their curiosity and spark their imagination and further investigation.

As our program flows with the changing seasons, children will come to appreciate the unique beauty of Vancouver Island’s rainy season, observing how it shapes the environment while discovering the joy of playing in the elements. Outdoor play offers a rich blend of physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language development opportunities that support their holistic growth.

We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive environment where every child can thrive amidst the beauty of nature, rain or shine. Through our dedication to outdoor play and discovery, we aim to instill a lifelong love of learning and a profound appreciation for the natural world in all its forms.

Infant & Toddler Program

(Ages 0 – 36 months)

Our Infant & Toddler Program is open to children aged 0 months to 36 months. Our program is designed to be flexible to meet the varying needs and developmental stages of your child. Children learn to make sense of the world around them through play, and our educators are facilitators of play. Their focus is on being responsive to the child’s/children’s needs and interests while creating opportunities for meaningful learning experiences.

The play environment is set up to encourage creativity, exploration and discovery. Much of our play time will be spent outdoors as we connect with nature. The children in this program have direct access to their own large outdoor play space. The indoor space was designed to bring the outdoors in, with natural colors and textures that reflect the natural environment. The bathroom space includes small child-sized toilets to aid in toilet training, and low sinks for independent hand washing. We can accommodate up to 12 children in this space with 3 educators running at a minimum of a 4:1 ratio.

Early Learning Program

Our Early Learning Program is open to children aged 30 months to 5 years. Our program schedule is designed to be flexible to meet the varying needs and developmental stages of your child. Children are born with the innate desire to learn and as it has been shown, learning happens through play. Our play environment offers a variety of ways to connect with the natural environment, while encouraging creativity, exploration and discovery. Educators are facilitators of play. Their focus is on being responsive to the child’s/children’s needs and interests while creating opportunities for meaningful learning experiences.

Most of our play time will be spent outdoors as we connect with nature. You can expect to see us not only at our center, but in neighboring forests and exploring the nearby community to build connections. The children in this program have access to their own large outdoor play space, as well as access to neighboring forest trails. The indoor play space was designed to bring the outdoors in, with natural colors and textures that reflect the natural environment. The bathroom space has been designed to meet the needs of this age group and promote self-help skills. We can accommodate up to 25 children in this space with 4 educators running at a minimum of a 8:1 ratio.

At Into the Woods our educators are here to support the development of an authentic child who feels secure, autonomous, competent, and connected to the world around them. Our educators respect a child’s ability to learn and develop naturally and we give them ample opportunity to do so.

As your child moves through our program, we will scaffold their learning to ensure that once they go to kindergarten there is a smooth transition to the learning requirements of school.