SOL Forest School
We have turned 7 years around the sun!
Soulful ~ Outdoor ~ Learning
Current Program Overview
Weekly Sessions:
Tue – Thu
9:30am – 1:30pm
+
3rd Sats
Aug – May
9:30am – 1:30pm
2024 – 2025
School Year:
August – May
Summer 2025:
June & July
2025 – 2026
School Year:
August – May
Locations:
East Mountains
(east of Albuquerque)
ABQ Bosque
(Rio Grande corridor)
Age Range:
Tree Tots
(3 & under)
Treeschool &
Explorers
(3-6)
Tall Pines & Adventurers
(6/7-10)
SOLCraft
(7-12)
Time in Nature:
100%
Forest School
Year Round Sessions:
PROGRAM UPDATE AS OF 11/12/24: We offer a full school year program from August to May, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 9:30am - 1:30pm for children ages 3 to 6 in our early years Treeschool group and Thursdays from 9:30am - 1:30pm for ages 6/7-10 in our Tall Pines older kid group. We are offering Fall & Spring 8-week block Tree Tots sessions for children under 3 and their parents. We also offer Saturday sessions from 9:30am - 1:30pm (every 3rd Saturday of the month between Aug - May) and will offer Summer sessions in 5-day weeklong camp blocks in June and July in 2025.
Please see our FAQs tab for more information about a typical experience of Forest School.
Learn more about our PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS and the Rhythm of the Forest School Day
Our sites are currently based in the East Mountains (Cedar Crest, Tijeras, and Sandia Park) and in the Albuquerque Bosque, with our East Mountain sites approximately 20-45 minutes by car, depending upon where in the Albuquerque metro area you may be traveling from.
Our sessions are held in beautiful forested areas that are carefully chosen with the criteria of safety, proximity, outdoor classroom use, potential environmental impact & opportunities for nature immersion in mind.
Parents are asked to participate as Parent Volunteers at least 1 to 2 times per semester. Our third adult for forest school sessions is a Parent Volunteer or a Volunteer from the community with a dedicated interest in early childhood and outdoor education.
We encourage parents to use the session time for self-care through hiking or relaxing in nature, enjoying some quiet time sipping coffee or tea at one of our several eateries & cafes, or working virtually without interruption while your child / children are enjoying themselves under the sun. The East Mountain Library in Tijeras is a wonderful spot for reading or working, too. We encourage parents to carpool to save on time & fuel, if they are comfortable doing so.
Our Programs:
Treeschool
Ages 3 - 6
East Mountains
Treeschool is SOL’s original forest school program for early childhood years (age 3-6). Under the guidance of trained and experienced educators, our "Treeschoolers" experience firsthand the joy and wonder of nature and have ample free time for risky and adventurous play. Treeschool is play-based, welcomes children with or without outdoor experience, and is currently held every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday where children attend 1-2 days per week.
Tall Pines
Ages 6/7 - 10
East Mountains
Tall Pines is SOL’s forest school program for elementary school ages (6/7-10), giving homeschool learners a community of their peers and ample time to experience the forest school fun that SOL is known for. Tall Pines go for longer hikes in the forest and have opportunities to advance their outdoor skills & tool use. We follow student interests in choosing activities, and learn about local habitats & wildlife throughout the changing seasons.
Tall Pines will be offered on Thursdays for 2024-2025. Treeschoolers who have been with SOL for at least one year may graduate to Tall Pines after age 6, and we make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. We take into consideration several factors when advancing a younger student to Tall Pines. For example, Tall Pines students must be able to attend to all their outdoor bathrooming with little or no adult support. They must be able to manage their own buttons and zippers on snow pants and jackets, and put on their own gloves/mittens without adult help. Tall Pines carry a heavier backpack for longer distances, sometimes through mud or snow. Most importantly, Tall Pines must show age-appropriate self-regulation and impulse control during risky and adventurous play, such as tree-climbing, stick play, and child-led games. Tall Pines also receive many additional opportunities for building their wilderness and tool use skills.
Saturday School Year /
Summer Explorers & Adventurers
Ages 3 - 10
East Mountains (Saturdays/Summer)
SOL Saturdays during the school year and Summer SOL are offered for Explorers (ages 3-6) and Adventurers (ages 6/7-10). Saturday sessions are offered once or twice per month and typically run 4 hours (9:30am-1:30pm). Our Summer SOL sessions start a bit earlier (9:00am-1:00pm). We anticipate offering 5-Day Camp Weeks in June and July for enrollment of the full week, with options to enroll in one or more weeks.
