Forest School with Muddy Boots
We are Des Moines / West Central Iowa's first fully outdoor forest school
Currently enrolling children ages 2yrs9mos - entering 3rd grade.
Mixed-aged groups supporting all learners.
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Fall 2025 Locations
Mornings from 9:30-12:00
Options to attend 1-4x a week, 1 or 3 days a week please contact us.
Tuesday/Thursday at Water Works Park in Des Moines
Wednesdays/Fridays at Walnut Woods in West Des Moines
Wednesdays at Jester Park in Granger
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What is Forest School?
Forest school is an educational model that is child-centered, providing opportunities for personal growth and risk taking, developing confidence and self-esteem in learners through play and exploration in a natural setting.
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What does an average Forest School day look like?
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After students are dropped off they have time for free play as their peers arrive. We come together as a large group for circle time, singing a song to start our time, and previewing our daily theme with questions or prompts.
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Next we take a group hike. Sometimes we cover a good distance, other times students get focused on something and we let them explore. During the fall and winter months we explore game trails and are able to go off trail easily. This has led to some exciting finds of bones and antlers!
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After our hike we wash hands and have snack time. We read a story or two during snack that relates to our theme or the outdoors. When students are done with snack they have quiet time for their nature journal. During the colder months we have warm tea together instead of our journaling time.
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We finish the morning with our main activity or craft. Sometimes students make things that can be taken home, other times we are skill building with tools and items at the park.
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Throughout the year we will have special days where we meet at an alternate location for fishing, creek stomping, or another enrichment activity.
Enrollment Options
One time registration fee: $50
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Semester runs from August 26th 2024
to May 23rd 2025
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Monthly tuition
$245 for 2x week class
$366 for 3x a week class
Save 15% when enrolling 5x a week with code:
Forestschool5
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Drop-in class: $32 depending on availability
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