SUMMER SOL 2025
June & July
Program & Enrollment information will be available in early Spring '25
Summer SOL open registration will be available March 24! Visit our Registration page
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SATURDAY SOL 2024-2025
Saturday Forest Fun! Our 100% outdoor sessions will pass through all four seasons and will be held in the East Mountains for children aged 3-10 yrs. Sessions will take place every 3rd Saturday of the month (with the exception of Mar & Apr), and will run 4 hours (9:30am-1:30pm). 10 sessions will be offered for the year between August 2024 – May 2025. This is a drop off program.
2024: Aug 17 • Sept 21 • Oct 19 • Nov 16 • Dec 21
2025: Jan 18 • Feb 15 • Mar 8* • Apr 12* • May 17
Program Cost: $620 for the year + $20 annual registration fee
(enrollment is ongoing as space allows; program costs are prorated based on start date)
Please note, we do not offer drop-in Saturday classes. Registration is for the whole
series, every 3rd Saturday for the full year.
Saturday SOL 2024-2025 Registration opened May 15, 2024.
(Early registration preference is given to families who are not otherwise attending the weekday Treeschool/Tall Pine program, but who may be only available for Saturday sessions).
Tree Tots
2025 Spring & Fall: For children under age 3 and their families
Our very popular "Tree Tots" program is back in 2025! This program is for children 3 years and younger and is a great introduction to the forest school philosophy, as well as a wonderful way to get to know other parents in the community while nurturing your wee ones through nature play. Tree Tots is facilitated by SOL's Founder "Miss Sally" & will take place over eight Tuesdays/weeks in the East Mountains at our original forest school site.
Kindly note, this is not a drop off program, parents stay to play!
SPRING PROGRAM is FULL.
Early enrollment offered to current families first, followed by our waitlist. Contact us to get on the waitlist for Fall '25 Tree Tots.
8 week program: March 11 – May 6
Spring '25 Mar/Apr/May Session Dates: 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6
(no session on 4/8)
Session Time: 10am – 12:00pm
COST: $245 for first child, $120 for additional children 1-3 years of age
(please consider enrolling your over-3s in our weekly Treeschool program).
NEW! SUMMER CAMP FOR TREE TOTS!
Early enrollment offered to current families first, followed by our waitlist. Contact us to get on the waitlist for Fall '25 Tree Tots.
Miss Sally is pleased to offer a *new* summer camp option in July for this very popular program! Tree Tots is for children ages 3 years and younger and their parents. Kindly note, this is not a drop off program, parents stay to play!
TREE TOTS SUMMER CAMP '25 details:
1 week (5 consecutive days) during the week of July 21 – 25
Session Time each day: 9:30am – 11:30am
Location: Sandia Park area, East Mountains
COST: $150 for first child, $75 for additional children 1-3 years of age
For info sheet: TREE TOTS 2025
SOLCraft
Bushcraft & Nature-Based Skills Sessions for kids age 7-12
To compliment our signature forest school offerings, we’re designing a new SOL program inspired by the WILDPassport (UK) – a curriculum in progressive wilderness skills learning. Participants will learn technical skills with practical application outdoors, alongside fostering a positive nature connection in a small group setting. Sessions will be under the guidance of a certified WILDPassport practitioner & SOL Forest School Guide.
SOLCraft will be geared toward ages 7 - 12 and will combine both “hard” and “soft” skills development within multiple 3 hour sessions. These will include (but not be limited to) five focus areas: Woodcraft, Shelter Building, Fire Making, Flora/Fauna and Rope. No prior experience required!
We are currently in the planning stages of developing a pilot program and will use any feedback offered from our community to better inform our efforts. We are aiming for official launch in Fall '25, with the potential for a late spring trial run (TBD).
Interested in SOLCraft for your child? We’re looking for community feedback from prospective families to help us schedule dates & times. Please consider submitting this brief form of interest.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to let us know what you think!
Coming for Fall 2025
A note about our school calendar: SOL’s upcoming '24-25 school year is Aug 20 – May 22. If you have school-age children, please be aware that their school calendar may differ from SOL's calendar. No classes will be held on the following days/dates:
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First day of the new '24-'25 school year: Tuesday, August 20, 2024
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Thanksgiving Break: November 26-28
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Winter Break: December 23 - January 17
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Spring Break: March 12-21
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Last day of the '24-'25 year: May 22, 2025